to think ill never get a job once i decide to return to work?

[ditsydoll]

Ok so abit of background..
I left school at 16 and went straight into an apprenticeship. I found out that I was pregnant at almost 18 and really struggled to keep it up due to really bad sickness and problems during pregnancy so I left..

DH and I got married and four years later I am expecting my 2nd Dc. I have stayed at home to look after DD and will be at home with DC2 until he/she is school age and I am able to look for work.

I really worry about the future and how any employer will ever take me seriously as all I have to show for myself is an unfinished course and bits of voluntary work.

I'm.very lucky in that DH has a good job and more than able to support us on his wage alone but I would like to have some identity of my own eventually and just worry if I will ever be able to have it.

As Henry Ford said, If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right. Think of all your good qualities, ask friends about them too. Voluntary work is great!

Start thinking about what you would like to do and get some voluntary work in that area - ie: do you enjoy retail? Do some hours in a charity shop. Do you want to work with children? Volunteer at a playschool. There is loads you can do and there will be a voluntary opportunity somewhere. It will also look good on your CV that you were doing something 'outside' the home when you were bringing up your children - if it is actually difficult to get out you can do lots of voluntary work from home. Just be creative in thinking about what you can do.

If you aren't planning on returning to work for another 4-5 years, that's plenty of time to gain some qualifications or some additional experience (voluntary or not) to enhance your CV and your employability. I do think you need to be thinking now about what you can do, and not wait until you really need a job.

Would you consider going back to education?

Thanks for the ideas everyone, I would go back into education but wouldnt really know what to do now, i have been 'mum' for so long I don't even know what I'd do. I do a lot of cakes from home just for family as a hobby but have no qualifications and it obviously isn't a career but I suppose I could retrain in that.

I just feel like I have lost all sense of myself sometimes, don't get me wrong I adore being a SAHM but it does worry me that that's all ill ever be able to do now.

Could you find an aptitude test online? That might give you some ideas about what you want to do. Also I would say get some temping if you can, because I learned a lot about the job market that way, and about what kind of workplace I wanted to be in, HOW I wanted to work etc. At one point I ended up temping in the local prison and learned so much about hte justice system. Fascinating stuff.