Article on women returning to work after break

[MomatHWTK]

http://www.fastcompany.com/3059473/the-linkedin-for-women-who-have-taken-a-career-break

[Bluegoat]

Interesting, I would be curious how they find it works out.

 

I don't tend to think that people should expect having kids to not interrupt career that will affect it - it is IMO a career in itself, even if a temporary one.

 

But it is wasteful to have people with experience going back to the beginning, and this idea that there is nothing going on during childrearing years is silly.  If someone took time off of being a lawyer to be a pilot for seven years, of course it would affect their subsequent law career.  But no one would think that there was nothing valuble learned or accomplished during that time, like it was just a blank waste.

[The Girls' Mom]

I'm living it, and that is why I'm back in school for a degree.  The only jobs I can get right now pay less than what I made before I quit to stay home with my kids, 12ish years ago.  My experience doesn't mean a thing, and I can't even get my foot in the door somewhere decent without a degree.  I'm working part-time right now, while in school full-time, for barely over minimum wage, mostly just to network and get current experience on my resume.  

[MomatHWTK]

I had to finally make the foray into social media for professional reasons. I'm using LinkedIn now. It is hard for this introvert to handle. Balancing your online image is a new concept for me as well. I connected with a supervisor who is supportive of my career. But I freelance and set my own schedule so now I have a supervisor who knows when I've been online but not working.  :leaving:

[umsami]

I kept up my networks, did some consulting from time to time, and it still didn't matter.  Reality is people would rather hire a fresh and new graduate with zero experience versus somebody with 10 years and then a break for kids.  Plus, in my field, people without kids are easier for last minute travel, etc. 

 

I hope it works.  I've seen other things like this come and go.  Maybe now is the time? I hope so.

[Bluegoat]

I often feel like this is somehow reflecting a more serious problem in the kind of work that is avilable.  I'm not sure how, but there is something weird about the whole thing - so much of it seems essentially unimportant, or maybe arbitrary.

 

I'm kind of at the stage where if I go back to work, I'm not sure I would want something like a career anyway.  The idea of maintaining that seems so tiring, and I don't want to think about it when I am off work.  i'd almost rather have something simple that I can be done with at the end of the day.

[Scarlett]

I often feel like this is somehow reflecting a more serious problem in the kind of work that is avilable. I'm not sure how, but there is something weird about the whole thing - so much of it seems essentially unimportant, or maybe arbitrary.

 

I'm kind of at the stage where if I go back to work, I'm not sure I would want something like a career anyway. The idea of maintaining that seems so tiring, and I don't want to think about it when I am off work. i'd almost rather have something simple that I can be done with at the end of the day.

This is how I feel. After I get ds16 launched I will probably work more hours....but I have no desire or energy to go back for a degree. Maybe some short course to beef up my office skills...

[Ausmumof3]

Interesting point. If I ended up working from 50 to 70 it would be my longest stint in paid employment so I guess it's worth investing in.

[hornblower]

Can we brainstorm some ideas about what 15-20 year second (or 3rd or 4th) career might be? I'm stumped & need to figure this out in the next year or two. 

I've done the personality & career quizzes & still can't quite figure out where to jump. 


Mostly I want to know  why will nobody pay me to comment on message boards????? 

[texasmama]

Can we brainstorm some ideas about what 15-20 year second (or 3rd or 4th) career might be? I'm stumped & need to figure this out in the next year or two. 

 

I've done the personality & career quizzes & still can't quite figure out where to jump. 

 

 

Mostly I want to know  why will nobody pay me to comment on message boards????? 

I know, right???

 

I feel kind of meh about the career I had before kids, but I have an undergrad degree, a grad degree, and an advanced license tied up in it.  That is a lot of time and effort.  I have wondered about a simple second career requiring limited education.  I doubt I will get that motivated, but what you are saying is exactly what I was thinking of.

 

Some things I have thought of:  radiology tech, ultrasonographer, something with animals, getting certified to teach English and work for a small, private school or a university model school.

[Ausmumof3]

My most practical option for money needed now would be to get my bookkeeping certificate (have done the job but no piece of paper) and work from home. My dream job was to be a vet which may still be possible at a Uni near me, or at least some kind of animal science degree. My other life goal was to write a book, which I technically could do now, but feel like I don't have enough life experience for some reason.

 

Realistically my life is full enough without adding anything. Bookkeeping would suck the life out of me but help to pay school fees. If I want to do veterinary science I need to work enough afterwards to justify the course load and investment and I'm scared I mightn't love it as much as I think I will.

[Bluegoat]

Can we brainstorm some ideas about what 15-20 year second (or 3rd or 4th) career might be? I'm stumped & need to figure this out in the next year or two. 

 

I've done the personality & career quizzes & still can't quite figure out where to jump. 

 

 

Mostly I want to know  why will nobody pay me to comment on message boards????? 

 

One that occured to me yesterday is medical sonography.  The pay isn't bad, the hours are regular, and it can be done as you get older for the most part.  It does invove people which is something I have to be careful of, but not in too intense a way.  Here they seem to be two-year programs which is very workable.

 

The only trick for me is that I don't know if my high school math and science would be enough to qualify, and even if they were I am so out of the loop as far as that goes.  But not an insurmountable problem.

