Hi all.
This is a couple of AIBUs really: firstly, AIBU to ask you to please help me choose who I could put down as a referee, and secondly, AIBU to ask you how I could explain a period of not working from winter last year to February this year?
To give some background, I'm applying for a job at the moment, and they're asking for the details of two referees.
They've asked for the references to come from my two most recent employers. However, I've had a bit of a patchy work history and I'm not sure what I should do.
I graduated from university in 2015, and worked as a self-employed tutor in my hometown from summer 2015 to early summer 2016.
In summer 2016, I moved to another city to start a Schools Direct PGCE. Unfortunately, I gave this up last winter, after feeling severely depressed and anxious and, eventually, suicidal.
When I was first considering giving up the PGCE, I was aware that giving it up before completing it may very well leave a bad impression for employers in terms of applying for jobs later on.
However, I decided to give it up because I would have had to stay at the same school for two years (from September 2016 to July 2018). This is because the Schools Direct programme asks participants to stay at the school during their PGCE year and their NQT (newly qualified teacher) year.
I felt extremely vulnerable and worried before giving up the PGCE, and was increasingly concerned that I just wouldn't survive the two years. Sorry about the phrasing here - I just wanted to get across how I personally felt. I hope that this makes sense.
Since leaving the PGCE course in winter last year, I spent time trying to recover from the depression and anxiety.
My GP had referred me, while I was still on the PGCE, to an online CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) course, however the referral for this only came through in January.
Through this CBT referral, I've also had weekly appointments from February with a careers coach, which has been really, really helpful.
Anyway, my aim was to register or apply for jobs from the date when I resigned from the PGCE course onwards. However, I was really struggling and just spent most of my time in bed, and still felt very low.
I eventually started paid work in March this year. (I had registered with several tuition agencies from December onwards, however I was only 'matched' with my first clients in March).
My most recent paid employment is, firstly, my tutoring assignments with the agencies (from March this year) and then my PGCE (I wonder if my course tutors may be able to provide a reference?)
However, I've still got an unaccounted-for period between November last year and February this year. I'm not really sure how to explain this work absence if I'm not able to talk about mental health issues.
On a side-note, I write a blog about French culture that I've been updating regularly (particularly during the period from last November to March this year). I wonder if I could mention the blog here, and explain that I focused on that for several months after leaving the PGCE?
Thanks very much for your help with this, everyone :)
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AIBU?
Employment history gap AIBU (sorry it's so long!)
15 replies
Tailypo · 24/06/2017 14:05
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