Getting back into employment after a long break

freyanneke_2

Yes, I did the same job for a holiday scheme for a couple of weeks, but then for children not adults.

Now I have the job I am not sure there are that many similarities, but I am not complaining! I am pretty happy working even if it is just for a couple of days a week and most days it takes all my energy.

freyanneke_2

Rylynn, good luck with your op and your job search!

Rylynn

freyanneke wrote: »

Rylynn, good luck with your op and your job search!

Thank you, I need to get my eye operation out the way first, then I can tackle the job situation, it will seem very strange after all these years but hey ho I have never been out of work very long in the past, and think temping will do me good.

And in the meantime I will carry on teaching myself Spanish! Hola!:j

blckbrd

I was a SAHM for a similar period OP and probably the hardest thing about going back to work was how knackering it was! You're volunteering so at least you have a good idea of what's manageable for you, especially considering your medical condition.

I have nearly always worked in the public sector and find application forms much easier than a CV. On an app form you have the room to match your skills/experience more precisely to the person specifaction. You can say exactly why a transferable skill is 'as good as' direct experience.

Don't be afraid to include the finance, admin, operational and managerial(!) skills involved in family/home life. You may be a SAHM but it doesn't mean you don't work!

Very best of luck.

National_Careers_Service

Hi quietheart

By the sound of it you have taken some really positive action to prepare yourself to go back to work. I’m sure that other people looking to return to the jobs market after a substantial break in employment may find the experience challenging, and face an amount of uncertainty around what to do next. However, you’re already setting a great example of how to take control of your situation, by volunteering, developing new skills and applying for job vacancies. This can only have a positive impact on your appeal to potential employers.

If you haven’t heard back from the employers you’ve applied to, then it’s worth making some follow-up contact. Though not all employers will be willing to offer feedback on your application, it’s still worth asking, as any feedback will help you in improving on your future applications. Hearing why you didn’t get the job isn’t always going to be the easiest of things to hear, but it can play a key part in getting your applications worded and targeted in the right way. After all, you may have the right experience and skills for the job, but if you haven’t managed to get this across clearly in your application the employer is unlikely to invite you to interview. Further to this, if you’re applying for jobs which your skills and experience aren’t suited to; then you’ll need to know, so that you can invest your time in writing applications to jobs that do.

If you’re unable get feedback from an employer, then the next best thing is to get advice from someone who can cast an objective eye over your application, to help you work-out where you might have gone wrong. You could do this by asking a friend or a family member to review the job description and personal spec for the post you’ve applied for, and then compare against the application you’ve sent.

I would be really interested to know about the volunteering you’ve been involved in over the past 2 years. That’s a good length of time to have invested in a gaining experience, and I was wondering if you’ve been applying for roles which will make the most of the skills and knowledge you’ll have gained during this time.

Similarly, it would be interesting to know about the jobs you’ve been applying for and whether they tie-in with the qualifications you’ve gained as well as the volunteering experience.
I know that’s a few questions to bounce back at you there, but if you can tell us a little more about your situation, then it will help us in coming up with some ideas to help you in successfully returning to employment! It’s great that you have already taken positive steps to get back into employment. Please keep us posted and let us know how you get on.

Adam

quietheart

National_Careers_Service_representative wrote: »

I would be really interested to know about the volunteering you’ve been involved in over the past 2 years. That’s a good length of time to have invested in a gaining experience, and I was wondering if you’ve been applying for roles which will make the most of the skills and knowledge you’ll have gained during this time.

Similarly, it would be interesting to know about the jobs you’ve been applying for and whether they tie-in with the qualifications you’ve gained as well as the volunteering experience.
.

Adam

Bless you Adam, that's really kind.

