31 and never had a job

[ICantThinkOfAUniqueUsername]

I got married a bit more than a decade ago. Back then I was in my 2nd year at uni. ExH was older and a struggling musician and he convinced my stupid self to quit school so we could travel around playing random gigs.

Shortly after, he gave up on that dream and we went to live with his mum. Initially I found work at a local bookshop but less than a month in he started throwing a fit at me hanging out with my coworkers so I quit that too.

For the next 7 or so years my life was me sitting at home while he got high all day long, looking after his mum whose health was declining, and looking after his 2 teens when they visited.

I won't go into the details of the divorce but 3 years ago I left, moved back to my mum's house on the other side of the country, and started doing a distance learning uni course. 2 weeks ago I received my results and I've (finally) graduated with a BSc in Data Science!

Been applying for all sorts of entry level jobs and internships for the past 2-3 months but it seems like a hopeless endeavour. The furthest I got was an interview as an Investment Analyst Intern and they seemed very concerned about the 10 year gap in my resume. I've found a job as a receptionist at my local dentist (they said it's a temporary role) that I'm due to start next week but that's about it.

AIBU to think that I'm unemployable in my field? I'm not giving up of course but I guess I'm just feeling pretty down today.

Amazing, congratulations on your degree! The dental receptionist job sounds goof, this will give you a reference even though its temp, and if you can fit in any sort of volunteering this will too. Agree with others that the civil service is worth exploring, or perhaps widen the search a bit; grad schemes can be very competitive but your degree is in demand so you can probably secure a decent job without being on one.

Look at Returners programmes, I know you are not strictly 'returning' but they understand career gaps and are keen to increase diversity, so primarily women into organisations

You've received some otherwise very good advice, but:

Also use the gap to say what a team player you are as you are empathetic, caring and would do do much for members of your team and take on work loads to help

DON'T do this. Caring for someone is a fine thing in itself. But it's not relevant evidence towards any job, except possibly carer.

OP, I had a very similar situation. My gap was caused through chronic mental ill health and hospitalisation (which was more stigmatised when I began looking for work, in my early thirties).

Like you, I began by building up my education and qualifications, then put almost exactly what a previous poster suggested. In my case, because I had taken on one or two very short lived part time posts previously, my explanation for such a prolonged absence of employment was:

'Due to prolonged illness (from which I am now recovered) and caring/family commitments, my employment history from X to Y is rather fragmentary. However, I can offer full details upon request'.

Potential employers never requested such details.

Thirty One is not old, and many employers would see your determination and ability to turn your life around as a huge asset.

I think you’ve done amazing, well done you! Everyone has to start somewhere. You’re just starting a little later, and that’s ok.

A 10 year gap absolutely needs explanation from the get go and caring responsibilities is perfect. A couple of years I'd leave it to interview, but 10 years with no reason given on a CV or covering letter means you won't be getting many interviews as they'll assume the worst.

You've done so well to get this far. Be very proud of yourself.

(I used to work in Careers Guidance at a University until 18 months ago.) You absolutely need to address the gap in your CV otherwise employers will find it suspicious. There is nothing wrong with being a carer for an infirm person. It will show you have a sense of responsibility. Whereas not referring to it at all will look like you have something to hide.

The big graduate schemes (eg Barclays, NatWest etc) that others mention only comprise about 10-20% of graduate opportunities in the labour market. They are fiercely competitive - ludicrously so in fact. You might find you have an easier time applying for 1-off, ad hoc roles in small and medium sized organisations. Use Indeed.com for these type of job searches. These smaller firms are often overlooked by grads. My current firm (9 employees) recently offered a graduate entry-level job and only got 22 applicants. A graduate scheme in a large flagship firm, particularly finance sector, is likely to get 1000+ applicants...

Have you looked into companies like Sparta or FDM. They train you in software development and then place you with clients.

You’ve done brilliantly to get your degree in data science - doing a degree online is very challenging and the fact that you have succeeded says a huge amount about your strength and determination. It sounds to me like you were living in quite a controlling relationship and the fact that you have managed to extricate yourself from that speaks volumes about your strength of character.

As others have said, address the gap in your CV briefly and honestly. It is absolutely fine to say ‘Caring responsibilities’ or ‘Caring for a disabled relative’ or similar. You may even want to briefly list any relevant elements of the care you provided such as budgeting, managing hospital/GP appointments, liaising with social services, medical professionals, and healthcare workers, home and garden maintenance, etc. What you are trying to do is build up a picture of someone who is capable and adaptable, and who has developed a skill set, even if it’s not paid work.

As someone else advised, it is worthwhile including a covering letter if it is allowed, and briefly alluding to your circumstances, ‘For the last 10 years I have been the main carer for a disabled relative and this has meant I have been unable to take up paid employment. That role has now come to an end and I am excited to be able to move forward with my own career goals’.