 

The only worry I would have is that I would get bored.  It's not that creative on the one hand, but not dull enough that I could think about something else.

[Garga]

I have no degree...I know it's stupid, but back when I graduated high school, you could get an entry level job and work your way up in a company, which is what I did for 13 years until I stopped to stay at home. There was really nothing standing in my way and I could have had a lovely little job that brought home a decent salary by now if I hadn't stopped to raise the kids. I have no prospects now. No one will care about how great of a job I did or that I have experience. No degree? Go away.

 

I'm 43. I want to be a librarian. I'll be 50 when the kids are in college. I don't think I'll be able to afford college for all three of us so I can finally get a degree. I have tried homeschooing and going to college at the same time and it is a bad mix for me. I don't do well being spread too thin. It's just my personality or something, but without a lot of downtime I get very strange emotionally.

 

 

ETA: You know what? Maybe I need to change my mindset from thinking, "I have two kids to put through college," to "I have three to put through college," with me being the third. If I wrap my head around this now, we'll be prepared emotionally for the financial hit in a few years.

 

Can 50 year olds get scholarships? I need to look into this. Do I need to take the SAT??

Edited May 4, 2016 by Garga

[Garga]

One that occured to me yesterday is medical sonography. The pay isn't bad, the hours are regular, and it can be done as you get older for the most part. It does invove people which is something I have to be careful of, but not in too intense a way. Here they seem to be two-year programs which is very workable.

 

The only trick for me is that I don't know if my high school math and science would be enough to qualify, and even if they were I am so out of the loop as far as that goes. But not an insurmountable problem.

 

The only worry I would have is that I would get bored. It's not that creative on the one hand, but not dull enough that I could think about something else.

A few years ago, when I went to community college for the first time, I needed to take a placement test. I didn't want to have to take a remedial class, so I re-taught myself algebra. I got an algebra book and worked through it every night for a couple of months and then took the test. Tested in the 99th percentile for math. (Yes!).

 

You can always crash-study for math and science. You're a homeschooler. You know all about finding a curric! And you're a grownup. You can make yourself blaze through the work if you have to.

[Bluegoat]

Other things I've seen or herad of people doing as second careers:

 

Detal assistant

GIS

Law clerk

office admin

Computer related stuff

 

I would probably do well at some kind of programming job - I tend to think that way and when I took it in high school my teacher thought I should consider it as a career.  The thing is, I don't really like computers that much. 

 

I find myself more and more attracted to things which involve working with my hands, which is a bit of a change from when I was younger, I never considered that kind of work.  Breadmaking and horticulture really appeal to me these days.  I worked in an archive at one time and I really liked doing the physical work to preserve documents.  The difficulty with these kinds of options are the physical aspect, and they are often low-paying.

 

[Garga]

My most practical option for money needed now would be to get my bookkeeping certificate (have done the job but no piece of paper) and work from home. My dream job was to be a vet which may still be possible at a Uni near me, or at least some kind of animal science degree. My other life goal was to write a book, which I technically could do now, but feel like I don't have enough life experience for some reason.

 

Realistically my life is full enough without adding anything. Bookkeeping would suck the life out of me but help to pay school fees. If I want to do veterinary science I need to work enough afterwards to justify the course load and investment and I'm scared I mightn't love it as much as I think I will.

I've thought of writing books. But you can't really just write one. You have to write a bunch in order to make a living. I think I could manage one, but I'm not sure I could do more than that.

 

Maybe it's time to do nanowrimo for a few month. You don't have to wait for November, and see what your brain can come up with.

 

(I might need to take this advice for myself...)

[Bluegoat]

I have no degree...I know it's stupid, but back when I graduated high school, you could get an entry level job and work your way up in a company, which is what I did for 13 years until I stopped to stay at home. There was really nothing standing in my way and I could have had a lovely little job that brought home a decent salary by now if I hadn't stopped to raise the kids. I have no prospects now. No one will care about how great of a job I did or that I have experience. No degree? Go away.

 

I'm 43. I want to be a librarian. I'll be 50 when the kids are in college. I don't think I'll be able to afford college for all three of us so I can finally get a degree. I have tried homeschooing and going to college at the same time and it is a bad mix for me. I don't do well being spread too thin. It's just my personality or something, but without a lot of downtime I get very strange emotionally.

 

 

ETA: You know what? Maybe I need to change my mindset from thinking, "I have two kids to put through college," to "I have three to put through college," with me being the third. If I wrap my head around this now, we'll be prepared emotionally for the financial hit in a few years.

 

Can 50 year olds get scholarships? I need to look into this. Do I need to take the SAT??

 

You might also think about what it is that appeals to you about library work.  A lot of what librarians with degrees do is management.  If that isn't your cup of tea, something like a library tech diploma might actually be more what you want, and cheaper too.

 

Librarians have a graduate degree, so that is two years on top of an undergrad program.

[Ausmumof3]

I've thought of writing books. But you can't really just write one. You have to write a bunch in order to make a living. I think I could manage one, but I'm not sure I could do more than that.

 

Maybe it's time to do nanowrimo for a few month. You don't have to wait for November, and see what your brain can come up with.

 

(I might need to take this advice for myself...)

Yep writing a book is a life goal not a financial one definitely.

[Lisa R.]

