Jobs ideas post being SAHM

[HeyDiddleDumplings]

Hello,

I’d love some ideas of jobs that fit around school aged children really well. My DD will start school in September and whilst I’ve most enjoyed being at SAHM I’m ready to start working again.

For info I haven’t worked for about 6/7 years but prior to children I was a project manager working in charities. I have loads of transferable skills - project management, budgets, working with young people, marketing, admin.

My husbands job requires him to travel - with no set routine or much notice about when or for how long. This means childcare is really difficult as it can be any days and we have no family to help out.

Can anyone give me ideas on suitable jobs that mostly fit around school hours. I’m really quite stuck.

So far I have;

• working at a school (admin)

Any other ideas? What have others found rewarding work post being a SAHM?

I’m not very keen on doing anything freelance. But I’m happy to retrain but don’t want the outlay of another university degree.

Personally I think to get any meaningfull work or decent pay and prospects you need to accept that you will have to put DC in wraparound care, at least at one end of the day. Even if you can get PT, it's more likely to be, say 3 full days, than work around school.

FWIW I have a senior role in school admin but I work 8:30 - 4:30. We do have some school hours roles (large school) but they are the very junior ones.

I suppose it depends why you want to get back to work, but I think if you're looking for school hours your options are very limited. Once established in a position you might be able to negotiate reduced hours, but I don't think many are advertised that way.

I echo @DirectionsForUse really and IME the school admin jobs seem great until you lack the flexibility for anything during the school day (and schools seem to love asking parents to come in for various events that wouldn't be compatible with a 9-3 working day).

Without being unkind, those are very good skills but the world has moved on a lot in the last 6-7 years and I'd start doing some research now into how to get back up to speed. Priority will always go to people who have current experience and it's an employer's market at the moment.

Accountancy is very flexible (once you get going) so it might be worth looking into that if you are numerate and good with problem solving.

I'm in the same position (also a project manager of sorts) and I've been going back and forth trying to think of some way that I can work term time, school hours only. Honestly, I just don't think it's possible and, because I've had a 'career' in the past I wouldn't truly be happy working in a shop or cafe etc where that might be in some way feasible.

I've decided to suck it up and go back to work properly. I know the kids are little for such a short time and I've done a decent stint as a SAHM. But, I have to prioritise my career at some point so I don't end up destitute if my DH decides to trade me in for a younger model (only sort of joking).

Best I'm hoping for is getting a slightly lower level project management job (less stress) and negotiating early starts/finishes e.g. 8am - 4pm . DH can do the drop offs, kids will do after school club for an hour and I'll do pick ups at 4:30pm. Well that's the plan, let's see!

Local government could be a good shout. I’ve got several colleagues who work 0.8 FTE over 5 days, so roughly 6 hours per day. You’d need holiday childcare unless you could get a term time only role, but then you’d have much more flexibility to take annual or flexi leave to cover things like illness, medical appointments or school events.

It's true that school jobs can be astonishingly un family friendly. Unless you work at your children's school you will never attend a sports day, assembly, bring your parent to school activity which could be a bonus

Thanks for your replies. There’s some really good advice in there and I appreciate your replies.

It’s difficult, I’ve done a few part time jobs over the pat few years and it’s not worked out as I really can’t do evenings or be flexible due to childcare. And by that I mean much of my work previous type of work relies on me doing evenings regularly.

That’s a good shout on sucking it up and getting some childcare at one end of the day.

That’s good info @DirectionsForUse thank you!

I’ve looked into this myself. Would healthcare or childcare appeal to you? For example you could retrain as an occupational therapist (which I think would apply best to your skill set from a healthcare perspective), via an apprenticeship scheme. NHS tends to be quite flexible and with good job availability once you’re in. Alternatively, could you not return to the charity sector? Any charity sector employer I’ve ever looked at has been extremely receptive to part time / job share roles.

Other options: retail, local government/community based work, a permanently remote based role doing project management with the understanding that you have e.g. 3-4pm off for the school pick up and then work an extra hour in the evening / have a shorter lunch

Look at civil service. I have people in my teams who do random patterns (e.g. one works 4 days a week but on 2 of the days she works she takes a break at 3pm to do school run) and I'm just about to advertise a role that is 0.5FTE with a 'whatever works best for you' pattern so whether someone wants to do a half day 5 days per week (so they could fit within school times) or would rather do 2 full days a half day etc - I'm super flexible.

