Still unemployed

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Im now 53 and my youngest is now 16. And I'm still out of work. I find that every single application I make never gets a reply let alone never an interview. I was a full time teacher for fifteen years but Mr Blairs government started training loads of NQTs which means as Agencies now control the job markets then they only want to register teachers on the bottom of pay scale, straight from college. Then they can make more money from the schools. I cannot be blamed for my experience surely. Nore can this be blamed on the recent resession as I have been trying for well over ten years to get a job. Women who stay at home to be full time mums are TOTALLY ignored by this country. Do not do it unless you are married to a millionaire or a man that can get you a job later on. And if you get on a works program then they will just ignore you because you will have no job seekers entitlements. G4s only get paid to help claimers and not for women that can only claim a pension credit until they are 66. So they ignore you and just cancel your appointment. Being at home means you never see people or network jobs. It's dire. Woman signing on is desperate now. Do not have kids and give up your job or you will remain stuck and forgotten by your country INDEFINATELY. If you have had a similar experience and Are still in this position as me then please get in touch. Bev

My mum got a job which as about 4 hrs a week, teaching 1 girl A-level, when she was in this position (was a long time ago though). This led to a full-time post within a couple of years.

If you can afford to look for a very part time post (if any are going) it might be a foot in the door somewhere.

Why dont you try a diferent job you do seem to be very negative, I am older than you and live on the Isle of Wight with is an unemployment blackspot.

Despite being a highy paid print expert when I lived on the mainland I applied for and got a job running a charity shop the wages were less then I used to pay in tax and NI in my London job, the job finished in May and despite not looking for work for a couple of weeks as my Mum died, as soon as I was able I applied for jobs the first job I applied for led to an interiew (yesterday) and again well below my capabilities and at a monthly salary which is a 1/3 of what I used to earn in London.

I was going to ask if you could offer to be paid as an NQT, I know the difference is massive but at least it'd be money. I wouldn't be shocked if there is something in teachers' pay regulations that won't let that happen though??

My DMIL is older than you and still does supply teaching having taught all her life. Can you not volunteer in a couple of local schools and then they can employ you directly as supply, thus saving them money and building up a better relationship with school and the kids in it? I know we employ supply directly when we can as it's better for all involved as long as we think the person is good.

I must admit I agree? You are clearly in a negative frame of mind at the moment. I am sure you make very effort to not let that show at interviews or meetings? That would have a big impact on whether I'd want to employ you.

Good Luck and as an earlier poster said, you may have tot honk outside the box here.

To think not tot honk!!! iPhone strikes again!

It is upsetting - I am in a reasonably similar position to you, though for different reasons.

I am highly qualified but in a male dominated industry where things like P/T work and flexi hours just don't go down well and going back to work F/T is not an option for me, as I have a DS with some SN.

So, I have done just that: Thought outside the box. I've taken a good hard look at all my transferable skills along with what I NEED for it to work and I'm just starting up as a social media manager (looking after FB / twitter / linkin etc) for a local businesses...

I'm doing it for cost at the moment, but once I get all my ducks in a row, I will offer my services to more small businesses. I'm never going to earn a fortune, but I want to work :-)

I know how you feel. There is a wealth of experience being overlooked. Can you work for yourself - perhaps tutoring (esp if you have a 'specialism' like dyslexia). Or maybe one of those tutoring franchises - the kumon near me seems to be bursting at the seams whenever I pass by.

I am applying for jobs paying half what I was earning ten years ago (without the BUPA, Pension, bonus....). I can't bear to think too much about 'what if I hadn't had a family...'.

I just keep thinking - this time nest year... It will get better... But I have a little one to support.

I find it very difficult to believe that a trained teacher could spend ten years trying and failing to find a job. Very difficult indeed.

Unless of course they were being very picky about what they wanted to do.

