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

No not posh. And Mac Donald's seem to only be employing the under twenty fives possibly under twenties. Warrington is a black spot. And we cannot move yet as the children are doing A levels and just done O levels. I've given out hundreds of CVs nobody is hiring stay home x mums, x teachers anymore especially if over fifty. I have tried.

Look, sorry to sound harsh but that's how it is. I finished my Phd and did well, but no-one's queuing up to hand me a nice full time post teaching in my area (either research or geographical!), and I can't travel around like a lost of post-docs can because I have children in schools, and can't uproot them for a one year contract that may or may not lead to something more.

It's gutting and worrying and annoying, but it's nobody's fault. What did you want them to do: stop training any new teachers until all the old ones had died off? Yes, it's hard when you have children and have a career break, it really is - but you sound as though you're just blaming everyone and everything else as though there has been a malign intent in everyone's dealings with you. If your CV sounds as negative as you do (and I hate to say it, but also if it as poorly worded as your posts) then I'm afraid that it is not going to be making many shortlists.

Depending on the subject you teach, surely there are far more options and maybe you are being too selective in what you apply for.

I agree with TheOriginalSteamingnit.

I have 3 degrees, and had a very senior role prior to giving up work.

That's life..

As we speak my mail has just arrived and it's from a job I applied to over in Barnsley. But at least they bothered to reply. With another Dear John letter for a full time teaching position at the Academy there. No reason mentioned as to why...but I think we already know why don't we?

I find this website on trends useful for keeping me realistic about what is out there

www.jobisjob.co.uk/Trends?terms%5B0%5D=teacher&wterms%5B0%5D=warrington&terms%5B1%5D=&wterms%5B1%5D=&terms%5B2%5D=&wterms%5B2%5D=&terms%5B3%5D=&wterms%

No, we dont all know why. Your CV could be crap for all we know. :(

there is always voluntary work out there. Have a look. There's plenty of work is you want to volunteer your time and experience. The work market is shite for everyone, not just sahm's.

Because jobs are scarce and competition is overwhelming? That's what I keep telling myself, anyway....

If your gonna fill kids' heads with doom and gloom and end of the society as we know it, well I'm glad you're not teaching my kids. How many non teaching posts have you applied for. There are always jobs if you are prepared to wash dishes, clean toilets, deliver takeaway food. To suggest splitting up with your husband to get benefits is basically fraud.

have a look here :
www.do-it.org.uk/

I put in Warrington and it came up with dozens of volunteering opportunities, which involve working with children. Have you applied for all of them?

Also don't write yourself off on the age issue, 30% more people are working over retirement age than 20 years ago according to Womans hour this morning and most of them are women. There is hope for a longer career.

Theres a support workers job going here

uk.jobrapido.com/?utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=ADWORDS_UK_COMBINED_SEARCH&utm_agid=1766355683&utm_kwid=20299365323&q=part+time+jobs+warrington

have you applied for that?

And yes if you think it's about blame then that's sad. I do not regret becoming a mother but I do now regret how women are being treated that choose a family. I guess it's still very much a man's country. And what a legacy must my frustration (not blame) have left or scarred my daughters with. That deeply concerns me for the seeds now sown in their hearts will never grow fruitfully.

it's just common sense though, that in a very difficult job market, in recession, employers are going to choose currently employed people over people who've not been in the workplace for ten years. I took ten years out to be a sahm, went back to work for a few years and am now a sahm again after having dd3. I've accepted the fact that I'll be able to do voluntary work and probably get some sort of part time job in the future, but can't have a fulfilling career and be a stay at home Mum at the same time. I want to be a sahm more than I want to pursue a career and am prepared to make that sacrifice. I always knew that this would be the case though, because I was realistic. I don't think it's all about sexism. A man who'd taken a decade out of work would have exactly the same struggle trying to get back into employment.

I am beginning to get a feel for why nobody wants to employ you if your attitude and negativity is so evident to anyone who interviews you.

There are plenty of women out there who are working mothers.

"Do not do it unless you are married to a millionaire or a man that can get you a job later on"

I think there is some truth in this, most of my friends who were sahms/lone parents either got jobs through their partners or other friends/family, or continued to stay at home due to wealthy partners (not necessarily millionaires though!).

I have to admit I've never got a job through a normal application except when I was doing p/t jobs when at school or college. Since then I've just found opportunities through my friends and wider social network and my reputation has spread through word of mouth. Many, many jobs aren't advertised and people often need more staff but don't have the budget to advertise.

You need to tap into your network and ask around more, even contacting old friends you might not have seen for years. You never know what might come up. I ended up with a very well-paid senior job after 13 years at home just through a chance meeting with a friend of a friend, something I would never have been considered for if I'd just sent a paper application.

I don't think that difficulty finding a job is restricted only to people in your age group. Lots of young graduates are finding it very difficult indeed to get employment. You will have to re-think the whole job situation. because what you're doing now isn't working for you. And look and see what other work you can do.

You don't say what your subject is. I agree with looking at the tutoring option. And there is also the problem with being out of touch with all the current tests, requirements and 'initiatives' (whatever that's supposed to mean!) and so on in schools, which seem to be ever-changing. And they will be looking on your CV for what current knowledge and experience you have of all this. I do feel sorry for the difficult situation you're in now.

