Brilliant Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 I finished homeschooling last year when my youngest graduated. So I've been sort of drifting the last 10 months, not really thinking I wanted to go back to work. But then dh lost his job, and his new one pays far less, and we still have 2 kids to get through college... I'm terrified at the thought of actually sending out the resume. I'm feeling stale, stale, stale. Studying chemistry, history, and advanced algebra with the dc kept my mind pretty active but didn't do much for my business skills. :( I haven't worked in 14 years. And if I ever actually got an interview, what would I wear? I finally gave away the lovely but outdated Talbots slacks, etc. Help! Encouragement, advice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cera Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 I don't know but I'm right there with you. The last time I worked a paying job was 2000. I'm not sure I know how to interview anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SharonM Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 I want to encourage you to really go for it. I was 20+years out of job market. Got a starter job while I am attending college (again) love my work, school bus driver and looking forward to new career. Interviewing hasn't changed so much. You have a lot to offer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joker Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 I am right there with you. I haven't worked a paying job since 1999 and it is hard. I've been turned away without even so much as an interview from jobs I wouldn't have even applied for back then. Things have definitely changed. I was hoping to find something to occupy my time now and be able to contribute something financially. I've decided to try the volunteer route first. I've put in volunteer applications at the local hospitals and checked off that I would want office work. I am hoping eventually that could lead into something better than what's out there for me right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrixieB Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 You can do it! I got a lead on a job that didn't pan out, but it forced me to update my resume and pick up some interview clothes (from Value Village, of all places). Then I was all set a couple weeks later when I got a lead on a job from a casual acquaintance. A couple of interviews later I was hired and am now working part time. What was actually the most scary for me was thinking about looking for a job. But once I got started... it was not bad at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 Best of luck. I went back to work after thirteen years out of the job market. ETA: don't forget to include on your resume all the skills you have build whilst home educating. I put HE as a section on my resume, as if it had been a paid job. L Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saw Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 I'm now looking for a job but slowly, because I want/need to get my two homeschooling dcs through their final exams etc. this spring. Depending on what field you're in, there are some great resources out there. I recently participated in a free conference at a major bank, put on by them specifically to help women returning to the workforce. It was free, very well done and incredibly helpful. I have a follow-up meeting with their in-house recruiter today to see whether he can help me out. The website irelaunch is encouraging and a good place to start. I keep hearing that networking is the way to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate in Arabia Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 I went through the same thing last November. They wanted a reference from a former supervisor -- I hadn't had a supervisor in 20-odd years! Luckily I had done some tutoring through a friend's tutoring center more recently and she agreed to write a letter. I also listed myself as an instructor for all the years homeschooling - I have done a lot of instructing, lol, not to mention the rather large amount of lesson planning, etc. etc. I wasn't sure how to sell myself on that point, but it worked! I also started simple -- looking for something to get a toe back into the workforce... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 Yes, networking is very important. I'd encourage you to mention to those who know you that you are looking for a job. Of course it helps if you have some ideas of what you want, even if it is just a bridge to something else. Don't forget any contacts you had through volunteer work. They can be references and may also be aware of opportunities. You may also want to find a way to look through the local paper and/or local news sites. A friend of mine went to the local library to read the newspaper every week until she found a job through a fair that was advertised in the paper. And keep at it! I've always worked, but do mostly contract and part-time, term jobs, so I'm perpetually networking to get the next one. One of mine is looking like my hours are going to be cut in September, so in March I went to a local professional conference, and made a point of connecting with a former boss ahead of time. I told her that I was actively looking for more work and sent her my resume. At the conference, she introduced me to several people and set up informal interviews, one with the boss that approves her contracts. That evening she had dinner with two more people in our field and mentioned that I was looking for work and gave them my resume. By the end of the next week, I had a small contract with her that probably will lead to more