I'm glad you've all replied but I have already done what each of you has said again and again. It's hopeless. I live in Warrington. No work much here. And everything I apply to keeps getting no replies. It truly is dire. Nobody has any real concept in employment. And even the government scheme no longer wants to help. I am able bodied no health issues. A bit down maybe. But I'm trying to warn anyone else. Reinventing is hopeless. At 53 I cannot get any help for that. I'm thinking of going on the sick now just to get us some money to live on. I want to work but you cannot get supply all the registers have been removed from authorities to save money. Only agencies do the work. They get it cheaper that way. You cannot get a job unless just qualified and I did a returners to teaching in 2004. And I'm still here. The last interview I ever had was about 3 years ago. Got any more suggestions please. I've thought of divorce then myself I'd have an income. It's gone on so long. And if we separated the state might offer more support. As I've two clever girls off to Uni soon. And they could do with the grants...dishonest I know but I know of two other couples who decided to do this that I knew. Then if I cost the state some money they said that they'd find me a job to help. Instead of being forgotten.

I do apply to at least a job per day. My daughter said mum you've applied to thousands of jobs over the years. How on earth will she get a job if I cannot. I have thirteen years full time as a secondary teacher. I have a BA and an MA and I ales trained as a Hearing Impaired Teacher. They do Cochlea implants now. So full CRB checked also. I guess I should just stop wasting my days looking and throw in the towel. I've even written to my MP and complained to G4S. Nobody seems bothered just got replying saying that volunteering was possible. WHERE? I asked they tried to find me something and nobody would offer anything. I do not swear or am I rude in anyway. Or do I look odd. Not sure that I do at all. No staying home caused hundreds of thousands of wives to take anti depressants in the 50's and 60's and it will once again it the do not stop giving ALL the jobs to the men to try and appease more political instability. Women like me are being psychologically abused by this governments policies my daughter said to me. And she is only sixteen and recognise that. She must be right.

Maybe try to get an interview with a local newspaper? Or write an article or blog about you experiences. Someone may contact you on the back of it.

This is a good idea. But even when I complained to my MP he just said try a job club. They have now stopped operating the job club that he mentioned so even his advice became futile.
Maybe my local Guardian newspaper could help but I think since this Murdock issue the newspapers are losing circulation. Nobody will buy them. And they seem to be run in the Northwest of England by pro government people.
I doubt my story will impress. But kind of you to suggest.

I think you are going to have to be totally honest with yourself and set out very clearly what are actual barriers and what are perceived barriers. Even if 99% of them are real barriers there's going to be 1% that you can fruitfully do something about.
The one thing that you said that stood out was the volunteering. There are thousands of places to volunteer, don't wait for a place to offer something, foist yourself on them.

Tutoring?

Experienced teachers charge around £30 an hour, so even doing 2 hours day woul add up!

Proof reading? Editor? What is your subject?

I dont know if I'm missing something here but why dont you work for an agency?

_Not- being glib:

'Local woman applys for 1200 jobs in ten years'. Even with xx years experiewnce and xxx qualifications, Mrs X is finding it impossible to find employment. "I have tried everything - job centres, networking, agencies... But its the same story - 'you are overqualified'. It is heartbreaking. I have two daughters about to start university - what can I tell them? They see me struggle and are considering leaving the country to find work'. I would like to meet David Cameron to ask him what he is doing to help people like me? Thousands has been spent on training me to be a teacher and my experience is invaluable. I would tell him that we are losing out on a goldmine of experience and a wealth of talent..." Etc etc ect. May need a photo of you up to your neck in rejection letters looking Very Sad or Angry (ideally flanked by your two girls waving their passports).

What subject do you teach?

Private tutoring and agency work are probably the way to go. Have you looked at taking on students privately?

There are probably huge numbers of NQTs now because it is seen as a safe career. Even Maths and Science posts are fairly easily filled by high calibre graduates.

I'm not sure that your doom laden warnings are really relevant these days. I'd imagine that very few people would leave teaching for much more than the standard period of their maternity leave if they'd be likely to need to return.

There are also large numbers of people with industry experience retraining, so you really need to have some sort of recent experience to compete.

Unless you take on students privately, or look outside of the sector for work, you are not likely to get anywhere.