OP you actually sound depressed. :(

I agree that having kids can bugger up your career, it just scuppers it and often at EXACTLY the wrong point. No way I can go back to what I used to do so I'm doing something different (and flipping 'eck it's difficult, working in offices was so easy in comparison).

But your mind is in the wrong place to be successful if you see what I mean. Perhaps you need to work on your head before you work on your career? I don't mean to be hurtful, I just mean, perhaps if you are that down, you should seek some professional help. Depression is a very real and very serious illness.

FWIW I am very hopeful for my daughter's future. It's 20% effort, 80% attitude still. :)

I am in a similar position to the OP but in the IT field, and I'm just tailoring my CV to start sending it out. I've done a couple of courses to update my skills.

If I fail to get a job through sending in my CV to advertised jobs I plan to:

• contact companies directly and offer my services - on an internship basis if necessary

-contact charities and see if I can volunteer at their head office in something approaching my area of expertise.

At least I will be able to accept a salary as low as I choose. Compulsory service related pay scales are ham-stringing you here.

If you have a child still at school, why don't you ask your child's school if they can help? You may be able to negotiate the possibility of eg shadowing a teacher in your field - and then guess who'd be right there if a supply teacher was needed? Or a private school might be open to you volunteering on this basis.

Or what about retraining in an field where teachers are in short supply? Maths is usually mentioned here. It could be another string to your bow which would put you ahead of the pack.

And to all the smug people saying "Oh well you made your choices, now you have to live with the consequences", well that's very hard when every choice you have made has been purely for the benefit of your children. I know dozens of intelligent, well-qualified women who are mothers of almost adult children, doing unskilled jobs in childcare, Tesco's and John Lewis.

We have a lot more to offer than going on the sick because we can't get jobs.

Voluntary work has to be the way to go. It will open up new avenues for you.
I work part time for an agency (different profession) I go anywhere they send me often to places others won?t go to. I just get on with it I?m frequently surprised at places which I thought would be awful are actually OK. I?ve been offered loads of permanent jobs (why people think I want one I don?t understand) and if you're actually working in a place be it voluntary or paid you are often the first to hear about up and coming jobs and IME more likely to be successful as they already know you and hopefully like you. Have you considered helping out at your local hospitals paediatric ward our ward has volunteers helping the activity coordinator: entertaining children, holding babies etc most wards have schools and children do school work from their beds or in the classroom I?m sure you could help there too. Or as I?ve already said there?s lots of children with complex needs in the community I?m sure there voluntary work helping these families. Prisons and illegal immigration detention centres also often have education centres and I?m sure are desperate for volunteers as its not everyone?s cup of tea but very rewarding IME. Finally what are nursing homes they too are often crying out for people who can read to residents play games or just push then outside.

Loads of suggestions here and lots of specific ideas.Have you acted on any?
What professional development have you done to keep your subject knowlegde current?
I have shortlisted over 100 applicants for teachers posts many times as a governor and know how applicants need to demonstrate what unique and special they offer...attitude shows in the covering letters.

What about helping out with you local CCF my sons in the ATC and they often want people to help if you've got the time it might be more rewarding than the Scouts/Guides etc as its more intersting IME. Riding for the Disabled often want people to lead ponies and the National Trust are I understand often looking for volunteer guides.
You say you cant do agency work as a teacher becasue you've got no current experience can you not get some? I had to do 150 hours unpaid and a £1000 course to return to work when my children became old enough I saw it as a means to an end and I was right I could work morning noon and night best £1000 I've ever spent!

Do you have any friends in SMT who could check over your CV and application letter for you? Having the right application package is vital.

I didn't know about the rues for supply agencies but I agree with the tutoring suggestion. So many parents want GCSE or A Level tuition and are prepared to pay £30 plus a session. I have colleagues who practically make a second job out of it and it's not difficult.

Other than that, I'm afraid you're probably correct. Teaching moves fast and being both out of the workplace for 10 years and being over 50 is not going to help you in the competitive job market. It's rare for over 50s to move job except to progress into SMT now I think. Certainly those where I teach are staying put till retirement because they think/know they wouldn't get another job.

I agree with you about becoming a SAHM for any length of time being a bad idea too (if you want to get back to the same place that is).

Wow - sounds like you are so down and angry and I'm sorry you're having such a bad time.

I too am currently unemployed although only for 6 weeks. I too am a mother of two (younger than yours), I'm also in Warrington and I've not heard that it's a black spot or any such thing.

Things are tough for EVERYONE out there, everywhere, not just here. Oh and by the way, separating may be a financial solution but you sound emotionally quite done in so wouldn't recommend it.... I'm also part way through a divorce.

You are obviously well qualified and have good teaching experience. In today's market though it's all about being versatile and skills transfer. So what transferrable skills has your teaching brought you?

Also, it strikes me that with such an enormous amount of job applications and very few interviews that perhaps some time needs to be taken at looking at your CV - does it read well, does it pull out points that will appeal to an employer rather than just a list of what you've done and what you're qualified in. How are your covering letters - are they vibrant, interesting, enthusiastic and MEMORABLE? What are you saying in that first few lines that makes your application in the 'read with more detail later' rather than in the bin?

THAT I am sure will be your answer.

and actually - I was feeling upbeat about my jobsearch today - I'm now feeling rather down and blue! The government, whatever their faults does not OWE you a job