Will I ever be employable? (4 year gap/SAHM)

rainbow81

Aw IN THE RED - glad you've found opportunities on Do It. I volunteered through them a couple of years ago, in those "free 15 hours" of nursery time and today I got a job in the same charity, even though I had had a(nother) career break. All experience counts and although it is hard to see it when you are quite young (and I was a young mum too) a career break is an inevitability in the lives of many women.

And of course they will let you volunteer! Be confident and wow them with your ambitions!

(I am also doing an OU degree, btw. I can't see me doing it when I am working full time so think of this time as your opportunity to explore your passions.)

Racheldevon

Hi,

I wondered whether you'd considered your local sure start children's centre as a source for developing your skills further? Every community has access to one (have a google), and they provide free services to families with 0-5 year olds. There might be scope to volunteer, including possible mentoring type roles once you've been there a while. You might be able to link in with the various family learning courses that have to be offered. Alternatively, you might be able to access courses yourself that help you in the direction of the paid work you're looking for.
Best of luck

In_the_red

I live next door but one to the local surestart & primary school-my daughter also goes every friday to their nursery. They helped me get her in when I first got agoraphobia to get her out the house & also allocated me a family worker etc who used to come and take me to my support groups/ therapy etc (god I sound like a head the ball haha) They where who I was going to ask about volunteering.

I am so greatful for everyones advice I feel alot more positive now!

mummyplus3

Hiya, Didnt read the whole thread but did you OP.

I would say don't fret! Alot of jobs will be coming up soon for xmas temps and have you tried getting less hours? I know that might sound silly but ive noticed there are plenty of 8hr a week jobs going at the moment, and you get to keep £20 a week before if effects you IS, so maybe doing something like that may open up doors or enable you to increase your hours x

clueless1

Hello, I too was a sahm for 4 years. I originally applied for a short fixed term job with the NHS as a way of 'getting my foot through the door' and now they have offered me a permanent position So it is a good idea to apply for fixed term/temp jobs/xmas jobs just to give you the experience and hopefully, one might lead to something more permanent.
I also had issues with references as I had not worked at all during this period and they required something recent. In the end, they did accept my previous employment (4yrs ago) and a reference from my childs nursery teacher.
Good luck!

In_the_red

Yeah I'm applying for all jobs atm temp/part time/full time. Even though I think full time would be awkward at the moment I'm applying anyway to think about it if I got the job. Unfortunately for me, nobody is getting back to me

heretolearn_2

Oh try and cheer up a bit

I actually think there are some advantages to being a young mum and career wise it can be very good. You are still so young that you are starting fresh at the same time as a lot of other people your age. You still have your whole life to think about what you want to do, train and carry on. I was a young mum and it worked out well for me.

I see my friends now in their mid 30s and they struggle hugely to combine that with motherhood. If they want to SAH then they end up with a big gap in the middle of their career when everyone else is storming ahead, and by now they are working at a senior level so it's not so easy to jump out and back for a few years. Or they carry on working, often quite a distance from home and long hours again because of seniority, and it's hard to fit in.

so it's no disaster to do baby first, career second.

Your main problem is that you've been a bit unreliable about your studies and so on, not shown a commitment, so you need to get a good steady record now. I went back to college 3 full days a week for a year and part of what got me the first job was the proof that I was serious about returning, and that I could cope with the hours etc. Doing voluntary work while studying is an excellent idea.

Work hard, get some good qualifications and I promise you, you will be very employable!

In_the_red

I can see what your saying about the positives of having children early. I have applied for a few volunteering 'jobs' and hope I get the opportunity to work for them. I actually found one to be a junior mentor for 12 months which is right up my street. I have everything crossed that they give me the chance. This placement coupled with the open degree (childhood & youth) I start in February should hopefully give me a good enough curriculum vitae to get a paid role in education. I also have a City & Guilds in Learner Support & done placements which involved assisting adult learners with their key skills (Literacy/numeracy/ICT) which I got in 2010. Hopefully this can be relevant too as I can relate these skills I learnt to children too.

I have to say again, Thank you ladies as I am feeling a whole lot better today after 'hearing' your advice.

Furny

Hi Op
I think you are doing the right things, try not get too downhearted it will all come to you, I think you just need a bit of patience.
I did it all the other way to you I went to College & Uni then landed a good well paid job but I'm now no better off really (The grass is not always greener!)
I married & left to be a SAHM. Six years down the line, in my early 30's & my son now at school I am now applying for jobs & it is really hard to get back on the career ladder and I cringe when I put
"Career break to raise child to school age" on my forms and always wonder will employers think I'll leave to have more? (But I won't!:eek:).
My old job is obviously gone & I feel a bit like ...
" Errm, what am I going to do now" although I would never ever have chosen to do it any different way as I loved been a SAHM and my son is so happy & a very confident boy who will talk the back legs off a donkey! & any adult who gives him the time of day!:rotfl:but sometimes I have wondered if I should have kept my foot in the door at least part time so it would not have been so difficult now.
I do admire those of you who are volunteering in the free 15hrs as I admit I used it catch up on house chores, food shop childless, meet friends, exercise & sometimes just had a small breather as my son would often wake through the night many times at that age
(my son did 5 days a week 3hr playgroup sessions for his 15hrs).
I think the hardest thing now is not having the freedom to apply for any job because of location & it fitting in with kids & childcare so many of the mums at school are re- training and many are training to be TA & admit it is something they would of never done before kids!. I think it does give you a bit of time to re-focus on your life & new wants & needs as they differ so much when you have a little one.
I was happy in my job before my son but am now thinking of changing career & hopefully turning my hobby in to a job which I wouldn't have done before my break & I'm hoping xmas temping may be a way in.
It is hard love but everyone is here for support!
Keep at it!

heretolearn_2

OP, why don't you aim a bit higher if you are going to be doing a degree anyway, and look to becoming a teacher, as it's an area you want to work in. It's pretty good pay (despite their moans), perfect hours/hols if you have children. You seem an intelligent woman - why not? If you do though you'll need to switch degree as 'childhood studies' degrees etc are not suitable. I'm doing OU and they specifically warn would-be teachers against these types of courses, you need to be studying subjects you would teach, even for primary school where you are more of a generalist. There are several different routes into teaching once you've got your degree. To be honest a more trad. academic subject degree will be more useful to you - you don't need a Childhood studies degree to work in childcare/TA role, and it isn't much use for anything outside that field as other employers won't take it that seriously. I'm always very wary of people doing degrees that restrict their career options unless it's one you HAVE to do for something that is a major vocation, for example medicine or engineering.