I'm passionate about education.

 

Used my accounting degree degree for about 10 minutes before I stayed home with first baby. Homeschooled for 15 years, and two oldest are homeschooling graduates that have done well academically and socially as adults. (One has two bachelor degrees and the other is a senior in college.)

 

We have two younger and I was tired/burned out and needed a change. Kids needed a change too. Enrolled them in classical, university model school. They attended two days/week. Now in high school, they go two days and part of Friday. Anyway, I was so restless and needed a challenge. After some school volunteering, I started working part time at the school on days when the kids attended. Then I was offered a job in admissions.

 

Now I get to talk to people about classical education all the time. Love, love, love it. It's the change and challenge I needed. Plus, they are willing to be completely flexible with my schedule. I only go into the office on the days my kids attend.

 

When I started volunteering, I didn't consider it would end up resulting in employment. But I had the opportunity to get to know people and they got to know me. It ended up working out. Never thought I could get a job after 25 years out of the work force, and I'm very grateful.

[The Girls' Mom]

Can we brainstorm some ideas about what 15-20 year second (or 3rd or 4th) career might be? I'm stumped & need to figure this out in the next year or two. 

 

I've done the personality & career quizzes & still can't quite figure out where to jump. 

 

 

Mostly I want to know  why will nobody pay me to comment on message boards????? 

 

I'm getting my CPA (hopefully).  I figure that will get me in the door at a lot of different corporate businesses if I want, or give me the opportunity to run my own accounting business.  It isn't dependent on physical ability.  It is something that doesn't drive me crazy to do.  I have some experience in accounting/finance.  

 

I will be around 45 when I graduate...that gives me 22 years until I hit retirement age.  

[The Girls' Mom]

I have no degree...I know it's stupid, but back when I graduated high school, you could get an entry level job and work your way up in a company, which is what I did for 13 years until I stopped to stay at home. There was really nothing standing in my way and I could have had a lovely little job that brought home a decent salary by now if I hadn't stopped to raise the kids. I have no prospects now. No one will care about how great of a job I did or that I have experience. No degree? Go away.

 

I'm 43. I want to be a librarian. I'll be 50 when the kids are in college. I don't think I'll be able to afford college for all three of us so I can finally get a degree. I have tried homeschooing and going to college at the same time and it is a bad mix for me. I don't do well being spread too thin. It's just my personality or something, but without a lot of downtime I get very strange emotionally.

 

 

ETA: You know what? Maybe I need to change my mindset from thinking, "I have two kids to put through college," to "I have three to put through college," with me being the third. If I wrap my head around this now, we'll be prepared emotionally for the financial hit in a few years.

 

Can 50 year olds get scholarships? I need to look into this. Do I need to take the SAT??

Yes, there is money out there for older students.  I was surprised.  I have grants, and two scholarships right now.  

[DawnM]

I haven't worked in 11 years.  I am trying to get back into the workforce and honestly, it is a little harder than I anticipated.  I do have degrees.

[LMD]

I have 3 plans. The first is our family business that we are just beginning with.

 

The second is music teaching. I can start my own studio. I have been studying independently for about 5 years now and have a couple of lovely and very part time students.

 

The third, which will probably encompass part of the first, is to go back and get an accounting/finance degree.

 

I also totally plan to sell my homeschooling experience and skills in a resume, and work my homeschool contacts. - ETA this actually helps me stay focused on doing a good job with homeschooling...

Edited May 5, 2016 by LMD

[Murphy101]

I would like to do some more volunteering.

 

I don't know if I want to work and I honestly don't think I'm very employable. There's lots of things I enjoy. But none people pay for. And if they did, it would probably be in such a way as to ruin the enjoyment for me.

 

50 is not that far away and I won't have my last kid out of the house until I'm about 61.

 

My ideal life picture at 65 is knitting, gardening, maybe some travel with dh, and being able to come running to greet new grand babies. I have no illusion that I probably won't be living that ideal though.

 

I do think we will likely have to greatly downsize by then. I doubt we will be living in this house for example. Maybe. But I doubt it.

 

I guess I can see me working in a yarn shop or maybe with the church in some way, but I don't think it will be a sustainable income or even meaningfully supplimental.

[hornblower]

I've thought of writing books. But you can't really just write one. You have to write a bunch in order to make a living. I think I could manage one, but I'm not sure I could do more than that.

 

Maybe it's time to do nanowrimo for a few month. You don't have to wait for November, and see what your brain can come up with.

 

(I might need to take this advice for myself...)

 

Camp nanowrimo runs in April & July 

 

 

[SparklyUnicorn]

I do sometimes think about what I'll eventually do when my kids don't need me, but I'm not sure what route to take.  I think to start working towards something, but what...I don't even know.

 

I don't care if it does not pay much as long as I enjoy it.  I refuse to take on a job I hate if I don't have to.  I don't want a boring job.  I've had so many boring jobs that I just can't freaking do it anymore (unless I absolutely had to).

 

 

[Happy]

I'm in the post 50 crowd. I took up real estate. It's a tough career--easy enough to get into--just get your license and do a bunch of on the job training, but it can be done practically until I toddle off into the grave. It took about 3 years to get up to speed income wise, so there is that.

