I left school at 17, in the middle of the last major recession. I was living in a very small town in America -- there were over 100 in my graduating class and only a few places in the town to get any work. To say that finding a job was difficult was an understatement, there wasn't even a single fast food place restaurant to work at flipping burgers. News reports that year told of over 3000 applications being received for just 2 positions at a company in a nearby town.
What I learned from that experience is that I couldn't be picky, I did whatever there was to do however menial. If I was hired, I worked, everyday, without complaining, for minimum wage. I cleaned houses, I sorted scrap metal, I stuffed envelopes. If it was dirty, I washed it off at the end of the day. If it was shift work, I learned to sleep with the drapes closed during the daytime. When I lived at home, I paid rent, bought food, did chores, and contributed towards my share of the water, electric and gas bills. It was a good lesson and I haven't been unemployed for more than a few weeks in the past 25+ years because I learned that you do what needs to be done, not what you want to do.
By the time I was 25 I had my own office and was working alongside, and respected by, people who were more experienced and far better educated. By 30 I had fulfilled a lifelong dream and was living in the UK. I haven't looked back. I was recently made redundant. I was out of work for exactly two weeks. Not only did I find a new job, I found a better job.
You've tweaked your CV three times? That's not enough. Tailor your CV specifically to suit every job you apply for by emphasizing the skills and interests you have that will fit that job, and write a cracking good cover letter that shows you have enthusiasm for the job on offer, knowledge of the company, and genuinely believe that you could be a useful asset and see yourself having a future in the industry. If you appear better prepared on paper then no matter what your weight or situation you'll be a better candidate for the job than anyone else. Attitude is everything and it begins on your CV, application, and cover letter, not in the interview. If you get an interview from almost every application and a job offer from almost every interview, then you're doing it right. And yes, that is possible.
I'm overweight and have been since I was a teenager, T2 diabetic, prematurely grey, plain in appearance, not a UK or EU citizen, and I still don't have a degree in anything. If I can get a job, you can get a job.
