Job seeking support - anyone want to keep me company?

[allaboutthename]

Prior to ds6 I had a fab career with an brilliant salary but for a range of reasons, moving to help with DH's career and to be closer to his daughter from 1st marriage I have now found myself with a less than dazzling CV.

It's now likely that I will be a single parent and feel very vulnerable as my soon to be ex H has a good income but it will not support all the commitments. I am also keen to get back to work for the stimulation and independence.

So now it seems as if I'm back on the bottom rung of the career ladder but in my 40's so not as easy as when I started out. The job market is very, very tough and I had a phone interview, that went well but when I tentatively asked about hours the company made it clear there was no flexibility which will make childcare tough as I would need childcare til 6:30pm and my son just won't cope with that.

Anyone else in a similar position and want to join the journey??

Hi allabout, sorry to hear about your poss relationship split the job market is hard enough without the added pressure of that as well. I am job hunting aswell and have been for the last 2 years (although the last year I have been back at college getting my A levels) once my exams are over in June I will be job hunting in earnest again. I also had a good career for 15 years which I walked away from when I had DD 1 nad 2 who were twins. Massive regret as I should have sat it out not making money so now they are all at school I would be earning and still in a good job but no use cryig about it now!

have you appied for many jobs?what is your experience? I was in the public sector and although I have enquired about returning there is no vacancies. Waiting to hear about a job application for my perfect job but interviews are 11th June and have no heard anything yet.

The job market is flooded with people that employers have their choice of candidates. I beleive this cannot last forever and trying to hold on to the fact that the right job is out there somewhere but it is hard to stay positive.

I'll join you.

I had a high flying career until 18mths ago when I left to internationally relocate with DH and I was pregnant with DD1. We were back in the UK by the time she was 5mths old, so I could have taken maternity leave after all. It was such a grave misjudgment, on so many levels, not least I can't even get an interview for a job now.

DH is quite happy to support us, so I don't have your money worries, but he is a few years older and starting to wake up to the fact he will most likely be retired while DD is still at secondary school and won't have me to support him in his dotage.

Anyway, I am feeling a bit sorry for myself and would love to hear some positive stories of people who have successfully returned to work after having babies and how you did it, in these austere times.

No positive stories at the moment, I found out yesterday that I did not even get an interview for a job I was so suitable for. Usual story of people having more experience than me!!

I'll join you .. Just starting to think about going back to work after 3 years as a sahm. I need to get back on the bottom rung (nearly) of my profession and have got as far as realising I'm not going to find something part time :( Ds1 is in reception and loves it. He already starts at 8 and asks to stay for after school clubs, so no problem there. DS2 starts preschool in September, for short hours every day and I am hoping a combination of a few hours with granny plus early starts/early finishes for me will work for him.

Just need to get an interview now. The last interview I had I came second, I was told, to someone who had been doing the same job for aeons and was overqualified.

Good luck to everyone.

Oh Maursh - we are in exactly the same situation re my H and future finances. Never thought of this when I married an older man!

I'm job hunting too. Situation is a little complicated though as I have a long standing back condition that means I'll probably be discounted for everything as soon as they find out, am on DLA for it but cannot afford to be out of work any more, we're sinking under but then I'm not fully fit for it either, it's very much a vicious circle going on here.

I've had a few interviews and not gotten anywhere yet, next interview so far is in a week's time at a place I really don't want to work and i doubt would physically be able to keep up, but due also to a family member sniping about me being off, i have decided I have to give it my all to prove them wrong even if it damages me more

Well I have good news since my last post! It turns out the HR department made a mistake and I do have an intervew!!! very strange and I am sure it is because they have to interview x percent of applicants but at least I know my application was not awful! really hope I am successful.

Good luck! I had a job interview last week that I could do with my hands tied behind my back and then was rejected :( There were 14000 applications for a new store opening with 1300 jobs. I'm feeling demoralised already.