 

 

[LisaKinVA]

Financially speaking, we are worse off if I go back to work now (or anytime in the next 15 years), unless I can make roughly $125,000/year.  College costs being what they are, my kids will lose more grant money/aid than I can actually earn.  After the youngest one graduates, I'll be 63.  I have worked fairly steadily until moving to Italy, and now I haven't worked in 18 months.  My skills are lagging, and now my industry knowledge is also lagging.  The only thing I'm considering is either Real Estate or getting my MA in education/teaching license, so that I could be a private tutor.  

[DawnM]

Financially speaking, we are worse off if I go back to work now (or anytime in the next 15 years), unless I can make roughly $125,000/year.  College costs being what they are, my kids will lose more grant money/aid than I can actually earn.  After the youngest one graduates, I'll be 63.  I have worked fairly steadily until moving to Italy, and now I haven't worked in 18 months.  My skills are lagging, and now my industry knowledge is also lagging.  The only thing I'm considering is either Real Estate or getting my MA in education/teaching license, so that I could be a private tutor.  

 

 

Is there a calculator somewhere to figure that out?  

[DawnM]

I do sometimes think about what I'll eventually do when my kids don't need me, but I'm not sure what route to take.  I think to start working towards something, but what...I don't even know.

 

I don't care if it does not pay much as long as I enjoy it.  I refuse to take on a job I hate if I don't have to.  I don't want a boring job.  I've had so many boring jobs that I just can't freaking do it anymore (unless I absolutely had to).

 

 

For me, it has to be something productive and with people.  Making some contribution to society (the way I see it as being) is the key for me.

 

Some can argue that ANY job contributes to society, and I am not going to argue with them, we need all sort sorts of jobs to keep the world going, but for ME that means a service job of some sort.  I have several educational credentials, including 3 teaching credentials and a school counseling credential.   Yes, it can get boring sometimes, particularly if I have paper grading or data entry for counseling, but overall, I enjoy it.  I know I won't get rich, but that isn't my goal and DH has a better paying job.

[Ausmumof3]

I have no degree...I know it's stupid, but back when I graduated high school, you could get an entry level job and work your way up in a company, which is what I did for 13 years until I stopped to stay at home. There was really nothing standing in my way and I could have had a lovely little job that brought home a decent salary by now if I hadn't stopped to raise the kids. I have no prospects now. No one will care about how great of a job I did or that I have experience. No degree? Go away.

 

I'm 43. I want to be a librarian. I'll be 50 when the kids are in college. I don't think I'll be able to afford college for all three of us so I can finally get a degree. I have tried homeschooing and going to college at the same time and it is a bad mix for me. I don't do well being spread too thin. It's just my personality or something, but without a lot of downtime I get very strange emotionally.

 

 

ETA: You know what? Maybe I need to change my mindset from thinking, "I have two kids to put through college," to "I have three to put through college," with me being the third. If I wrap my head around this now, we'll be prepared emotionally for the financial hit in a few years.

 

Can 50 year olds get scholarships? I need to look into this. Do I need to take the SAT??

Librarian is my other dream job and possibly more suited to my type than veterinary.

 

Though I'm not sure how id go with the temptation of all those books...

[LisaKinVA]

Is there a calculator somewhere to figure that out?  

 

That number is based upon a 50% tax rate of my income at that level (federal, state, medical, etc. coupled with dh's assumed income when we return stateside), leaving enough net to cover an average cost of college for one year (definitely not enough for an expensive college).   This assumes we live entirely off of dh's income, and college kids receiving very little or no merit aid, and an inability to stack scholarships/where scholarships reduce student contribution and grant aid before EFC.  It's more of a "worst case" scenario.  My life experience would dictate that we plan based upon "worst case" scenarios vs. hopeful ones. :p

[DawnM]

That number is based upon a 50% tax rate of my income at that level (federal, state, medical, etc. coupled with dh's assumed income when we return stateside), leaving enough net to cover an average cost of college for one year (definitely not enough for an expensive college).   This assumes we live entirely off of dh's income, and college kids receiving very little or no merit aid, and an inability to stack scholarships/where scholarships reduce student contribution and grant aid before EFC.  It's more of a "worst case" scenario.  My life experience would dictate that we plan based upon "worst case" scenarios vs. hopeful ones. :p

 

Right, but you said you wouldn't qualify for aid anymore.  How do you know that?  It could be that you get a job, make $50K and your needs based or merit based scholarships remain in tact.

 

It seems to be more of an assumption if you really don't have some sort of calculator to figure it out.

Edited May 5, 2016 by DawnM

[heartlikealion]

My biggest issue with my field is unrelated to kids. It's keeping up with technology. I worked in graphic design for four years, but they used already outdated and/or less popular software. Since I've left even more versions of Photoshop, etc. have come out. And now you have to buy a month to month subscription if you want the latest. I don't know how many companies have chosen to do that. I toyed around with the newer versions during a 30 day trial. I completely bombed an interview (part of it, anyway) because I was ill prepared for the "make us something" portion of the interview. That was my bad. I didn't know that there was one huge difference in the versions that affected my ability to manipulate any files. I was so embarrassed that when I got home I tinkered with my trial version til I could submit what I had wanted to and emailed it (not expecting it to be taken seriously as a candidate but just for my own peace of mind that I finished the task).

