Unemployed

Yesterday I picked up something of a TV documentary about being unemployed and the difficulty of getting back on track, being employed again.
What I saw were some men and women who had a high levelled job.
All of them lost their job and were assigned with a jobcoach. He is the person who helps the unemployed to get back in business. At least he generates ideas, but let's the work be done by the unemployed.
The men and women had ideas and hopes for a better future but they didn't succeed though they were high skilled. They had the same experiences as I had. Being rejected for a job tempers ones humor. No, one gets a bad humor of it and finally gets in a negative spiral.

When I finished my Business school and got my Bachelor degree I was pleased that some headhunters wrote me to apply for a job.
But nobody wanted me after I wrote my application letter.
After graduation it took me three months to get a job, which didn't last very long.
I tried to find a job again and thought that it would come in time. (But actually I got no time, the cost of living are high without any social benefit. For me time was money.)
After writing dozens of letters to employers I noticed that on 10% of my applications I got an invitation.
Most of the times it went wrong in application "talks".
The gaps in my employment history were to difficult for me to fill.
Beside that my social skills were not very flexible. That was the key problem.
It took me years to accept that an accident at the age of 14 was the problem.

I went to an application training and was gone on short notice because I had another job.
In 1994 I started a business to provide stock investors and other investors with information about stocks, bonds, interest rates, etcetera.
In 1995 I studied at the Open Univerity: 2 studies into investment, maths and one about controlling a municipality.

But even then I didn't succeed. I kept my head up because of the stockmarket.
After some other jobs, everyone a step closer to what I do now, I went to the unemployment agency. The told me about a Law about reintegration of people with a handicap.
That was scary for me to step in.
Firstly, I dídn't and don't consider myself as a handicapped person.
Secondly, what if I step in. Will I be grinded?

Well, I did it and came in contact with a jobcoach who just gave some advises to adjust my curriculum.
I made better letters and applied only at jobs I wanted or liked.
So the first serious job application was on an island. I had a chance but it wasn't me.
Soon after that my present job came. I called and heard that the first application round was passed. I had to act immediately. My flexibility was tested!
And what, I passed the test.
Thanks to Jaap Adamse of Quality coaching.