Katedan, fantastic news

I'm also in the same boat - I have been searching half heartedly for a few months but decided I need to focus and treat the job searching as a job. I have dc's at primary school and dh works long hours with a commute to London. Ideally I would like to work part time but I don't think that's realistic.

I have an interview scheduled for this week - the job and location is far from ideal (actually child care would be a complete nightmare as it would be a very long commute) but I think it could be the job that gets me back into my industry.

I have been using job sites but will start to apply directly to local companies and see if that is yields any results. What are other doing in the job search?

Kalistella, I know it can feel so demoralising - A few years ago I could never imagine struggling to find work (I regularly had head hunters calling me) but a few years out of the workplace and the industry has moved on. It's tough at the moment but it will get better and you WILL get a job. Just believe that this is a temporary blip and you will soon be working.

Kalistella - sorry to hear it did not work out for you at the new store, that does sound very frustrating.

startlife - good luck with the interview this week, your situations ounds like mine with school age children and a husband who works long hours. It certainly makes childcare interesting!

My interview was today and not sure it was successful, they like my experience but they are interviewing 10 people of which I was number 3. I will know on Friday.

Friends in HR have said that employers prefer staff who are already in employment as it shows they are good workers and have kept jobs in this climate - just another difficult hudle to overcome for carers returning to work.

I went to the interview today and it seemed to go OK but I'm now excited about the prospect of the job and would really, really like to be offered it. I just felt at home which I haven't sensed for a long time...Arghhh, will be so disappointed if I don't get it. I do have another interview on Friday - less keen on it however and I've been asked to do prep work.

katedan, The stats suggest, that in this recession, women seem to be experiencing more issues with finding work,not sure why but I think the lack of flexible working is a real issue. Good luck, 10 people - wow - fingers crossed for you.

Ill join too if I may,

Spent a soul destroying last couple of months getting the CV together, registering with lots of agencies and sent direct approach letters out to relevant companies. Like a few of my friends - mid 40's mums from a great careers with lots of senior commercial experience. Ive had 3 rejections this week already, all very polite but along the same lines - not enough relevant experience.
I'm applying for roles much more junior than my previous role as its clear I have no hope of re entering the marketplace at my previous level!

Its so hard - like so many others as I can only apply for jobs that will cover commute costs and childcare for 2 kids after school so the role cant be too junior or the salary isnt enough to cover these basic costs!

Managed to get to 2nd interview a couple of weeks ago on one job i had applied for but wasnt lucky there. At least it was interview experience i guess!.

I will not be beaten though!! Every night after putting the kids to bed I am on the computer trawling EVERYTHING within a reasonable distance!

Good luck everyone! x

Fab, there does seem to be a few of us around (late 30's, mid 40's) with good experience. I am looking at roles which would pay a similar salary to when I started my working career..I've finally got my head around the fact that I will need to take a substantial drop in salary and effectively build up my career again.

Can i join the club? Am getting ready for an interview on friday next. The interview is with some hotshots and I am already feeling all demoralised and out of it.

Have been out of work for 7 years taking care of kids and really have loads to read up and memorise. I talk like a lay person and have forgotten all the technical jargon.

Sweetgrapes, getting an interview is a fantastic achievement.Your confidence is low, which happens after time away from the workplace but once you start some preparation you will feel better. Do let us know how it goes.

I took a 50% cut in salary, plus am working p/t so earning less than 1/5 what I did before having ds. But I love the new job. I don't bring any work home, people are friendly and it is nice to use your brain but not have any stress.

I was unemployed for about 4 months and found that there were lots of 'overqualified' people looking for sensible part time hours, so there were loads of applicants even for poorly paid work.

So I guess my message is - it seems soul destroying at the time. But if you are realistic and keep trying you will get there in the end.

another for the club :(

been unemployed for 6 months now with only small jobs here and there. seem to spend hours applying online for job that i never then hear about!

been to a few interviews and my nerves have always let me down

oops sorry just realised this is 'going back to work!' topic

good luck all!

nymets, if you're looking for work then this is the support thread..