 

I've been in touch off/on with a few of my references from my last professional job, but it's already been years. The last job I had was retail and I suppose if I had to, I could contact some of my former co-workers on facebook and ask for their contact info (I'm friends with a few on facebook).

 

I have looked into the alternative route to an educator license in my state, but none of them apply to grades K-3. And I'd have to be doing some form of student teaching? for a year or two before I even finished the program. My parents are both former teachers and told me they didn't think I'd like it. lol. Dad keeps telling me to write kindle books, but I haven't made the time to do that. I'm kind of overwhelmed with it though as a child that was one of my career goals -- make children's books. I think that'd be more like a little side cash while I continue to stay at home.

 

I've been contemplating trying to get a part-time job (just a few hours/week) next school year. It's been almost four years since I had that retail job, but I did do a little database entry after that til the job dissolved.

[LisaKinVA]

Right, but you said you wouldn't qualify for aid anymore.  How do you know that?  It could be that you get a job, make $50K and your needs based or merit based scholarships remain in tact.

 

It seems to be more of an assumption if you really don't have some sort of calculator to figure it out.

 

Play with the FAFSA Forecaster, some college net price calculators and the like.  There is not ONE calculator you can use to figure this out.  But, if you are curious you can play with these and get an idea. 

 

In VA, we live in a high cost of living area.  Making just the median income there, we are considered "rich" by Arkansas standards.  The median income (FWIW), is not considered enough to live comfortably in this area *unless* you are a DINK, or were able to buy a house prior to 2000 and still live there.  Yes, people make it work -- but none of them are living what most consider a "comfortable" lifestyle.  They drive 10-15 year old cars, live in older or much smaller homes than average, and work hard to try to stay out of debt (mostly not successfully long-term...).  Most live closer to paycheck to paycheck.

 

Using the FAFSA4caster, it projects an EFC with my dh's income at $8,500, with the only "federal aid" available work study and $5,500 in loans.  The total cost for one of our in-state universities has us gapped by $17,000.  Say I go to work to make up the difference?  Oops, now we're gapped $22,000, still short...by the time I'm making enough to cover the gap, we are full pay -- with every penny I make net (plus, most likely money from dh's salary) paying for college for one kid. The local uni doesn't even have programs, so unless I plan on forcing my kid to attend a school and major in an area he has no interest in (yeah, don't see that happening), he will have to go away.  This also assumes I don't have any substantive out of pocket costs that go along with working.  If I have to put the other kids in school (stop homeschooling), pay for afterschool care, etc. (which, I would most likely have to do at this point in order to get a job paying more than $500-$1000/month), I would have to make in the neighborhood of $125-$150,000 a year.

 

This scenario changes depending upon the schools you select.  But, I'm not just pulling numbers out of thin air.  I got most of these playing around when we started researching schools based upon schools DS was interested in attending (eye-popping numbers).  After getting some much needed assistance on the college board here, I went looking at schools based upon affordability.  Assuming my kids are stand-out scholars, college is affordable, but they will be limited by merit aid.  There is no school that offers enough "need-based grant aid" that will cover much of anything for my kids if I start working.  

 

The numbers are not in our favor.  Yes, we could wind up being surprised.  However, I have heard of very few "happy" surprises when the financial aid packages come in compared to the "shocked and dismayed" surprises.  I have learned to plan for the worst case and hope for the best.

 

This means, when we consider colleges, I'm not really looking at schools that have the most kids going into masters and PhD programs, or paying as much attention to which college is ranked higher.  I'm simply looking at affording undergrad. 

 

ETA:  For those who are paying attention to some of the financial posts on the college board, this is based on dh's DC-based salary, living 45 minutes south of DC, should DH relocate to Norfolk, our cost-of-living does not change, by DH's salary drops by $12,000/year -- which is the discrepancy on our EFC/projected federal aid).  As you all know, the outlook is all based upon the numbers one plugs in...

Edited May 5, 2016 by LisaK in VA is in IT

[heartlikealion]

I used to think of dental hygienist as a possibility but after all I saw/heard about the toxins in the office I kinda freaked. There's a YouTube video with images using a blacklight or something. We carry these things around in our mouth if we've had typical fillings or are exposed to a machine in the office that pushes the junk in the room. You know it's floating all around that office. Many just have short walls or open door ways.

 

You might also think about what it is that appeals to you about library work.  A lot of what librarians with degrees do is management.  If that isn't your cup of tea, something like a library tech diploma might actually be more what you want, and cheaper too.

 

Librarians have a graduate degree, so that is two years on top of an undergrad program.

 

Garga, there is a thread somewhere where my dh and I think redsquirrel?'s dh commented about what they do in their jobs. I don't know if anyone else answered. But there is a huge difference of what each librarian does. My dh is an academic librarian. He works with college students daily and that is one of his favorite parts. The students know he cares (he genuinely does). His job entails cataloging (among other things), but not all do. He obtained his Master's (MLIS) online while he was working part of the time. Not too many librarians are retiring (or they retire later than usual) so it's kind of hard to find openings. Usually you need a master's degree, but we have met people that didn't have one. It is probably a supply/demand thing. For example, our tiny town has a public library and the librarian does not have one (I didn't ask, but this is what I was told).