I have been volunteering in a food bank for the last year, dealing with clients face to face, speaking to them about their circumstances and signposting on to other agencies where relevant (problems such as housing, benefit issues, money management etc).
The previous 12 months I was volunteering with Guide Dogs for the Blind and also trained as a Sighted Guide. I regularly help a friend who lost his sight a few years ago.
My previous work was all customer services and administration based.
I have been applying for part time admin or reception roles but would really like this to be in a health, education or charity setting. It's important to me to work for an organisation that I care about.
I am also considering a care assistant type role.
I think my CV needs working on but each application form has been based around matching their person spec against relevant skills and experience I have. Each form is taking me hours and hours to complete so I haven't completed a huge amount but am already finding it slightly dis-spriting!
I have had each form checked through by someone else and they have said they've been impressed. I just think there must be many more people out there offering the same skills but have recent employment in their favour.
I'd be really grateful for any more pointers or tips.
Thanks:j

National_Careers_Service

What an inspirational bunch of people you all are, especially you quietheart! If only there was an employer reading this series of posts, what a great impression they’d get!

It’s good to hear you’re already getting some positive feedback on your application forms, it’s amazing how encouraging it can be to know that someone’s impressed with your efforts and I’m speaking from personal experience here. Keep up the good work!
Thanks for answering Adam’s questions. The additional information is really helpful when trying to think of relevant pointers or tips to help you move forward and get back into work.
I see you’ve had some useful advice from the other forum folk although I wonder if I might take a slightly different approach. Something you said earlier made me take a second look:
I recall when I had a pile of 200 application forms to go through I was quite ruthless at rejecting people....
Does this mean you have hands on experience of sifting through applications yourself?*

If that’s the case what a great insight you must have into how an employer’s mind might work! I’ve got one or two ideas up my sleeve but want to make sure I’ve got the right end of the stick so to speak. I know it’s another question* but I’m really intrigued!

Stepping away from that idea for a moment, I thought I might draw on some of my past work experience working with people returning to work after recovering from an illness. Have a think about these points

· It’s not about what you can’t do it’s about what you can do and how well you do it!
· Anyone with a long standing health condition or disability knows that they have to make compromises, learn how to prioritise, plan ahead, delegate, find new ways of doing regular day to day activities. Do those things sound familiar? I’m sure you’ve seen some of those things listed on job vacancy.
· Look forward and don’t drag the past along with you. Leave behind the things you have no control over and focus on the here and now. Get the employer to pay attention to what you’ve learned from your experiences; how they’ve helped you become, for example; more organised, more skilful at time management and diary planning.
· Be your own coach! Surround yourself with positive people and think of ways in which you can remain motivated. I’ve plenty of ideas if you need some inspiration but why not start with getting a friend to tell you what they think you’re good at.
· Remember those aren’t gaps in your work history; they’re filled with valuable life experience and voluntary work - if the skills and experience gained are relevant to a particular role then don’t be modest!

Looking at the voluntary work you’ve done and are doing, I wonder how you feel about doing similar work on a paid basis. Does the organisation you work for have any opportunities quietheart? I also see you’re considering applying for care assistant type roles too. Sounds like you’re a real people person! The Care assistant job profile could be a useful tool for some research. Have a look at the Skills and Knowledge section. I think you’ll be able to relate to more than a couple of the examples listed.

I hope my musings and suggestions have given you some new things to think about. I’m looking forward to hearing how things develop. Who knows your next post might be about preparing for an interview!

Good luck
Tracey

quietheart

Hello Tracey
Thanks so much for your response. It's lovely to hear such positivity!
I was a Team Leader in Customer Services so I have short-listed people for interview before.
The organisation I am volunteering for have 2 full time staff members but I am only looking for a part time position. It's a lovely place to work so would be ideal otherwise.
I'm not sure if I should mention health problems I've had in the past. I find it difficult to speak about myself and go horribly red so I'm undecided. I also don't want them to think I'm a risk or that I could be unreliable.
My biggest fear is getting brain-freeze. I'm so out of practice, it's been 22 years since I last had an interview!
Another thing that is holding me back is I don't have GCSE Maths. I know I can take a free Level 2 Numeracy qualification but need to find out if I can fast-track this. Otherwise I can't start until September.
Thanks again for your reply, keep up the good work!