So the job I really wanted I haven't got because I'm considered too senior, I did sense that from the interview as there were concerned that the job wouldn't be challenging enough and might then leave. I did get offered the other job I went for..not sure if I want it however..arghhhhh

Found out yesterday I did not get the job I really wanted and I am waiting for feedback as to why but I know it will be that I did not have experience of every job spec they wanted and in this market they will find a candidate with everything they want!!! Applied for another job on Monday but that is a long recruitment process so need pass each stage and I think jobs will start from the end of the year but I find if I have at least one job that I have applied for in the pipeline I manage to not get too down.

I am now in my second week of kids at FT school and me having no job/studying and after all those years of being at home pureeing food and wiping bums I thought I would love the me time but I hate it and feel really bored and find myself worrying all the time that the rest of my life will be like this! anyone else feeling like this?

Yes I know exactly how you feel. I took 5 years out due to DH working away and me not having any family around to help out with DC. I was quite happy to support family and didn't really think about my career. Now I am ready to get back out there but there is nothing for me. I am so frustrated and fed up with it as I always got every job I went for and now I can't even get an interview. I feel that I may never get back to work and the thought really scares me. This thread is really helping me to see that I'm not alone.

My update - So I didn't get the job I really wanted, I was deemed too experienced/senior and the job was offered to a junior. I did think this could be the case but still I'm so disappointed.I'm also have a panic that at my age (40's) I don't have enough current experience yet I'm too experienced for the junior position (HR speak for too old!).

I did however get the other job I went for, it's far from ideal, tiny company who are struggling financially and might not be able to pay the bills!! I have taken up the role but I can't see it lasting as it's not really a fit for me. I much prefer a larger organisation with lots of people to interact with.

katedan & tapasgirl, I relate to the boredom and know if job seeking isn't fruitful I need to do something so maybe studying would be a way forward. I was always able to get jobs in the recent past and I know I have excellent skills but lack of current work experience seems to be a real inhibitor.

I'm also aware that the roles I'm applying for are in a specific industry which appears to be contracting in this recession so maybe a career change is needed but that is also very, very tough to achieve in these times.

I got the job! Yay!
It's at the place where I used to work 7 years back.
It's a step down but also a step sideways into a higher paying stream so the salary is the same as what I used to get plus a little extra for inflation!!
I would never even have applied as I thought I wouldn't make it past the first post - but a friend/ex-colleague who still works there referred me. He said they are looking for people and I worked there 6 years so that would be a big plus. I didn't really believe him but seems he was right after all!!

I'm filling in application forms...it's doing my head in because I'm sure that I'm systematically not doing it right and therefore shooting myself in the foot...

Yep. I'm with you. Just started blowing the dust of my cv. Just a big massive 6 year blank after my last managerial job. I won't get a job within an hour of where we relocated doing what I did before. So I just put in my first application for an admin post sort of doing what I was doing. It took me days solid to tweak and has been completely ignored. Tumbleweed. Even a polite email asking what their timeline for interview was has been ignored - by the way it has been 2 weeks, was it bad to ask? IS that some damning faux pas? But anyway, how hard can it be to respond with a negative to the applicants with a stock reply through the database? So humiliating after all the effort and squashing down my fragile ego telling me I'm shit...Ok! I knew it. That HR woman thinks I am shit too!

I really just want a part time job to offset the money the tories took off us - non stressful, flexible part-time etc but I am not really qualified to do the 'easier' admin posts. But I really don't want to spend money we don't have on a course getting some level 3 typing bollocks for a job I don't care about
Terrifying! God knows what I would like at interview even if I did get one. I didn't think for a minute that I wouldn't get an interview though...feel quite depressed. I'm not telling anyone I know about any more it's too humiliating. I just humiliated myself on the phone earlier, exposing myself as completely not thorough and carefully incriminating my application before I have even spellt the company's name wrong on it. Sorry this is long but no one I know is really in this position and they don't get how I feel a bit like I fucked up my place in life. Hang on. No wait that was George Osbourne.