I'm worried about my hun. He's been looking for a job in London for the last 5 weeks, and hasn't had much luck so far, beyond a single interview. He's still working for his old company on contract and has money from selling an endowment policy, so he's not starving; but he's got stupid London rent to pay, and the more he gets rejected for jobs for dumb reasons (usually that he's overqualified, or that stupid English recruitment agents don't understand his Scottish qualifications) he more depressed he gets.

Last night he was feeling particularly shitty. A recruitment person told him she would put him forward for a job, and then didn't because she found someone "more suitable". And then he had some crap involving Argos delivering some storage boxes that were broken, and I think that was the last straw.

I skipped class last night to go home and comfort him round at my place, cook him dinner etc. In bed, he told me that if it wasn't for me, he'd have either run back off to Scotland by now, or would be considering ending it all. I suspect that last comment was fuelled by half a bottle of Chilean cabernet sauvignon, but I'm still fretting.

On the one hand, I feel incredibly guilty that he's here and he's going through all this. If he hadn't met me, he'd still be up in Edinburgh. OK, so a few of the shitty things would be the same - he'd still have been made redundant, he'd still have sold his house (he had to, move or no move). But he'd probably be living with his parents and getting by. Instead, he's down in London in an overpriced apartment, grabbing bits of contracting when he can and feeling despondent about the future - that he'll never get the sort of job he wants, that he'll never be able to afford to buy a place of his own down here.

I've told him that I feel guilty for "luring" him down here, and he tells me not to be so daft. I suppose he's right. He's an adult after all, and if he didn't want to be here he wouldn't be here.

But still.

And Tuesday made me feel worse. Because I'm not even seriously looking for a job but still managed to land an interview from one of my casually-sent-off applications (and I think I have a decent chance of being offered that job). Hell, there was even a spelling mistake in my CV, that's how hard I've been trying!! Meanwhile, he - with twice as much experience as me and a clutch of relevant qualifications - doesn't feel like he's getting anywhere. Guilty, guilty, guilty. I feel like crap, to be honest. And I'm not even a Catholic!

I am just praying to $deity that he gets a job soon; one that allows him to pay his extortionate rent and still have a life. Thing is, the more down he feels about the jobfinding process, the less enthusiastic he is about looking for a job. I don't think he's given up trying just yet, but he's close.

I'm not sure what I can do to help him. I've asked colleagues and friends to recommend recruitment agencies. I'm going to take him along to a drinks gathering I've been invited to on the 14th, because a couple of the people who'll be there work for a company C would like to get into, and I'm hoping they can give him some pointers. Above and beyond that, I don't know... He can't give up his flat until his 6-month lease runs out; after that he could rent a room (cheaper), but he has a whole pile of furniture, so it's not practical. He can't move in with me - my place is too tiny, and full of stuff already. And I don't think we want / are ready to move in together anyway (not in a "setting up home" way).

Jesus fucking chocolate Christ, you'd think he'd be able to land something in the job department. How do long-term unemployed people cope? I know I couldn't get by if I was out of a job for more than a month (if that). Blah. Why does all the shitty stuff happen at once? He should never have met me. No, I don't mean that. But then maybe I do. Ugh.