To ask what a 30 something mum whose barely worked could do?

[Hazelflies]

Hi, my youngest is 18 months and DH and I were planning on me remaining a SAHM until dd attends school....she is very attached to me and still bfeeding... but financially we're just not managing on one income and I need to contribute.
Before youngest DD I was a self employed dog Walker earning pretty good money, but I don't want to go back to this because liaising with clients constantly and doing so much driving every day was very stressful.
I have two older school age DC.

Preferably evening or weekend work would be great because it would fit around my family, but I know 'starting a career' in something is mainly in the field of 9-5 and DD would have to go into nursery.

The problem is my patchy work history between having kids, I also struggled with mental health due to PMDD but have been stable for a while now under a private consultant that a relative has kindly funded! Life changing.

I have GCSEs, 3 A Levels (dropped out of a Law Degree) but I don't think these count for much if you don't have much practical work experience behind you. I'm very well spoken and articulate, I have good communication skills and that's about it!

I'm 34 any ideas on what an undesirable candidate could do? I'm up for apprenticeships but have no idea what to look for.

I also have a couple of friends who became support assistants for pupil with LD at college. The college them put them through their qualifications and they are now both lecturers.

There are quite a lot of employers out there who like to grow their own, they’ll take on staff at an entry level and give them the opportunity it’s to train and progress.

A friend with no work experience managed to get a job as a GP receptionist. She is very well spoken and educated to degree level (in an unrelated subject) but had not worked since leaving university and getting this job, so around 15 years.

She’s been there a couple of years now and does the early shift. She uses the school breakfast club and is finished in time to pick them up at 3:15pm.

What about working for Test&Trace in the short term with a view to looking elsewhere once you've built up your confidence or had a think about what's next?

I'm sure they would want evening/weekend shifts and you could set up a workstation at home and leave dh with the kids for your shifts.

If you are looking for evenings/weekends how about a working in a supermarket until your youngest is in school? Then after that you can look at other options that fit in with school hours.

I second being a t.a at a primary. I started as an MSA and then , from there got a job as a 1to 1 ta, and then a class t.a, now im cover supervisor in the afternoons, covering ppa. I love my job. Its different every day, and theres a huge amount of job satisfaction.

Part time Legal secretary?

Hi I can't believe this post... I honestly could have written it. We are the same age, similar age children, similar qualifications, and before kids I ran a dog walking business. Mental health problems caused by undiagnosed autism which are on their way to being resolved.

My lack of prospects weighs on me heavily at times and I have no idea how to get back in to the work force. No real advice, just... You're not alone!

Part time Legal secretary?

This is often quite stressful with demanding partners and high expectations depending on the firm. Qualifications are needed to earn any decent money as a legal secretary eg in typing, ECDL.

I think care work, support worker or TA might be easier for you. No targets like a call centre either. Some of these could lead to profession too if you felt up to taking NVQs one day.

You can put all dog walking booking online if you get someone to ctrat you a website.

If you are limited to evenings and weekends then you will be effectively limited in your work. I tried going duwn the route of cooywrighter/teaching online a few years ago and it was a waste of time (I have a law degree) because you had to siend time constantly "competing" ie quiting for work you dudnt get and then the hourly rate wasn't great (minus commission). I went back to work in a formal role instead. If you had more qualifications/experience, you could possibly do online conveyancing but thars not a possibility if you don't.

Unless you are very very fortunate/unusual, lack of qualifcations and weekend or evening work is going to effectively restrict you to the usual shop/call centre/waiting staff type jobs, because there are more of them than well paid TEFL/Admin roles.

Disclaimer - it’s been a few years since I’ve been in this position and it was pre-dc so haven’t experienced it with less flexibility but I’ve always gone to employment agencies when I’ve been floundering.

Temping can be a really good way to test the water and gain/refresh skills. There are agencies that specialise in certain industries if you wanted to focus, even education agencies need low level admin support. NHSP (the NHS’s own temping pool) is a decent bet although the initial training can be a barrier because it’ll be full days and often at central locations not necessarily local to you.

I think your biggest hurdle with temping is going to be access to flexible childcare that you’re happy your dc will be settled in.

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz

What about working for Test&Trace in the short term with a view to looking elsewhere once you've built up your confidence or had a think about what's next?

I'm sure they would want evening/weekend shifts and you could set up a workstation at home and leave dh with the kids for your shifts.

I could be wrong but I thought T&T mostly recruited qualified HCP? At least that was the case when it was initially recruiting.

Sorry but slightly depressed at TA recommendations. It seems such a dead end for women and the pay is appalling.

Some of these suggestions are a bit old hat. For example most people working in libraries these days have a degree and hardly any jobs left anyway

I think you would be best off applying for entry level positions in large banks/building societies...customer service, call centre, admin

Don’t become a TA, it’s very poorly paid and often inflexible. Could you do the dog walking business again but hire a virtual assistant to manage bookings or have a separate phone and keep set office hours?
Then you could hire your own dog walkers etc and build the business.

2021 Census people are hiring -- I'm getting constant ads on facebook. I don't think it's a high skill entry bar.

I was offered T&T work without healthcare background.

Costa / Starbucks at the weekends

It sounds to me that other than something like a part-time supermarket job or similar, the dog walking is the best idea. If you enjoyed the actual job then can you just have more boundaries with clients about communication? Maybe something that sates you won't respond to messages between the hours of and ?

If you don't link too much driving then have a radius limit to where you will go. I drive a lot for work to different schools so that wouldn't bother me but it seems a shame to not do something you enjoy for reasons you should be able to sort.

"You’ve probably got enough knowledge to do clerical work in a law firm, you could maybe even pick up study again with OU".

Not sure about other firms, but the one I work for requires a law degree for an office junior position. It's usually a foot in the door towards a training contract

Temporary cash weekend shift work at supermarkets or care homes.

Longer term plan - what would you like to do?

@Justcallmebebes

"You’ve probably got enough knowledge to do clerical work in a law firm, you could maybe even pick up study again with OU".

Not sure about other firms, but the one I work for requires a law degree for an office junior position. It's usually a foot in the door towards a training contract

I mean more answering the phone pa work not paralegal stuff

Some of these suggestions are crazy. Being a TA shouldn't be a "oh I cant do anything else" option. I'd like to think our TAs are talented people with a passion for it.

Likewise copywriting - I mean come on, we live in a globalised world. You're going to be self employed and up against people with flair.

Just go and get a basic admin or reception job (start by temping) and see where it leads/how you feel.

Would help give ideas for immediate jobs if we knew your work history?

Do you have experience working in an office? Are you IT literate?

What would you like to do? You have the choice of aiming for a career now or doing evening/weekend work as a filler.

If you want to go for a career, start writing down all your transferable skills from your previous work, I bet there’s more than you think. If it was the liaising with client part you found most stressful then I’d suggest looking for an apprenticeship or trainee/junior role on an employed basis in a company rather than self employed work.

Health care assistant - if you like it you may see a role you'd like to train die and there are load of routes into nursing, radiography etc. They love people who want evening or weekend work , and you could start in a private hospital if the NHS Zia too full on fir you at the moment

Could you work as a paralegal? Or an outdoor clerk?

If you don't fancy the law and really do want a job that is based around evenings and weekends, the hospitality industry is an obvious choice once the world is back to normal. Private catering companies often need a manager for bookings, recces, client meetings to discuss menus etc.

But personally, I'd avoid unsociable hours with a family. DC will grow up and you will want to be around when they are. As others have said, work in a school, such as TA, fits so well with raising a family. The money may not be great but it's a rewarding job and you are free during all school holidays.