 

Teaching English as a second language is a popular recertification option for homeschooling moms I know. It doesn't take too long, and most people I know who have done that have found work. 

 

Exam supervision is another job lots of homeschool moms I know have moved into, especially if they just want a bit 'extra' through the year.

 

Tell me more about the ESL (or whatever acronym is popular) thing? Did they already have a degree in education? Because otherwise I don't see how it would be easy. The way you worded this I guess all the homeschooling moms you know are already certified in something.

[Bluegoat]

I used to think of dental hygienist as a possibility but after all I saw/heard about the toxins in the office I kinda freaked. There's a YouTube video with images using a blacklight or something. We carry these things around in our mouth if we've had typical fillings or are exposed to a machine in the office that pushes the junk in the room. You know it's floating all around that office. Many just have short walls or open door ways.

 

 

Garga, there is a thread somewhere where my dh and I think redsquirrel?'s dh commented about what they do in their jobs. I don't know if anyone else answered. But there is a huge difference of what each librarian does. My dh is an academic librarian. He works with college students daily and that is one of his favorite parts. The students know he cares (he genuinely does). His job entails cataloging (among other things), but not all do. He obtained his Master's (MLIS) online while he was working part of the time. Not too many librarians are retiring (or they retire later than usual) so it's kind of hard to find openings. Usually you need a master's degree, but we have met people that didn't have one. It is probably a supply/demand thing. For example, our tiny town has a public library and the librarian does not have one (I didn't ask, but this is what I was told).

 

 

Tell me more about the ESL (or whatever acronym is popular) thing? Did they already have a degree in education? Because otherwise I don't see how it would be easy. The way you worded this I guess all the homeschooling moms you know are already certified in something.

 

Strictly speaking a librarian without an MLIS is not a librarian at all.  They might be called a librarian colloquially, but they aren't.

 

A university librarian will need not only an MLIS, but normally also a master's degree in another area of study.

 

Lots of people who work in libraries are actually library techs, with a diploma, or library assistants, who may be trained on the job.

 

ETA: no you don't usually need a teaching degree to do ESL courses.  Though there are different kinds which makes a difference.

Edited May 5, 2016 by Bluegoat

[hornblower]

 

 

Tell me more about the ESL (or whatever acronym is popular) thing? Did they already have a degree in education? Because otherwise I don't see how it would be easy. The way you worded this I guess all the homeschooling moms you know are already certified in something.

 

You'll need to look at your own jurisdiction as I think it varies ... I'm in Canada & we have teaching ESL certificate courses here & they're not terribly expensive or time intensive. There's one here that is one semester full time. 

 

Anyone can take them but to get a licence from the national teaching ESL organization you have to have a Bachelor or Master degree (can be in anything) 

 

I have a degree & have looked at it but I think right now it's on my scratch list. Pay is poor IMO (unless you have a Master's or above because then the larger colleges will hire you & they have decent pay + benefits + retirement plans). Demand hwvr is pretty steady, esp in my area. & I guess it's a portable job & you can choose to be self employed & tutor & set your own hours. 

 

 

 

 

[heartlikealion]

Strictly speaking a librarian without an MLIS is not a librarian at all.  They might be called a librarian colloquially, but they aren't.

 

A university librarian will need not only an MLIS, but normally also a master's degree in another area of study.

 

Lots of people who work in libraries are actually library techs, with a diploma, or library assistants, who may be trained on the job.

 

ETA: no you don't usually need a teaching degree to do ESL courses.  Though there are different kinds which makes a difference.

 

That's more or less what I thought, but then I felt like a jerk for thinking it because someone shared an article about librarians that don't have an MLS/MLIS and it kind of confused me. The article didn't really explain to me if the workers had a master's degree or something else, but said that their degree was not an MLS/MLIS. If I find it again I will link it.

 

Well both cases in which the person didn't have the MLS/MLIS, they were called librarian and they were not an assistant to anyone else in the building.

[heartlikealion]

You'll need to look at your own jurisdiction as I think it varies ... I'm in Canada & we have teaching ESL certificate courses here & they're not terribly expensive or time intensive. There's one here that is one semester full time. 

 

Anyone can take them but to get a licence from the national teaching ESL organization you have to have a Bachelor or Master degree (can be in anything) 

 

I have a degree & have looked at it but I think right now it's on my scratch list. Pay is poor IMO (unless you have a Master's or above because then the larger colleges will hire you & they have decent pay + benefits + retirement plans). Demand hwvr is pretty steady, esp in my area. & I guess it's a portable job & you can choose to be self employed & tutor & set your own hours. 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't even know where to begin, but I'm going to look into this. I have a bachelor's.

 

[hornblower]

I don't even know where to begin, but I'm going to look into this. I have a bachelor's.

 

 

I'd try searching your state name + TESOL Certification Post-Baccalaureate Options

[DawnM]

 

 

Tell me more about the ESL (or whatever acronym is popular) thing? Did they already have a degree in education? Because otherwise I don't see how it would be easy. The way you worded this I guess all the homeschooling moms you know are already certified in something.

 

 

When people are saying it is easy to get a certificate, they aren't talking about teaching certification, that is different.  You can't just go get ESL certified and go teach ESL at the local public school.  

 

It is for teaching at a Language School or an Adult Ed program and you get paid per class taught.  

