I think retraining (yet further education!) is more likely the step forward for me, Chrisrolinski - which, I guess, would entail surrendering my independence and temporarily moving back to the family home *sigh*. I'd need a permanent address to start teaching/writing if I wanted it to last any amount of time - thereby providing enough to pay the bills - I reckon. Also, my confidence is so low now that the thought of teaching a class of people anywhere just fills me with terror! But it sounds great that you're going for TEFL and are seeing all the exciting positives it can offer - well done!

Thanks for the input Bumble,

Scary stuff - I have no idea what I could run a business doing! Instrumental tuition may work over time; I guess my current problem concerns, more immediately, securing a full-time job in order to be able to afford to rent accommodation. Once those basics are in place I can start thinking beyond that. Hmmm....

Hi everyone - a newbie here.

I'm nearing the end of an arts Masters (music), which I left a reasonable enough admin job to undertake. I'm in my late 30s, have a decade+ of various job experience (with a leaning towards the dreaded admin), and am currently sofa-surfing post-relationship-break-up whilst applying madly for - and not getting - various jobs.

I'm feeling pressure to get a job in order to afford to rent somewhere to live in order to finish my Masters work before I outstay my welcome on people's sofas - but for whatever reason (being too qualified / underselling myself or not managing to be convincing enough about my enthusiasm for the job in interviews / etc) I just can't secure anything.

Someone recently spelled out for me how I could view my situation in a positive light - whereby I have no mortgage / family / relationship - indeed, *anything* to tie me down anywhere (once I've finished the Masters, that is) - and thus the world is my oyster.

So the issue I'm ruminating about concerns just what someone in my situation could do. Assuming that my main passion/academic experience (writing/producing music) is not strictly vocational and isn't going to land me my dream job (I'm, um, an 'artist' rather than a 'technician'), does anyone have any pearls of wisdom about what a keen-to-re-enter-the-workforce, jack-of-several-trades/master-of-none, reasonably-educated, artistic type who's becoming increasingly confused/disillusioned/distracted and whose self-esteem is plummeting below ground level very quickly could do?

Failing that, words of encouragement would be welcome, I'll certainly keep on keeping on applying for jobs...

Thanks!