References?

[comfortseeker]

How to get people to give me references after ten years of being sahm? The place i used to work closed down long time ago so no one to ask any more.

[InimitableJeeves]

Have you got friends who could do it? Have you done any form of voluntary work? Or been involved in anything like the school PTA?

[PatrickPolarBear]

Am in a similar position although in my case it's only been 4 years(!!). I have been volunteering so am asking for references from my volunteering contacts. If you have no volunteering / PTA / community contacts then you would probably have to ask a friend. Or could you make contact with former colleagues in a relevant field?

[comfortseeker]

Lost all contacts with former colleagues. Can ask a friend but usually you need two references so i still need one more.

[comfortseeker]

Where to found useful voluntary work? do you tell them you do it because you want to get references for employment? it sounds silly but after being full time sahm for over 10 years i ve lost all common sense and confidence . Help!

[Twowrongsdontmakearight]

You can get useful voluntary work in lots of places inc charity shops etc. or you could volunteer at your DC's school to help out in a classroom. Then school would be able to give you a reference too.

[Twowrongsdontmakearight]

Oh. Don't tell them it's just for a reference though! Ask for the reference later.

[Twowrongsdontmakearight]

Last thought. I only needed one reference when I started my current job and they understood that I'd not been working for a while. When I had a competency-based phone interview I was able to use home examples as I couldn't remember work ones any more!

[comfortseeker]

Thx Twowrong