Also, Google example graduate CVs since they will be most relevant to the kind of roles you will want to do. If you passed your first and second year at your first university you could be eligible for a DipHE (unless you transferred your credits to your online Uni), and even if you only passed first year you might be eligible for a CertHE - it could be an extra qualification so worth exploring if you haven’t already.

Do a skills based CV and address the gap on your covering letter.

As PP suggested cute family caring responsibilities which interrupted your initial studies but you returned to education successfully gaining x,y,z.

Find whatever personal skills they ask for and say something about how you have demonstrated determination, resilience, commitment,time management (whatever is most appropriate to the requirements) to overcome these hurdles and are now seeking your first step to applying the skills gained in your degree to a professional setting.

The dental receptionist job isn't a waste of time as it will demonstrate you understand a work place setting and you can then add the more general time management, working as part of a team, reporting type skills to your CV.

It's always easier to get a job from a job so it's an important step.

Hi - have dropped you a Private message with some suggestions, hope it helps

Thank you all for the messages and the suggestions — have added a short line explaining my gap year and will be looking into jobs in the civil service/some of the industries mentioned here.

It's daunting going on LinkedIn and seeing hundreds/thousands of applications for most positions but I'm trying not to let that get me down. Busy day of writing cover letters today!

You could also try contacting some recruitment agencies OP for some short term contracts to get your foot in the door? Often they do the initial screen of quals and experience and then put you forward for stuff so you wouldn't need to be going through your CV tonnes of times.

yes- address a 10 year gap! If you don’t it looks very much like you were either in prison or just sitting around doing nothing. ‘Family caring responsibilities’ sounds good- and if they ask about it you can explain the situation honestly.

Gaps need explaining. Anything that causes the recruiter concern needs explaining.

There were skills in that time that you demonstrated daily these need framing in a positive way. Look up the role of a paid carer and include those skills.

You could also frame this as voluntary work - as you weren't paid.

Tell them you were caring for a family member for 10 years.

Remove the job from 10 years ago. Take the dates off all but your BSc and apply as a new graduate.

Age is a protected characteristic. Don't lie, but don't draw attention to it. Explaining the gap will work for humans, but if you're applying to large companies, you are likely getting automatically removed by ATS and nobody is even reading your CV. 75% of CVs are never read by a human being because of ATS.

You've done very well to complete a degree OP.
Several points:

1. have you got any personal projects? E.g. Kaggle competitions? Have you got a Github?
2. what jobs are you targeting? since you said 'investment analyst' I'm guessing it's not just data science?
3. Graduate schemes open about now for large companies.

Happy to advise more here or in a private message but some positions are easier to get than others. The Large graduate schemes (like the Big4 tech consulting, banking tech graduate schemes) are mass hiring so you won't be compared against any others really - if you pass their online test and have a degree + some extracurriculars/work experience you'll be hired.
Compared to a direct apply role where they can only hire one person, which may or may not be you.

Despite what people think 'big' companies are easier as they mass hire. And the season is just starting so you're in good position. The online tests, video interview etc easy to pass with practice and lots of free resources online.. Again, happy to advise.

There are also 'technology' graduate schemes. Lots of different wordings you can use to find a job. Have you tried 'data analyst'? While not strictly data science, some data science jobs are data analysts, and vice versa. The true 'data science' jobs IME require at least an Msc but again depends on how they're using the term.

#Finally, take heart. 2-3 months is a very short time especially as you can't have applied for any of the big schemes. I failed all my internships (in 2nd year which have the same interview process) , learnt and got the opposite result in final year. You just need a strategy and track everything in a detailed way. There is nothing a 'fresh graduate' has that you don't have'.

I'm a software developer btw and regularly hire graduates :)

*good degree that meant to say. Too late to edit

Don't give up! You've shown so much guts to get where you are, you can't stop now!

Take the receptionist job, it will ease you back into the world of work (and get you some cash!).

But also, look for support. There are different schemes out there for 'women returners' that can support you and get you in front of people. There used to be a thing called CodeClan in Edinburgh where you could not only do a bit of training but then companies would recruit directly from them, both through internships and paid vacancies. They unfortunately went bust but it's worth looking for something like that.

I haven't RTFT so sorry if this is a bit pointy or been said before but; you were in an abusive relationship. I would actually contact your local Women's Aid, not on the emergency number, but send them a message to explain your situation and they will refer you onto anyone locally that can help with employment. You won't be the first woman this has happened to.

Good luck, you're amazing, keep going!

Also I agree OP remove your age. They don't need to know that.

You speak so much truth in what you say! I'm in tech too, and fully agree with what you say.

You should do volunteer roles, well done for getting away from your ex!

100% recommend volunteering roles. I did these to build up my CV and there is a variety of roles out there.

A gap in your CV of that length does need explaining, as PP have said.

You need to look at getting whatever job or volunteering you can for the moment, even if it's not a graduate job, to gain some experience in work and have something current on your CV. It will also give you a work reference which will help.