Q I am unemployed and depressed. I am 38 years old and have had bad experiences with jobs. I am often in conflict with co-workers, and most of my supervisors do not like me. I have had my job made redundant three times. I wonder if it is because I have not been relating well with fellow employees. And the redundancy payments have not been much. Now my financial resources are dwindling. I have been living on savings and they will soon finish.

Often, I am depressed, especially on Monday mornings and at month end. I get irritable when I see my relatives leave for work and I have to remain home. On Mondays, I do not even want to eat. Some nights I cannot sleep. I stay awake and think about my unemployment. At the end of the month when the bills come in and there is no cheque, I become depressed again. I have sent job applications to numerous companies without success.

I do not know what to do. Do you have any ideas?

A First of all, you were not made redundant; rather, the job positions you held were made redundant. You are not useless or unneeded. Only the job posts have been rendered redundant.

There are a couple of things you can do. You need to try and acquire additional skills and knowledge to make you more marketable and versatile. You should try short-term educational courses, but if it is a long-term diploma or certificate, then it is better to do it part time or as evening classes just in case a job opportunity arises. Furthermore, you can do some voluntary work at a place you might want to work one day. Or you might do volunteer work just to get rid of boredom and to do something productive. Helping others who are less fortunate than yourself can make you feel good. It could also make you realise that you still have much to give God thanks for.

There is not necessarily a corelation between your positions being made redundant and your not getting along with co-workers and your supervisors. It may just be coincidence, and more likely, redundancies were undertaken in response to restructuring based on the economic climate and the need to be profitable.

You have not been getting responses to your job applications and it is possible that you need to get help with writing résumés and job-application letters. This can be learned online and from other professionals.

You should also consider cutting your expenses further. You must try and conserve more energy. Energy costs are a major expense. You will have to entertain yourself on the cheap and find inexpensive food. And when you do not feel like eating, then drink something nutritious. If you have serious problems sleeping, then consult your family doctor.

Finally, you need to work on your social skills because they are necessary for team work and a harmonious environment. Perhaps you need to join a social club in order to better appreciate being involved with persons with different personalities and values.

editor@gleanerjm.com