People who have a job now, what did they do before

Some people never had a job before their present job.

• They were still in school or in a workshop learning a profession.
• Some people were unemployed for a long time.
• You need to have some luck to find a job. Sometimes it is difficult. You have to be patient and then something will come up.

Some people were working in another place before.

• They left because they didn’t like the work or because they had to work too hard and too many hours.
• Others left because they couldn’t agree with their colleagues and found nicer co-workers in a new job.
• Sometimes people stop working because they have problems in their private life they need to cope with.
• At times the boss tells people they cannot come to work anymore.
  Maybe because there isn’t enough work for them to do, or because they only had a temporary position. Or sometimes the boss thinks a person is not very good at his job and would be better in a different position.

Daniela had a job before. Now she’s working in a kitchen.

 
Andreas’ job is to help make furniture. This is his first job. Before he was learning how to do different jobs:

  
Before finding a job, most people learned to do a certain job in workshops or schools. But they found a job, so if you look for one, you could find one too. Check out what people with a job say about having a job.

Back

People with a job sometimes had other work before. They stopped. There are many reasons why people stop working.

• They had a temporary contract.
• They didn’t like the work.
• They thought the work was too difficult.
• They didn’t get along with their colleagues.
• The company went bankrupt.
• There wasn’t any work anymore.

Before finding a job, most people were in school, or they took a course in a vocational training centre. There they learned a profession.

 
Some people are lucky. They find a job fast. Others are on the dole first. But in the end, most people find a job.
 
Just look at Mark and Katrien. They found a job.
 
Mark is a gardener. He worked somewhere else before, but it was not a nice job. He likes his new job more.

  
Katrien also had a different job before. Now she works in the kitchen of a station. She followed vocational training to learn her profession.

 
Before finding a job, most people learned to do a certain job in workshops or schools. But they found a job, so if you look for one, you could find one too. Check out what people with a job say about having a job.

Back

Most people did not have a job before their present job.
They took classes in a special school. There they learned how to do a job. For example, some learned gardening.

Some people did have a job before.

• They quit because the work was too difficult.
• Some left because they did not get along with their colleagues. They like their new colleagues better.

Some people worked in a sheltered workshop before. They looked for a job in the open labour market. They knew they were fit for a normal job.

Some people were unemployed for some time. It can be difficult to find a job. There is no need to worry, though. In the end, something will come up.

Let’s see what Achilleas and Pelagia did before they found a job.
 
Achilleas found a job a long time ago in a shoe factory. He still works there. For a short time, he worked somewhere else. But he did not like it.

  
Pelagia works as an assistant gardener. This is her first job. Before she was in school.

  
Before finding a job, most people learned to do a certain job in workshops or schools. But they found a job, so if you look for one, you could find one too. Check out what people with a job say about having a job.

Back

Before they started to work, some people learnt how to do a job. They went to a vocational school. And they did a work placement in a company.

Some people had a job in a daycentre or a workshop for disabled persons.

• Some were not paid. They wanted a paid job.
• And some preferred to have a job on the open labour market. They knew that they were fit for a normal job.

There are people who had a job before.

• They quit because they did not like the work.
• They left because the work was too difficult.
• They had to go because there was no more work to do.

 
Some people were unemployed. It can be hard to find a job. But they kept on looking. In the end, something is bound to come up. So don’t despair, you will find a job too!

 
Let’s ask Jussi and Mikko about what they did before they found their job.

   
Jussi works for a big food store, the S-Market in Helsinki. He already had quite a career.

 
Mikko went to a workshop and to a vocational school before he found his job. He works as a gardener.

Before finding a job, most people learned to do a certain job in workshops or schools. But they found a job, so if you look for one, you could find one too. Check out what people with a job say about having a job.

Back

Before they found a job, some people were in school. They learned how to do a job.

• They were in a special school.
• They took vocational training and they did different work placements.

Some people had a job before. They worked in a sheltered workshop. They wanted a job on the open labour market.