I'll rephrase that can you work for a teaching agency covering sick leave unexpected absences etc or do schools no longer use supply/agency staff to do this?
The other agency work to look at is health care where I live agencies are desperate for even unqualified nurses to undertake home care. Its pretty hard work and the pays not great but maybe it could eventually lead onto other things. Also many children with complex needs who live int heir iwn homes often have carers. Since the demise of the PCT's I believe local authorities now employ carers they often want ?bank staff? to cover sickness etc again often crap money but as you are teacher with experience of children Im pretty sure you would stand a good chance particularly as any carers accompany the children they care for into schools nursery etc.

Weird just done a spell check but its not changed it when I posted! Meant to say many carers accompany their children into school. And its generally unqualified nurses who take on home care and at one time agencies were not looking for unqualified staff but now in my area they are desperate.

Because they only employ NQTs. Or people who have worked in the last two years. You have to have Inservice training on your form that shows personal RECENT development. They do not offer training on the dole unless under 25.

couldn't you get back into school doing some voluntary work, or as a TA?

I have just graduated 20k in debt (not teaching) and will be 3k worse off than being on benefits if I manage to find a job and work full time

You sound rather as though you just have an axe to grind.

Nobody is going to go out of their way to help you secure a graduate level post. You need to seek out volunteering opportunities yourself, not suggest that some government agency find you one.

Apply to TA jobs, help in your local Primary listening to readers etc., look at Mentoring schemes, or set one up yourself. There are youth oriented scemes crying out for volunteers, and that will give you an in road. When the school needs a TA, they might think of you. When they then need a teacher, same thing.

Look at private schools, who tend to be less prescriptive.

Or if you really have tried all of that, look for jobs in another sector, but be aware that the competition is unlikely to be any less.

Realistically, you are possibly at a disadvantage because of the time that you have been out of work. You made the choices that you did, and it's unfortunate that the job market is what it is. You just have to do what you can.

I have a degree in psychology and sociology and not one job has came up as an assistant psychologist in my area since I graduated. NOT ONE!!! So I had to rethink and became a childminder. Perhaps you have to accept that teaching is not going to be an option and do something else instead. Even minimum wage would be better than nothing surely? Or maybe you are too posh to work in mcdonalds.

Thanks everyone for listening but even my Employment Secretary's letter from the Houses of Parliament could only offer a sincere apology. I know I sound like a winger but this is the brutal truth.
Our country has abandoned is women and is as far as I can see totally ignoring our issues. No wonder that divorce in over fifties women is shooting through the roof as mentioned on Woman's Hour recently. And then was very quickly side stepped by the BBC for fear of too many women like myself cramming up the switchboards on the telephones.
It's dire in the North. I even keep applying for jobs down south now. With the intention of separating from my family to get a job. But it would have to pay well to afford living accommodation. And I've been doing this for a year now. But still the same empty replies. It's because of being a stay at home mother. My daughters have said they are never intending to have children. Unless they marry Prince Harry or the Duke of Westminster. They're good girls and separation sounds a good idea so that I can help them through college on lower loan rates. Their dad may be losing his job soon. This government hasn't even begun to address our countries problems. I shall no doubt post on here again one day in years to come, to describe how much entitlements one can claim if all else continues to fail. But thanks for trying to be considerate. I guess it's my problem and doubtful that it will go away. But no not down just out of answers that can realistically work for me and judging by my application responses it's now getting dire in the south too, unless it's just that stay at home mums might as well just retire as nobody will interview ANYONE out of work for more than a year. And that's what's happened to me. How much do solicitors charge anyone? Thanks All Sincerely...Bev

Bev. I'm absolutely useless at this sort of stuff but I'm sorry you are in such a bad position. It must be horrible. I agree women are getting a very bad whack with the shitty stick careerwise these days especially older women.

My only suggestion would be to consider starting a business for yourself - do you have any skills other than teaching that you could utilise.

I've recently returned to the world of work after a very long absence. It's been interesting. But I'm in the south east and we have lower unemployment generally.

Solicitors charge between £50 and £100 an hour IME unless it's a very specialist one. Most will give you a free half hour.