Unemployable and can't get a job.

[Amiunemployable]

I can't get a job.

I currently work ten hours a week as a midday supervisor. Prior to this, at the same school I was a TA for a year.

I have recently graduated with a BA and will graduate in August with an MA.

Work history:

Customer service for six years at two different companies.

Then time out for raising kids and studying for the BA. This was 2020 - 2024. I then started at the school early 2024.

I can't stay in my current role, it's not enough hours and we're sinking financially.

I have been applying for jobs since February. Customer service/admin type roles. Full time. Both remote and onsite jobs. I've applied for almost 40 jobs and not heard back from a single one.

I had also considered applying for TA roles at other schools, still not quite enough financially but better than what I'm on now but the problem is that I had several months off sick in current role (TA/midday) and I'm concerned that it would prevent me getting another TA role as would come up on a reference from current job.

I just don't know what to do.

I feel unemployable.

Are you putting your BA and MA on your cv? Because it could be you’re being perceived as over-qualified or likely to be looking for a short-term role until you get something in the field you studied in.

You're not unemployable at all and you only 'think' a period of time off sick will stop you getting a job. Just keep applying.

Sign up with a teaching agency. They are desperate for TAs who know the role. You will definitely be employable and you will have a wider number of Headteachers to use for a reference. Keep going, you can do this!

I did sign up with an agency, got a DBS, references from Uni tutor, etc. But the agency have been waiting a month for a ref from my current head despite chasing multiple times. I've chased the agency, they've chased the head, etc. Now everything has gone silent completely.

I am. But the BA and the MA are in a subject that don't lead into a specific field.

What is your BA in? Presumably if you were applying for jobs in that field you would be well qualified. The problem is the jobs you are applying for will be receiving hundreds of applications.

Your customer service experience isn't that recent so there will always be someone who will look better than you on paper with recent experience. If you are serious about getting back into customer service could you take some up to date qualifications in this area? I assume the degree isn't relevant?

You could look at cover supervisor roles in secondary, most schools pay around £20k and are screaming out for people to do it.

What is your long term career goal....is it linked to the degree and masters?

Yes you’ve made yourself overqualified by education, whist being under qualified by experience.

I can only suggest a really robust covering letter explaining why you want to job and what your focus has been / ambitions are.

Creative Writing. 😬

I applied with an agency to do cover supervising in secondaries. They were waiting on a reference from my current head. A month later and still waiting.

Most degrees don't lead to a career in a specific field. I studied physics, the jobs coming out of that from people I'm still in touch with are: lawyer, accountant, IT product developer, games programmer, and tax specialist. Your problem here is a lack of confidence. You have a BA and an MA. So you could apply for any number of graduate jobs. If you assume someone won't want you because [some reason] ... then you're not giving them a chance to prove you wrong.

Why isn't s/he providing it? Have you emailed directly asking for the reference to be completed?

Can you approach the head directly? If he’s unhappy to give the reference can it come from HR to confirm you worked there etc?

Do you want to teach? That lends itself to English teaching.

I'd suggest secondary cover supervisor. Apply directly to the school rather than an agency for this.

Why aren't you applying for graduate jobs?

That's rubbish of the head, have you spoken to HR about it? Or him directly. It sounds like you need to pester him to get a response.

I've spoken to the agency again this morning. They've still had no reference, but they've said there may be a way around this, and they'll call me tomorrow.

I am not UK but in Ireland often the Civil and Public Service hire people on a temp basis for a few months over the summer to cover A/L etc. These contracts often get extended. Might be worth looking to see if it is similar where you are. It is handy experience and relatively well paid.

Have you tried applying for content writing jobs in companies related to education. Have you tried Ecctis? RM Education? Education software companies - Access Group, Firefly, Enroly etc.

I'd be asking the head directly to see tge reference. If they don't show you put in a subject access request.

References are excluded from SARs.

You may get some temp exam invigilation work. There’s always care work eg children’s respite homes / working for families with disabled children where a TA background would be helpful. Council run schemes can lead to professional development opportunities.

You could apply for a teacher training role and get paid whilst you train. You surely don’t actually want to do customer service/admin as a career choice and TA work is stressful and badly paid so you may as well do something with your qualifications and earn more.

Have you looked at your local authority/council? Lots of education related type roles - schools appeals, school absence fines, admin re adult social care etc.
If you go in entry level there’s access to training and scope to progress. With a creative writing degree you’d be good at writing reports.

Can i ask why you did the MA?

You must have incurred quite a bit of student debt to do this and if it doesn't lead to a particular role and you don't need it to develop in your current role, what was the point?

Would it not have been better to get reasonable full time job first, then consider what qualifications you might need to progress?

Why don’t you chase (nicely) the head aswell this is completely unfair of her, she wants to keep you in the position that you are in and is deliberately holding you back for her own gains

Bit late for saying that and not at all helpfull