The Working Life.

Most people in this day and age only work because they "have" to, or because they want or need money and all say that if they won a considerable amount on the lottery, they would never work again.

I've always been different. I love working, even in jobs that I hate. It makes me feel independent and also gets me socializing with new people as well as the money that comes with it. If I won the lottery, I would still work - even just voluntarily, because it's something that I love to do.

I started working when I was 15 years old. I didn't want a job and I hadn't even started thinking about looking for one, but it was offered to me on a plate and I took it. It was just as  Kitchen Porter - washing up in a kitchen, mopping floors, taking rubbish out. It's a job that most 15 year olds would cringe at the thought of and I got picked on a lot for it, but I didn't care. I loved working.

Over the next five years, I would have a total of eight jobs - all of them in different fields. By the time I finished my last job, some of my friends were just starting their first one's and others still haven't started, even though they are the same age as me.

That's why I've felt so lost since I had my accident in August. Being out of work makes me feel out of touch with the world. I can't even actively seek work, because all I can do is sitting down, office jobs and there aren't any available in my area, even though I have looked every week.

After getting off crutches, I applied for a bar job which I got straight away, despite having no experience. I did one shift for just under six hours and that was it - I was back on crutches, with further damage to my leg. Despite loving the job, I had to jack it in after just one shift because I wasn't capable of it. I was devastated, both for losing the job and being back on crutches after just four weeks off them.

I am tired of people saying it's easy to get a job, because it's not when you can't stand for long. Even supermarkets won't employ me because I can't jump into the warehouse when they need me. I have experience in 8 different fields of work (excluding my one day bar work) and 17 qualifications, but I still can't get a job that's suitable for me and I hate it. So please don't tell me that it's easy, because it's not.

Clare
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xxx