‘Hire this guy’: Desperate Coast man’s struggle to find work
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Even this week's wild weather wasn't enough to deter a dedicated job seeker from hitting the streets.
Sippy Downs man Anthony Ilett is weeks away from unemployment and he is willing to do anything to find a stable job - even if it takes standing in the rain all day.
After applying for "hundreds" of positions with no luck, Mr Ilett has taken to walking around the Coast with signs saying "hire this guy" to draw attention and hopefully a job offer.
"It has been quite difficult," he said.
"I'm currently helping out at a retail shop on Maud Street … but that's (going to finish up) in the next couple of weeks."
Mr Ilett said he had experience in office work, administration, retail and labour but was willing to put in the hard work and try anything.
He said he had found the job market had been tough to break into on the Coast for years, not just in recent months.
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He has been looking for stable work since moving to the region almost four years ago.
"I've applied for roughly 30 jobs a day for the past four years, you can do the math there," he said.
Now he has taken the job search to the next level and for the past three weeks has been putting himself out there by walking up and down the Mooloolaba Esplanade with his signs.
Even the wild weather didn't stop him from returning on Monday.
"I've been walking up and down the Esplanade mostly, but at the moment because the weather's not great I'm standing here next to the road," he said, standing in front of Alexandra Parade.
"I've had a few people honk at me or offer words of encouragement … but nothing has worked out so far," he said.
He said he was willing to move to get work.
"A lot of previous employers have said that I'm a 'working machine' which I'm assuming is a compliment," he said.
"I'm also very creative.
"I'll try anything once."
Mr Ilett can be reached at anthony.ilett@gmail.com or on 0497 320 248.
