Help! Help! Help! Employment & CV advice

bigguy201

Hello everyone, this will be a long post so I warn you now  .

Am 36 yo, In Jan 2020 I had to leave my job at North West Ambulance Service as a NHS 111 Health Advisor due to stress, it was an extremely tough job and I just mentally couldn't cope. I started looking for work in the Feb of 2020 after I was a bit more myself, but as the pandemic was kicking in, interviews were being cancelled and vacancies disappearing, as I lived with my parents who were both clinically venerable, I decided to shield with them, so I didn't bring the virus back into the home and could help with internet shopping etc. In June 2020, my mum was rushing into hospital with SAH (Brain Haemorrhage) she was in hospital for nearly a month then discharged into my care and I have been caring for her and my dad who is also disabled ever since. Thankfully she is improving everyday, due to having to much savings I have not eligible for any benefit support (I have an ISA that I have been saving in since I was 16 for hopefully a deposit on my first house) the benefits office want you to have nothing before they will help, which would in my opinion make it more difficult to get back on your feet, but anyway. I also have a number of  long term mental health issues including Generalised Anxiety Disorder, Mild Depression, PTSD and Social Anxiety.

So after that novel  comes my questions: 
I have prept a new CV making sure its fresh and up to date, but I am concerned because of the gap in my employment (I've never been out of work so long), should I put on that I was a carer for family members even though it wasn't for a company or paid?, or do I just leave it off?, am concerned that they may think I've just not wanted to work for a year.
I am also worried what to do with myself, I have a long of experience in retail, but I don't really want to go back to that as its a tough environment at the moment, I also find it particularly hard to find jobs that are full time and permanent, my two previous jobs I was trapped in contracts that would never be fulltime (unbeknownst to me) which is mostly why I left, as a lone individual with no partner, hoping to get a house etc, I cant survive on zero hours or 10 hours a week. Does anyone know any organisations that can help me on a path, or give me some independent advice, also are there anyone who can look over CVs etc.

Any help that anyone can provide right now who be most gratefully received as I am totally lost with my life right now   

[Deleted User]

I don't know but honestly for what it is worth, if a part time job is what it needs to be a few weeks, months or a year - then take it.
A part time job can work out better then a full-timer. I sat in one full-time job with a salary of 17k whilst the part timer on over 18k for less hours work would grumble at me, for the toilets not being cleaned to their expected level.
You can better yourself in that position then getting stuck in a job full-time where you feel compelled to stay and could be trapped in a rubbish job because not making it to a year means you are labelled a job hopper. 
39-year old employee, stuck in a young person's call centre (I always disbelieved age was a problem but it is getting rough out there) I am told because I'm older and have more experience, then I should endure 60-70 calls a day of people just insulting and shouting at me. My Team Leader doesn't support me because I'm 13 years their senior, I watch the younger team who yes are more vibrant, buzzy and a laugh to be around being shown more things, development wise and when I dared say anything, (previous jobs where I didn't say anything and resentment had festered so was really hoping to practise lesson leant) but it just has gone so very badly wrong.  
I know couple of people who have had a year out, think they just cite unable to travel far away so that was a challenge in getting a job to begin with and well, covid19. 
If finances allow, wait for the *right* opportunity.

nyc_451

I'd note on CV that you were a carer, better than leaving an unexplained gap in employment. 

Why do you find retail to be a tough environment? If it's due to sales targets,  there are customer service jobs that don't involve sales. 

bigguy201

blue_mango said:

I'd note on CV that you were a carer, better than leaving an unexplained gap in employment. 

Why do you find retail to be a tough environment? If it's due to sales targets,  there are customer service jobs that don't involve sales. 

Well meaning in the current climate retail jobs are disappearing fast, i did enjoy them but as you say I didn’t like all the targets etc, also in my experience the pay was poor with little progression. I would need a job that could support me alone. 

TBagpuss

Yes, I would include that you were caring for a family member.