I’d look at project admin work - often flexible and remote. I went back to work after being out of the workplace for 15 years - guess what? Not that much had changed! I was never far from a computer in those 15 years - software differs in most companies and it’s designed to be easy to use and you will already be comfortable with googling solutions to tech problems. Good companies are recruiting for attitude now, so dust yourself off and look for something part time, maybe a step down from your previous role? Nothing wrong with taking time away from work to have kids - some will see it as a negative, our company doesn’t!

Thanks @Limetta that’s really supportive. I’ll take a look, any suggestions for where to look for that type of work?

I completely agree with you, while I haven’t worked, I also haven’t lived in a cave. I’ve still used computers, communicated and had work conversations with friends. I know that’s not the same as working but I’m also not drudging myself up from a swamp! I’m not expecting to get a role at the same level, nor do I actually want one at the same level.

Thanks so much for such a supportive and encouraging post.

Cleaning jobs are very common. You could do that.

@HeyDiddleDumplings

Thanks *@Limetta* that’s really supportive. I’ll take a look, any suggestions for where to look for that type of work?

I completely agree with you, while I haven’t worked, I also haven’t lived in a cave. I’ve still used computers, communicated and had work conversations with friends. I know that’s not the same as working but I’m also not drudging myself up from a swamp! I’m not expecting to get a role at the same level, nor do I actually want one at the same level.

Thanks so much for such a supportive and encouraging post.

Sign up to Indeed and with recruitment agencies - project admin is often on short term contracts - get some recent experience. One of our local Hospice charities take volunteers for all sorts of roles - might be worth contacting some - just to get something recent on your CV, from a confidence perspective more than anything. I started off booking accomodation for our company, we're small so I've taken every opportunity given to me to pick up new skills and roles.

Are you happy to do anything or do you want something to get your teeth stuck into?

Supermarket
TA in school but please only do if you actually want to work with children

I am a teacher and we were offered help with photocopying. The person employed was allowed to start at 9:30 and leave at 2:30. None of the teachers could use her services because they all needed photocopying for the day ahead. So they all continued to photocopy stuff for themselves at 7:30, 8:am. SLT quickly realised that the timing of the job was a poor decision and as soon as they could they employed someone who could start work early and fit in with teacher hours.

Thanks @Limetta I’ll look at recruitment agencies.

I’ve been working Ad Hoc at a local school, so I’ve got some recent experience and been volunteering with a couple of places. So I’m starting to build up work confidence.

@Pewpew at the moment I’m not really looking for a role to get my teeth into, more to get used to working again.

Even doing a very basic job at a big company allows you to apply for internal positions, when people see the way you work they will be more inclined to take a chance on you.

I retrained during lockdown and qualified as a TA. I now work in a school. I will have to use breakfast club come September tho.

Totally agree with pp's about using childcare and not only looking at school jobs. Civil service is quite flexible although the applications are a PITA. Project management is a skill that there will be a shortage of very soon so I'd look at something there and just assume they will be flexible during the pr ocess 'I need to pick up he kids at 3 but will work for 2 hours each evening. I assume this will be fine' type conversation. Assume that development you enough to work round you and go from there.

God the typos! Assume that they will want you

Our school admin person has masses of experience and business qualifications and also works 8-4.30, so still needs childcare. The only role I can think of that doesn’t is a TA on your own child’s school. The pay is diabolical though.

I’d go for a ‘normal’ job and get childcare.

I'd look into wrap round care and how to get back into project management. A lot has changed because of Covid and WFH. Jobs are a lot more flexible. If you could do a hour or so after dc are in bed then you could get away with more flexibility in the day.

My job now (accountant) I started today 945 (dropped dc off at school bus, went for a run, took ds's football kit into school because he forgot!, half hour lunch, pick them up 3 to 330, another 2 hours work, started again after tea and activities, got dc to put themselves to bed, worked 8pm to 930.

Not a very representative day. Im all over the place. When I'm not doing school run I might work solidly til 6 then give up. Sometimes I take a 90min lunch but work til midnight! I don't mind so much if I'm taking some time for myself in the day and getting fresh air and exercise. Eating a decent freshly made meal etc.

WFH could make work much better for you?

Hi @HeyDiddleDumplings - similar position here! Pre-DC I did project work, some office admin, customer service etc. After a few years out of the jobs market I'm struggling to find anything

I'd love to retrain as something but can't think what I'd like to do! DP works shifts too which means I do all the childcare; we have MIL nearby who would do some cover at a push but she's not in great health so I wouldn't want to ask her to do anything regularly.

The main flexible jobs which come up near me are retail and care, neither of which I have any experience of - and TBH I'd rather go back into a field I've worked in before anyway.

There are some good part time jobs websites out there - workingmums.co.uk and Timewise - have you had a look at those?