 

If you want to teach in the public school full time, you will need to do one of two things.  You will need to go back and get a teaching license with a specific certification in ESL, and even that will depend on the state you are looking at.   For example, if you want to teach ESL in CA, you have to get an ENGLISH credential with an ESL supplemental as they don't offer a straight ESL credential.  In other states, like where I am now in NC, you need a license in ANY other subject area and then you get an ESL credential on top of that.

 

There are some situations were you might be able to step in to the PS with just a bachelor's if they have something like an "emergency credential" which is called different things in different states, (NC calls it lateral entry), but the idea is the same.  You get a job teaching, with the stipulation that you are going to school at night on the side working towards your credentials.   You will be paid as a beginning teacher until you have completed the certification.

 

If you have questions, you can PM me or ask here.  One of my Master's Degrees is in TESOL and I am certified to teach pre-K through Community College with my credentials.  But I also had to have other certifications/licenses too in order to work in PS.  

 

Dawn

[HSmomof2]

I have no degree...I know it's stupid, but back when I graduated high school, you could get an entry level job and work your way up in a company, which is what I did for 13 years until I stopped to stay at home. There was really nothing standing in my way and I could have had a lovely little job that brought home a decent salary by now if I hadn't stopped to raise the kids. I have no prospects now. No one will care about how great of a job I did or that I have experience. No degree? Go away.

 

I'm 43. I want to be a librarian. I'll be 50 when the kids are in college. I don't think I'll be able to afford college for all three of us so I can finally get a degree. I have tried homeschooing and going to college at the same time and it is a bad mix for me. I don't do well being spread too thin. It's just my personality or something, but without a lot of downtime I get very strange emotionally.

 

 

ETA: You know what? Maybe I need to change my mindset from thinking, "I have two kids to put through college," to "I have three to put through college," with me being the third. If I wrap my head around this now, we'll be prepared emotionally for the financial hit in a few years.

 

Can 50 year olds get scholarships? I need to look into this. Do I need to take the SAT??

I work for our local public library system. I wouldn't spend money on a library science degree. You could likely get a decent job with a library without it. Many of our libraries have no actual librarians working at them, and the existing librarians are not being replaced much when they retire. They are being replaced by branch assistants, which is what I do part-time. I have a 20 year old BA degree, but many of the people I work with don't have a degree. I worked for a year part-time as a page, then was promoted. They cared much more about the ability to work with the public than a degree. It's a decent job, decent pay, benefits, and a pension.

[heartlikealion]

When people are saying it is easy to get a certificate, they aren't talking about teaching certification, that is different.  You can't just go get ESL certified and go teach ESL at the local public school.  

 

It is for teaching at a Language School or an Adult Ed program and you get paid per class taught.  

 

If you want to teach in the public school full time, you will need to do one of two things.  You will need to go back and get a teaching license with a specific certification in ESL, and even that will depend on the state you are looking at.   For example, if you want to teach ESL in CA, you have to get an ENGLISH credential with an ESL supplemental as they don't offer a straight ESL credential.  In other states, like where I am now in NC, you need a license in ANY other subject area and then you get an ESL credential on top of that.

 

There are some situations were you might be able to step in to the PS with just a bachelor's if they have something like an "emergency credential" which is called different things in different states, (NC calls it lateral entry), but the idea is the same.  You get a job teaching, with the stipulation that you are going to school at night on the side working towards your credentials.   You will be paid as a beginning teacher until you have completed the certification.

 

If you have questions, you can PM me or ask here.  One of my Master's Degrees is in TESOL and I am certified to teach pre-K through Community College with my credentials.  But I also had to have other certifications/licenses too in order to work in PS.  

 

Dawn

 

Ah, I see. I don't think we even have a need for ESL teachers in my state lol. Or very little. So the odds of there being a language school sounds slim. My father and my sister both taught ESL, but not here.

Edited May 5, 2016 by heartlikealion

[Bluegoat]

I work for our local public library system. I wouldn't spend money on a library science degree. You could likely get a decent job with a library without it. Many of our libraries have no actual librarians working at them, and the existing librarians are not being replaced much when they retire. They are being replaced by branch assistants, which is what I do part-time. I have a 20 year old BA degree, but many of the people I work with don't have a degree. I worked for a year part-time as a page, then was promoted. They cared much more about the ability to work with the public than a degree. It's a decent job, decent pay, benefits, and a pension.

 

It's pretty typical really - librarians cost more, so they replace them with people who cost less.

 

Sometimes this is a matter of the librarian really being over-qualified for the position - someone with a diploma might be just the ticket.  But other times it is about aving money and sevice is effective.

 

But a lot of the people who are generally called librarians are doing the work of techs.  In our public system, the managers of the libraries are librarians - the cataloguers and some others working with the public are techs, and then there are people with no education in library studies in some of the same jobs as techs.

[HSmomof2]

It's pretty typical really - librarians cost more, so they replace them with people who cost less.

 

Sometimes this is a matter of the librarian really being over-qualified for the position - someone with a diploma might be just the ticket. But other times it is about aving money and sevice is effective.

 

But a lot of the people who are generally called librarians are doing the work of techs. In our public system, the managers of the libraries are librarians - the cataloguers and some others working with the public are techs, and then there are people with no education in library studies in some of the same jobs as techs.