• They worked for AP (Ateliers Protégés – sheltered workshops)
• They worked for CAT (Centres d’Aides par le Travail – centre for support for work)

Some people had a job before on the open labour market, but they had to leave.

• The work was too difficult.
• There was no more work.
• The company closed down.
• They found a better job.

Some people are lucky. They find a job fast. Others are on the dole first. But in the end, most people find a job.

 
Also Alain and François found a job. What did they do before? Let’s find out!

 
Alain has a job. He has to disassemble pallets. Before this job, he worked in a sheltered workshop. And he did work placements to get some experience. 

 
François is a shop assistant. He works for the big sports store Décathlon. He had a different job before.

  
Before finding a job, most people learned to do a certain job in workshops or schools. But they found a job, so if you look for one, you could find one too. Check out what people with a job say about having a job.

Back

Some people never had a job. Before, they were doing something else. Most of them were still in school or they took vocational training. You need to have some luck to find a job. Sometimes it is difficult. You have to be patient and then something will come up.

A lot of people had a job before. There are several reasons why they quitted their job:

• They left because they didn’t like the work or because the work was boring and they wanted to explore something new
• They quitted because they had to work with old people and they prefer working with children
• They had to go because the company was taken over
• They were fired because there wasn’t enough money left to pay them

 
Let’s see what Gaby and Heinrich were doing before their current job.

 
Gaby is a cleaning lady in a home for children, who also does some cooking and washing. She had a job before.

Back

People with a job mostly never worked before. Before they started to work, they did something else.

• They went to a vocational training centre where they learned how to do a job. They had workshops where they learned a profession. For example a gardening workshop, or a sewing workshop.
• Some people were in a special school.
• Some did a work practice to learn a job

Some people had a job before. Why did they leave their job?

• The company they worked for went bankrupt.
• They were fired.
• They like the new job better.

Some people were unemployed. It can be hard to find a job. But they kept on looking. In the end, something is bound to come up. So don’t despair, you will find a job too!

Let’s ask Kiki and Giorgios about what they did before they found their job.

 
Kiki works as an office messenger for a petrol company. She goes to the bank and goes shopping. She buys things that are needed in the office. Before she did work practice.

   
Giorgios is an assistant steward for The National Library of Greece. He had vocational workshops before he started to work.

   
Before finding a job, most people learned to do a certain job in workshops or schools. But they found a job, so if you look for one, you could find one too. Check out what people with a job say about having a job. 

Back

• They didn’t like the people they worked with.
  
  They lived too far from their previous work, for example because they moved.
  
  They didn’t like the job they had to do. They like their new work better.

Sometimes people were unemployed for some time. But they kept on looking and finally they found a job. If you look for a job, I’m sure you’ll find one too.

Let’s see what two people did before their present job.
 
Bianka is now working as a gardener in the zoo. She really likes her job. She had a job before, but she likes her new job better.

 
Also Tibor had jobs before. In his present job he’s weaving mats and rush baskets.

  
Before finding a job, most people learned to do a certain job in workshops or schools. But they found a job, so if you look for one, you could find one too. Check out what people with a job say about having a job.

Back

Before looking for a job, people want to learn how to do a job. That is why they go to a training centre.

• There they can learn gardening and office work and other jobs.
• The job coaches also teach social skills and independent living skills.

Some people had a job before.

• Some had to leave the job because there was no more work.
• Or because the company they worked for went bankrupt.
• Some people quit because they didn’t like the work.
• Or because they didn’t get along with their colleagues.
• Some worked in a sheltered workshop. They wanted a normal job.
• Sometimes people change jobs because they want to make more money.

Before finding a job, some people were unemployed. It can be difficult to find a job. But if you keep on looking, something is bound to come up!
 
Let’s ask Susan and Ann what they did before they found their job.
 
Susan works in an office in Co Meath. She has to make sure everything is tidy. This is her first job.

 
Ann is also employed as a cleaner in Co Meath. She works for a football club. She had a job before.

