Seeking employment is tough now even tougher than 30 years ago. Then and before then, we could leave one job on the Thursday and commence a new one on the Monday. Now there are hoops and hurdles to go through before you even make the short list.... if you're lucky.

Add to those difficulties is our mental illness.

I believe, after my 41 years of working life, that, depending on your symptoms, you could be better off with a couple of part time jobs rather than one full time job. To have all your eggs in one basket is potentially disasterous. If you have health issues and your boss isnt sympathetic (and you have to assume he/she wont be) you could lose all of your income in one hit. Having two or three part time jobs cushions you in that regard. It also gives you the upper hand  i.e. you dont have to remain in a job, you can afford to leave. That is bliss when balancing mental illness issues.

I'd also refrain from working in the food industry, customer service and shift work professions. I worked 12 hour shifts for many years and couldnt understand why most other colleagues rarely fell to sleep on duty. I barely remained alive on night shift. I also worked for a pizza chain cooking pizza. I can say- you never please more than 50% of all customers. You can never cook an item just right. Anxiety goes through the roof.

Those that have not had serious mental illness and are relatively young can choose an option to join the armed forces. I did at 17yo, the RAAF, which gave me a head start with employment and able to obtain good references and work ethic. Consider that as an option.

In the early 1990's I was unemployed living in a small country town 2 hours north of Melbourne. Employment in the area was non existent. I did own an old ride on lawn mower, trimmer etc...and a trailer. I knocked on every door in my town, about 300 homes. No one wanted me to mow their lawns. I returned home and my wife said "well that's the end of that idea, what are you going to do now?".  I replied "I'm still going to do it"  I mad eup flyers and dropped them in every letterbox, then one week later repeated it. After 4 weeks I had 10 regular customers and that income supplemented our dole benefits. I had an option to apply to Centrelink for the NEIS scheme. (New Enterpsie Incentive Scheme) which means you dont have to look for work and you still get you dole payments while you built your business (for one year). I didnt take that option as it would have placed pressure on me to have business plans and so forth but it can be an option for you. After 6 months I sold the business with 14 regular clients and many occasional clients, for several thousand dollar. An olf back injury forced this sale.

I had to buy another ride on mower so once I did that I went about building a locomotive on top of the mower then three carraiges the last a red caboose. The train could carry 19 children. I took it to country shows. I did very well because the train was not restricted to tracks and would be driven around an oval. Loud whistles meant children came from all over to have a ride. After a few months I got an offer I couldnt refuse, in fact the buyer simply held many thousands of dollar in front of me. We desperately needed a good car so it was sold on the spot.

I then tried clowning. "Yobbo" was created with a simple country set of overalls, face paint and hat. I only got to do voluntary work for the Royal Childrens Hospital before I obtained full time employment in security so I didnt pursue this as a career. Clowning is now popular for childrens parties. A small business proposition.

My last venture during this 3 years period of unemployment meant building cubby houses. My cubbies would be like large dolls houses and were transportable for the rental sector. Xmas came and I had 14 orders at $600 each (1992). I soon learned however that the market is seasonal, xmas only with the odd birthday present. Not good for business and large hardware stores now stock kits for buyers.

The message here is not to give up. Persist and persist more and more. Be flexible, determined, reassess regularly, dont be afraid to rethink and drop one idea for another. Never give up. Dont let comments from others deter you. Be proud you are trying.