Retrained after kids, 39 and can’t find work

[Livinthedream84]

When my youngest started school I went to uni in my 30s to hopefully start a career. I got a good degree, I did a masters then a PGCE. Teaching jobs are thin on the ground where I live and I couldn’t cope with working 80 hours a week for 35 hours pay.

It was crippling so I decided to look for jobs that were related to my degree. No luck. I’ve searched for jobs related to my masters, they all want 3 year experience. I’m now sat thinking what the hell do I do because my kids are growing up and I need a job??

I’ve applied for unskilled work and it’s just either I don’t have experience, I’m over qualified or they just don’t get back to you. I’ve been asked about gaps in employment before uni and raising a family doesn’t seem to go down well as an excuse.

I guess I’m asking for ideas on what to try next? Has anyone been in this situation and been successful in finding work?

Have you gone back to the careers service at your University for help? Many offer lifelong career advice to alumni ( and often have great connections with employers).

What area were your degree and masters in? Maybe we can think out the box a bit for you.

Why can't you do teaching part time ?
Or offer extra tuition outside of school hours ?
Or teach adults or foreign students ?

Could you do supply teaching?

Have you got any work history? Maybe you'd consider volunteering to get a reference and evidence of effectiveness in the workplace?

What was the point of doing a degree and teaching qualification if you don't want to teach. Depending on your subject FE colleges sometimes have part-time vacancies. Or try and get a job share in a school.

@F107

I have a teaching background, MA etc. I wanted more freedom and in all honest more money, esp now I am a mum. I've set up my own charity and the trustees have agreed I can be paid as the project manager whilst were establishing ourselves. We've just secured 3 grants and I'm going to be earning just over £17,000 for 3 months work.

I've seen a number of project assistant vacancies for educational/arts charities at £5000 for 20 days work.

I work in the charity sector and a pro rata salary of 69k for an inexperienced CEO/Project manager is wildly out of line with the norm, and the kind of thing that I imagine will pose questions when you publish your accounts. 'Setting up your own charity' isn't something that should be done to get a job and/or promote yourself, and what you're describing sounds like the kind of thing that could get you into trouble.

What are your degree and masters in? It seems odd to have done a PGCE if you don’t want to teach…

As others have said, what was your degree and Master’s in?

I have friends who are teachers and don’t work anything like 80 hours a week They work more their contracted hours which is to be expected for an experienced graduate but it evens out over the year with the holidays. Can you reach in another LA and commute?

Can you afford to intern to get a foot in the door? I did this after redundancy and a career change and got the 1st vacant role that came up (40k+) within a few months. I had zero previous relevant experience and there's no way I would have been interviewed for the role if I had not been there working my socks off already. If you go down that route pick a big organisation for more opportunities.

@F107 Can you point us to these vacancies please? Your whole post stinks of abuse of charitable funds.

@F107

I have a teaching background, MA etc. I wanted more freedom and in all honest more money, esp now I am a mum. I've set up my own charity and the trustees have agreed I can be paid as the project manager whilst were establishing ourselves. We've just secured 3 grants and I'm going to be earning just over £17,000 for 3 months work.

I've seen a number of project assistant vacancies for educational/arts charities at £5000 for 20 days work.

I hope your donors are away how much of their money is going into lining your pocket.

Shows the whole charity sector needs a gigantic shake-up. No wonder so many of them are in difficulty.

I don’t want to say exactly as it maybe outing but my degree and masters are both science and health based. Not a registered position though unfortunately.

I have volunteered for charities in the past and it doesn’t seem right the post above so I think I will give setting my own up a miss. Thanks for the advice anyway.

As I said I do love teaching I’m just finding the additional work too stressful for our family life at the moment. I’ve contacted the universities and asked for their help and advice. Thanks for that I never even thought.

I’ve worked in the NHS for centuries now so if you can tell me what your health related qualification is I can have a think about the fields you might enter.

Off the top of my head though - what about health improvement/public health? I have colleagues who work in those departments - many of them have education backgrounds.

I wonder if there's an education health team at your local council (sometimes called home and hospital). Where I live it's mostly 1-1 teaching paid at m6. The hours tend to be lower (so I only work after school drop off and before pick up) and there's a lot less marking/paperwork.

It works out at less pay but it's perfect for me with 3 pre school kids

How much do you want to earn?
And a job or a career?

Ivecstruggled to get back into science after 5 years out, but am now working TTO for 16k. Not great money, but I walk out of the door at 4pm, and get the holidays at home with the kids. Combined with DHs salary, were good, but it totally isnt enough money if you are a sole earner.

Former teacher here. I'm now happily employed in the learning technology field. It's full of former teachers. Many positions don't require you to be completely techie, I have had great success employing former teachers or administrators who are willing to learn

Try applying to science based positions
Bristol
Sussex
Dundee

If you have kids and it is difficult for you to move location/commute, then 1st step would be to look at what jobs there are in your area. I find that a number of industries/jobs are quite location based - so worth seeing what is available in the area

You have experience, it comes with age. The trick is in relating it to the positions you're applying for. It's really difficult coming up with useful suggestions without knowing your qualifications and experience.

I'd ignore the questions about gaps in your CV. If you've got to that point your CV has already done it's job and got you into consideration/interview, this is just minor quibbling because they've got another preferred candidate and need to differentiate. It does though suggest that your CV could be working harder. Don't go overboard with a US Mom style monologue on housekeeping skills, but putting that period into your CV as "Raising a family and managing a home" would address the question before it arises.

Have you considered using a CV coach that could help you make your CV work better for you? or approaching employment agencies?

If you've got a science background and a good head for numbers/detail, there's going to be a growing market for Net Zero consultants.

@F107

I have a teaching background, MA etc. I wanted more freedom and in all honest more money, esp now I am a mum. I've set up my own charity and the trustees have agreed I can be paid as the project manager whilst were establishing ourselves. We've just secured 3 grants and I'm going to be earning just over £17,000 for 3 months work.

I've seen a number of project assistant vacancies for educational/arts charities at £5000 for 20 days work.

How very charitable of you.

Museums education could be an idea. I guess it depends on how much money you are aiming for. Care work is always available if you wanted something recent to have a reference for. Childcare / tutoring also options

I went and specialised in SEN. I completed a course to become a tutor and I am now completing a masters to become an assessor for dyslexia. It's expensive and it's been tough doing it whilst working. It's great though, I have all the best parts of teaching, set my own hours, it's in demand and when I qualify I hope I can make more money working part-time than I ever could as a teacher. Is this an option?