Back to work after 20 years as sahm! At 53. Really bloody thrilled.

[ThroughThickAndThin01]

I hope this gives people hope! Been thinking about returning to work over the last few years, but the timing hasn’t been quite right. I want to work in admin and particularly the NHS and more particularly within a hospital. So for the past 6 months I’ve been volunteering in an admin post just one day a week, to get up-to-date office skills.

I applied for 12 jobs, had 4 interviews and was offered the job I last interviewed for. So age wasn’t an issue or being at home for so long, to getting to interview stage.

So so chuffed. Can’t wait to start. It’s full time.

I loved my first chunk of working life before the kids. I loved the long time I had at home. Now I know I will love this next stage of working until retirement.

I hope that’s given hope to those looking.

Hi lillifer thanks for that! Can I ask how you found your careers coach? Or rather how you know they are worth the money! I am on LinkedIn and indeed. I don’t seem to have skills for anything!

I am only four years older than you and planning my retirement! Then again I have been working for 36 years ( many years part time though)

This was great to read. I have done a zero hours contract while the kids were young but its been a lot of stress for about 4k and I am now looking for more stable work. I have applied for one nhs job so far (and yes an admin role which seems to have a veey low pay scale...)

I have almost accepted that whatever I do will be very low paid...

Hi @Lilifer can I message you about work coaches? Would like to gift a work coach consultation to a friend but no clue how to find a good one.

Hi @ReturnfromtheStars yes of course happy to help - although just to let you know that I got a recommendation from a friend who works in legal sector as I wanted someone with specialist knowledge in that field so she was able to recommend someone she knew personally, always better if you know in advance that the coach comes recommended - great idea for a gift though 👏🏻 I also highly recommend LinkedIn for articles and job hunting

Well done OP! @velvetcandy i ready but did not comment on your thread. You should read this one

I was a sahm for 4 years, went back to work about 10 months ago. Got the 2nd Job I interviewed for.

Mn will make you feel like you are unemployable! Ignore it. Try to go into interviews confident and don't let that interview feedback get you down.

Well done! Congratulations and thank you for posting such encouraging post.
Could you please dm me too?

Hi @Cleanbedlinen12 sorry saw your post there now! I asked a friend who works in legal sector if she knew of any work coaches in that sector and she recommended two women who she knew had helped colleagues of hers to change jobs or get jobs - I went with one of them and got some great tips especially good for translating transferable skills as a SAHM to the work place and suggestions for what sort of volunteering would be good for cv purposes.
Also I cannot recommend Richard McMunn's interview videos and tips highly enough - his you tube channel is well worth checking out.
Best of luck 🤞🏻 xx

This has giving me hope. I’m turning 40 next week and about to graduate with a degree but haven’t done anything other than some voluntary work for 20 years! I just had an interview and know that I tanked it because I don’t have the experience and I feel like crap. It’s so much harder than I thought it was going to be.

Thanks for getting back to me @Lilifer I'll ask around in real life with the sector in mind, great idea 🙂

I have an NHS admin interview next week! I am veerying between thinking "hang on this is almost half the salary of my previous career" and "I dont think I can do this job." I have lost so much confidence. I also worried about doing the job perfectly when I've not directly worked in admin (I used examples of admin from my job but it wasn't an admin job.)

Congratulations.

gypsy wandere that’s me too! Definitely need some sort of interview coaching.
Thanks lilifer I’ll check him out, never occurred to me to look on you tube.
lifeinside good luck! You have decent skills there.

Congrats OP! I’m 6 months into my first job (also admin) after 11 years sahm and I’m loving it!

I had some career coaching which was amazing for confidence building and many other things!

If anyone South London-based is interested, I’d be happy share the details, please pm me 😊