work, and an informal part-time job offer with one of the people she had dinner with. Tomorrow I go to complete the final hiring process with them. When I look back, probably 3/4 of my work came through networking, even before children. The reality is that employers prefer to hire people they either know or have heard about through people they respect. And businesses are more interested in middle-aged moms than you think. We tend to be more reliable and professional in entry-level jobs than some of the younger folk. I have a friend who went back to work in retail part-time when her youngest was in high school, and she worked her way up to nicer stores and more responsibility until she was an assistant manager at an upscale store that is part of a national chain. She loves it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brilliant Posted April 16, 2014 Author Share Posted April 16, 2014 I don't know but I'm right there with you. The last time I worked a paying job was 2000. I'm not sure I know how to interview anymore. I am right there with you. I haven't worked a paying job since 1999 and it is hard. ... 2000 for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brilliant Posted April 16, 2014 Author Share Posted April 16, 2014 I want to encourage you to really go for it. I was 20+years out of job market. Got a starter job while I am attending college (again) love my work, school bus driver and looking forward to new career. Interviewing hasn't changed so much. You have a lot to offer! I know I'll have to re-start lower than where I was in something more of a "starter" job. I'm also considering going back to college - I've been accepted to an accredited online Masters degree program in my field. I'm not crazy about spending $ on tuition right now, but even taking one class at a time would give me more credibility, I think. ... The website irelaunch is encouraging and a good place to start. I keep hearing that networking is the way to go. Oh, that looks interesting; I'll spend some time looking at it today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brilliant Posted April 16, 2014 Author Share Posted April 16, 2014 I went through the same thing last November. They wanted a reference from a former supervisor -- I hadn't had a supervisor in 20-odd years! .. Yes, I've already thought about that, too! I've tried to relocate some people I worked for many years ago, and it's been like looking for a needle in a haystack. Luckily I stayed in touch with one supervisor who is now in a very high position. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 When I went back to work, I used an academic reference (because I had done a short computer course in preparation). Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brilliant Posted April 16, 2014 Author Share Posted April 16, 2014 ... I got a lead on a job that didn't pan out, but it forced me to update my resume and pick up some interview clothes (from Value Village, of all places). .. I don't mind thrifting clothes, but I'm so worried that I won't know how to put things together. My current daily fashion consists of skinny jeans, graphic tees, and flip-flops! I'm thinking about heading for the business district during lunch hour to see what the women are wearing! ... ETA: don't forget to include on your resume all the skills you have build whilst home educating. I put HE as a section on my resume, as if it had been a paid job. ... I've thought about that. I might do it both ways and try it out on a recruiter. When I used recruiters in the past, they were always generous with the advice on how to present yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brilliant Posted April 16, 2014 Author Share Posted April 16, 2014 Yes, networking is very important. I'd encourage you to mention to those who know you that you are looking for a job. ... And keep at it! I've always worked, but do mostly contract and part-time, term jobs, so I'm perpetually networking to get the next one. ... The reality is that employers prefer to hire people they either know or have heard about through people they respect. And businesses are more interested in middle-aged moms than you think. We tend to be more reliable and professional in entry-level jobs than some of the younger folk. ... Yes, I need to get the word out. I'm also considering doing contract/temp jobs. When I was a hiring manager, we frequently hired people who had started with us as temps. About the middle-aged moms - maybe I'm biased. But I do think I'd be way more reliable, conscientious, etc. than many young people. (definitely more so than when I was a young person!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 About the middle-aged moms - maybe I'm biased. But I do think I'd be way more reliable, conscientious, etc. than many young people. (definitely more so than when I was a young person!) Not to mention: mothering is the best possible background for my current job - multi-tasking and managing egos as the only admin in a small office. L Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acadie Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 I'm not quite at the point where I'm looking for outside work but I can see it coming up in the next few years, and recently went through a resume freakout as I realized I hadn't updated mine in a decade. It's so great to hear from women who have made the transition from homeschooling back to work, or are in the process. I'm drawing both practical ideas and inspiration for how to frame the transition both in my own mind and to other people. Thanks everyone! Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasider Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 I'm thinking about heading for the business district during lunch hour and to see what the women are wearing! . I think this is a BRILLIANT idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth in OH Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 I went back to work 2 1/2 years ago. My best words of advice are, don't be afraid to start over. You have acquired skills during your homeschooling years that will make you a very valuable employee. You will find your path quickly once you are employed in the first job, and you will move up. It is easier to find a good job from the vantage point of an entry level employee--think retail clerk--than it is to find a good job from outside the paid workforce. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 It is easier to find a good job from the vantage point of an entry level employee--think retail clerk--than it is to find a good job from outside the paid workforce. Yes. I took the first job that came along - running the village post office. No one else wanted to do it, so there was no competition and they were prepared to overlook my odd background. After two years and a (lightweight) computer course, I applied for other jobs, and after seven months got my current office manager job. This time I was lucky because it was a single decision maker who was able to overlook my lack of specific experience, look at my general background, and realise that I was a responsible person who could learn fast. L Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeanM Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 Good luck! I went back to work about three years ago (DH is the homeschooling parent now). I did put homeschooling on my resume, but I don't think it made much difference. I think I got the job because I knew the person hiring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngelaNYC Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 I'm sort of going through this now as well. I was a SAHM for 12 years, then I worked part-time for 7 years, then got laid off and was on unemployment for 6 months. And now I'm back in the job search game. I am constantly redoing my resume - I have 5 or 6 different ones that I use. Each one highlights a different set of skills, depending on what I'm applying for. I also created a cool cover letter template. I'm still looking for something part-time. Actually, I'm in the running for something perfect (perfect hours, great money, awesome location, etc). I applied in February, they contacted me for an interview a month later, and now it's another month later and they are just checking my references now. UGH the waiting is terrible. I heard it's between me and 2 others. I'm still homeschooling, but ds is a teen now and sleeps late. I plan on working from 8 or 9am to about 12 or 1pm Monday to Friday. We usually already start on the academics at around 2-ish, so it all works out. Good luck to all of you who are in the job search! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
readwithem Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 One entry point might be volunteering. I'm now subbing at the school where I started out tutoring on a volunteer basis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughing lioness Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 I went back to wk at a local gas station late summer while looking for a professional job. It took 3 mths of lots of resumes sent out but I landed a job I love in Jan. I could have gone for licensure -mft-but needed cash coming in not going out. I had to look very creatively at all of the homeschooling and volunteering I'd done and thought hard about my skill sets.I did interview but on line and work on line. Its perfect because I still have 2 at home and its in ed. I just wrote a blog series on wotking and homeschooling. I'll link it ltr when we get back on line. Here is day 5 of the blog series. If you click on the tag Working Women, it will take you to the other posts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheres Toto Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 I returned to work in July after 8 years out of the workforce. I was very very lucky and was initially a temp, then hired permanently. It's the same work I did before (executive level administrative assistant) and I was offered the same pay I was getting 8 years ago. The main thing was that even being out of the workforce, I kept up my computer skills. I have very strong Powerpoint and Excel skills and that made a huge difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 I went back to work after a seven year gap several years ago. I've worked part-time and full-time in the past several years. I have held about 5 different jobs, several part-time ones at once during several of those years and once a full time one and a PRN on call one. I went on lots of interviews and had to shine up my resume. The last job I worked, I did not want and had to interview convincingly for a job I didn't want and which I didn't know much about. I got it. Stayed there full and then part-time for two and a half years. Just quit. Now I will be doing a different part-time job soon. (VERY part-time) Long story short (too late!)...I found interviewing to be like riding a bicycle. In my profession, my resume (education, experience, license) does most of the interviewing, which is nice, but I still had to convince folks that I would be a good fit for this or that job. I only interviewed for one job that I did not get, and it was a very competitive full-time professor job. No one else got the job, either. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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