Yep, that's how it is here. 'Most' of the managers are librarians, a few are not. But, turnover is very low in those positions, and there aren't many of them, so there is really not much opportunity for librarians. I also considered getting a MLiS, but after realizing I'd end up with $60,000 debt and likely the same job I have now, it didn't seem worth it. Sadly, there are a number of newer librarian grads working as pages and struggling to pay back their student loans. Edited May 5, 2016 by Bethany Grace

[heartlikealion]

I don't know about public libraries, but where dh works, often times he's the only one that can answer the students' questions. I believe this has to do with things he learned outside of job experience (he has previous experience in other libraries). I would imagine that same job or not, a degree would make a difference in salary as well. But not a difference necessarily worth going back to school over. I hear you.

Edited May 5, 2016 by heartlikealion

[FaithManor]

Well, I let my teaching license lapse because I decided I wouldn't go back full time into the PS. I could get an out of profession and substitute. There is a lot of substitute work out there for someone with good classroom management skills, and especially since I love high school level math and science, and the locals know I can teach it. But the pay is not very good at all, and of course no benefits. Still, it is something I may do because it will allow us to beef up our retirement savings, yet remain flexible as I can most certainly turn down work if something comes up with the family.

 

What I am looking at more closely right now because I need to earn some money with two in college and yet homeschool the youngest for his last two years (he's a homeschooled sophomore) is going back to some piano accompanying part time at eldest ds's college which is about 90 minutes away. They are going to have a hard time scheduling voice lessons around their student pianists' college schedules next year, graduating several pianists this year, and not getting their yield of freshmen pianists the last two years. The pay is good. I could do one seven hour day and get $210.00 contract pay so I'll have to save out for taxes. I can manage youngest's school schedule around that. It is probably my first pick.

 

The other option is that the quilt store would really like me to come back to work. The pay is not great, but the work is lovely. 

 

As for the bigger bucks in piano performance? Not happening. One does not take a 20+ year hiatus from performance and then jump back in. I do not live in an area where parents are willing to pay a reasonable wage for music lessons or for music therapy (the job I loved more than anything) so there is no point in doing that. Except for that accompanying job, my degrees will not mean much in terms of earning power. That said, I don't regret having them! I was working on my master's degree for a while, but just can't see the value of spending the money on it as I doubt it will increase my earnings, and in two years we'll have three boys in college at once (thankfully for only one year though), so the money is better spent on their educations at this time.

 

I see both sides. The years that a parent puts in outside the work force parenting full time are not wasted years, and it isn't as if they have learned nothing. However, to be honest, from an employer's perspective that doesn't translate to having skills specific to his or her business needs either. We have to be intellectually honest about that. It puts us at a distinct disadvantage because we come to the employment table at an advanced age. The employer who invests in the 22 year old could potentially get 40-50 years of work out of that person - though realistically most young people will not have an employer that loyal to him or her - but the one that invests in the 50+ year old is looking at 10-20 years. The younger person definitely looks more attractive if we aren't bringing a specific skill set that the younger person is lacking.

 

Oh and as for a library science degree? A lot of libraries in the Great Lakes and Midwest regions are staffed by a huge number of volunteers or part-time minimum wage persons. The head librarian when he or she retires may not even be replaced by someone with equal education. It is the unfortunate outcome of library funding in communities that were once heavily manufacturing based and have not recovered economically. Property values plummet, more unemployed and underemployed, etc. just means less operating funds for the local library. I would be leery of getting a degree in that if one is in a position to need to make decent pay.

[SparklyUnicorn]

When people are saying it is easy to get a certificate, they aren't talking about teaching certification, that is different.  You can't just go get ESL certified and go teach ESL at the local public school.  

 

It is for teaching at a Language School or an Adult Ed program and you get paid per class taught.  

 

If you want to teach in the public school full time, you will need to do one of two things.  You will need to go back and get a teaching license with a specific certification in ESL, and even that will depend on the state you are looking at.   For example, if you want to teach ESL in CA, you have to get an ENGLISH credential with an ESL supplemental as they don't offer a straight ESL credential.  In other states, like where I am now in NC, you need a license in ANY other subject area and then you get an ESL credential on top of that.

 

There are some situations were you might be able to step in to the PS with just a bachelor's if they have something like an "emergency credential" which is called different things in different states, (NC calls it lateral entry), but the idea is the same.  You get a job teaching, with the stipulation that you are going to school at night on the side working towards your credentials.   You will be paid as a beginning teacher until you have completed the certification.

 

If you have questions, you can PM me or ask here.  One of my Master's Degrees is in TESOL and I am certified to teach pre-K through Community College with my credentials.  But I also had to have other certifications/licenses too in order to work in PS.  

 

Dawn

 

Exactly.  I was in a master's program for TESOL.  This wouldn't lead to a certification that would be accepted by public schools.  Looking into my job prospects, I decided to quit the program.  I don't think I would have easily found a job.  If I were willing and able to travel to foreign countries, maybe. 

 

 

[umsami]

Just wanted to put out there that a MLS degree doesn't necessarily mean you work in a library.  A cousin of mine works for a Fortune 50 company in their archives.  She loves her job.  My old field was competitive intelligence and that also attracted a fair number of MLS people. :)