has anyone got good tips on getting a job when you've been a SAHM?

[ssd]

I've had very part time jobs over the years that have always fitted in with school, due to lack of any childcare help.

The kids are now teens and I want to get a real job again! I know my skills are forgotten out of date, but anything would do me, I just want a job.

Has anyone got any advice?

[SirChenjin]

Yes I have

[Arsenic]

What industry Doris? That does sound wearing

[Arsenic]

Have you tried managing a crew of tradespeople SirCh?

[DoristheCamel]

Hmm not sure what to suggest! I am struggling. I volunteer 3 x per week and went to college for 2 years.

No luck yet and not sure what to do with myself once college has finished again this year.

Its not a simple as it sounds.

Sorry to be so down but I have done everything everyine says, volunteer(have been for 5 years now). Re train - gone to college. No luck finding employment after 1 year so went back lats minute last September. I take myself to all the careers meetings, had help from college completing applications and the careers advisors.

Its probably just me but am at the end of my tether. Feel like giving up and deciding to be a cleaner for the rest of my life.

[SirChenjin]

Not sure about the house renovation, but agree with the other suggestions such as working as part of the PTA or dealing with SN legalities - basically anything that takes you outside of the home is fine, as long as you can relate it to the workplace. You'll be competing with people who have specific workplace experience, so you need to make it as relevant to the role as possible.

[Arsenic]

Whatever you do, do not talk about your SAHM time in terms of being CEO, accountant, project manager and so on - that just looks daft.

No, that would be cringey.

But it's fine to answer "tell me about a time when you managed a team" or "describe a situation where you worked to a deadline" type questions with examples from PTA or similar work, or house-renovation projects, or dealing with issues such as SN legalities or whatever, if you sound sensible about it. Just not ALL of them.

[SirChenjin]

Volunteering and college/online learning - both show that you are serious about building your skill set in preparation for the workplace. Whatever you do, do not talk about your SAHM time in terms of being CEO, accountant, project manager and so on - that just looks daft.

[morethanpotatoprints]

Hi ssd

At our local college you can study retail up to and including HND/ level 4/ foundation degree.

I would imagine other colleges would have the same courses, I think it was BTEC but not 100% sure, it could be C&G.

Anyway, lots of nice little units in there like Customer service, operating tills etc, right up to supervisor etc at the higher levels.

I would definitely check it out.

[Arsenic]

Volunteer and study.

Even short or too-easy courses will help.

So for retail, maybe look at customer services courses, first aid at work, health and safety as well as courses with 'retail' in the name.

If you do that AND volunteer, within a short period of time you have several recent items on your CV (and relevant, up-to-date things to talk about at interview).

If you have trouble finding paid work, consider temping for a while.

I retrained this way. So did two friends. We'd all been at home for 5+ years. We all then went freelance or school hours after a year or two (all have DC with SN) but if you have teens, that's probably less of an issue.

A HR manager friend said to me years ago that it's fine to talk about experience gained at home (at interview) as long as you phrase it in terms of skilled gained or perfected, but to always balance it with an equal amount of non-domestic examples. I don't know if that's a widespread notion, but I used it and it seemed to work

[gatlinout]

(I'm about to go back to work after leaving my 'proper' job 5 years ago and working very p/t volunteering for a few years but I went onto a vocational course at Uni which has a pretty clear path so not sure my experience would be helpful...)

[gatlinout]

If you're interested in retail maybe to get some experience have a look at selling something like Avon or Usborne books? Something like that? I know someone who sells handbags. She goes along to toddler groups, pre school, rhyme time type things and has stalls at those.

That way if you go for a job in a retail environment you can say you already have sales experience?

[SisterMoonshine]

When I went from not working at all to looking for work, I helped out in the DC's school. Education wasn't what I was looking to go into. But it helped just to be in a workplace and have that head on as well as get me a reference.
But you are already working a bit so not totally out of the loop.
Is what you're looking to do very different from your part time work?

[ssd]

I just thought other mums who had been at home for years or working very part time might have some tips

[ssd]

I quite fancy retail, the thought of wearing something nice and putting on a bit of make up appeals to me

I would like something different but really dont know what that is

[Maryberryjam]

Not really a tip , but i was in your position after being at home for 8 years . Ive started a cleaning business and its going great . Can choose my hours to fit round other commitments etc . Good luck anyway

[ASorcererIsAWizardSquared]

what sort of thing are you looking for?

my immediate advice would be to look at the local college about updating/refreshing some of your skills, and sign up with some Temping agencies :)