Long time out of work - now need to bring in £1k pm, HELP!

[HihohihoItsBackToWorkIGo]

No idea where to start really. Have done loads of office and PA work but not for around 3.5yrs so feel really out of the loop. Add to that my area (East Kent) seems to be still struggling with jobs and the fact I don't drive...

Bit lost and looking for any suggestions. Does working from home ever bring in this kind of money? I need to be flexible with hours as am a LP to a 3yo and need to be able to collect her at 3pm every day with drop off at 8:30.

Live near a hospital so wondering about medical secretarial as have done legal as well. However am not sure how flexible their timings are as thinking avoiding legal for the simple reason you can't really leave on time in most offices - although not sure about laws on this kind of thing since I did it!

Feeling a bit stuck if I am honest! I won't go into the reasons why I suddenly need this £ but I have until late August to start earning. HELP!

Why don't you go and check small, local legal firms, you never no, they may only need someone PT and your hours may suit. Worth starting there first as you have the skills.

know idiot

Thank you for such a quick response!
I was thinking about going back to legal as we used to have people come in after hours to do night typing, but obviously I can't do nights!

I think I may need a catch up on what TR1's and other forms are called now, so hopefully they'd be alright with that. It was all changing just as I left. I suppose this is the safest way to earn the amount needed, as assume working from home has a variable income in most instances?

Would you think medical secretarial pays similar? Hospital is closer than any legal firms, but have no experience so perhaps not an option?

Any ideas welcome though - happy to start a whole new path!

Assuming it's an NHS hospital, have a look on NHSjobs.nhs.uk. Everything gets advertised there. You can see what's around and what it pays. Remember that you also get the NHS pension - though it sounds like cash flow rather than long term security is your issue.

My experience in the NHS is that they are pretty flexible. They won't dream up reasons to work a certain set of hours rather than any other, and they are usually very open to part time working.

Thank you. There is one in my area but it doesn't say how many hours - part/full time. I will send in my CV though and say what hours I can do and see what comes of it, thank you!

Just a tip for applying for NHS jobs - look at the person spec carefully, and come up with something (even if it's a bit tenuous) for every point that you can.

They have a very formal points-mean-prizes approach to recruitment, and will generally interview the people who tick most boxes. If your application looks great but doesn't tick boxes, you won't get interviewed. If your application looks great and the boxes are (albeit tenuously) ticked, the recruiter will have the leeway to declare them ticked and interview you if they want.

(Obviously this doesn't apply to the really cut and dried "we need a nurse" type things!)

I would get signed up with an agency or even 2 or 3 agencies. You will probably be offered jobs that are not great to begin with, but it is a way of getting experience and sometimes short term jobs become long term.

My friend has been doing agency work for the last 2 years and has been offered 2 permanent jobs as a result of the temp work.
The other good thing is that if you don't like the work you just tell the agency and ask for something else.

Remember you will have to fill in a tax return, even if you earn less than the tax threshold.

Great advice re NHS, thank you!
I have done temping before a few times. The only thing I worry about is that long term it won't be a regular amount. I remember a solicitor asking how much I was getting paid doing temping (£7ph at the time) and offering me £14ph as he was paying them £17! So I am not sure it is that beneficial for my situation, although a fun way to try new things.

Most NHS hospitals have a "bank" - a kind of internal temp agency used to provide cover for short term vacancies and extra jobs. You could try contacting the HR dept of the hospital and asking about this kind of arrangement.