Before finding a job, most people learned to do a certain job in workshops or schools. But they found a job, so if you look for one, you could find one too. Check out what people with a job say about having a job.

Back

Most people were working in another place before they started the job they do now. Some of them were working in workshops.

Sometimes people change workplaces. There are different reasons why people change jobs:

• Some people quit because they didn’t like the work.
• Others have to stop working because of health reasons.
• Sometimes people leave because the work they have to do was too difficult.
• Other people look for another job because they feel bad in their workplace.

Some people did not have a job before. They were in a vocational training centre or worked in a sheltered workshop to learn a job.

• They were in a workshop learning a profession.
• Some people never had a job before. They were still in school.
• Some people were unemployed for a long time.

Some people were unemployed before finding a job. It can be difficult to find a job, you have to be patient. If you keep on looking, something is bound to come up! Don’t forget to visit your local service provider for help.

 
Shall we have a look at what Elisa and Barbara did before they found their job and why they wanted to change jobs?

 
Elisa had a job before but she didn’t like it too much. Now she is working for an advocacy-organisation:

  
Before finding a job, most people learned to do a certain job in workshops or schools. But they found a job, so if you look for one, you could find one too. Check out what people with a job say about having a job.

 
Back

Most people did not have a job before their present job. They were still in school. Or they were learning a job in workshops. For example:

• Some took a course in gardening.
• Others studied graphical arts.
• Some learned to weave.

Some people had a job before.

• They stopped because they didn’t get used to the workplace.
• Or because they didn’t get the right salary.
• Some left because they didn’t like what they had to do.
• And because they didn’t like the people they had to work with.
• One person had to quit the job because the company went bankrupt.

Before finding a job, some people were unemployed for a while. But they kept on looking. When you keep on looking for a job, you will find one you like.

Carlos took a course as a carpenter. He left the workshop and found a job as a gardener.

 
Rogerio has a job in a hypermarket. He packs bread. He had another job before, but he didn’t like it so he left.

Before finding a job, most people learned to do a certain job in workshops or schools. But they found a job, so if you look for one, you could find one too. Check out what people with a job say about having a job.

Back

Some people never had a job before. Before, they were doing something else.

• They still went to school.
• Or they went to a work activity centre or a day centre. There they can do fun and useful activities. They can do a hobby or take a course. This way, they can learn a lot.
• Some people were unemployed for a while and stayed at home. It’s not always easy to find a job. Finding a job can take some time.

There are people who did a work placement. They learn how to do a job. Sometimes people can stay after the internship. They get a contract.

Some people had a job before. They quit the old job.

• They didn’t get along with the boss or the other people.
• They didn’t like the job and they thought it was too difficult.
• They became ill.
• They were doing a temporary job.
• They just like the new job better!

Shall we have a look at what Wim and Joke used to do?
 
Wim works in a greenhouse now. He’s working with cucumbers. This is not his first job.
 

  
Joke works in a supermarket. Before she did a work placement, but she didn’t want to stay in the place.
 

  
Before finding a job, most people learned to do a certain job in workshops or schools. But they found a job, so if you look for one, you could find one too. Check out what people with a job say about having a job.

Back

Some people did not have a job before. They were still in college following training courses. Some did an internship in a company to learn a job.

Some people had a job before.

• They had to leave the job because there was no more work.
• Or because the company they worked for went bankrupt.
• Some people quit because they didn’t like the work.
• Or because they didn’t get along with their colleagues.
• Some worked as a volunteer. They wanted a paid job.
• Some people left their job because they were sick.
• And some people quit because they found a better job.

 
Before finding a job, many people were unemployed. It can be difficult to find a job. But if you keep on looking, something is bound to come up! Don’t forget to visit your local service provider for help.

 
Shall we have a look at what Jane and Esther did before they found their job?

 
Jane works in a hospital. She is a catering assistant. Before she went to school and did voluntary work.

  
Esther had a job before, but the contract ended. She did her best to find a new job. Now, she works in a café. She clears the tables and puts the dishes in the dishwasher.

 
Back