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Original poster

How to get DH back to work after being a SAHD and student

28 replies

tulippa · 23/01/2022 18:33

I'm looking for some help for DH.

He has been a SAHD since 2014 during which time he completed a BA and MA in English and creative writing. Before this he wasn't very career driven; he was a waiter for years but does not want to go to back to this. His ideal job would be a writer and he has a draft of a novel but this will take some time to redraft/perfect and he is aware that this is a very competitive field to go into.

I work f/t and we have also been using savings but our finances are at the stage where we need him to be earning money fairly soon. He has some anxiety about returning to the workplace after such a long time out of it. He is also somewhat disheartened about having to settle for any job after working so hard for his qualifications.

He would like to WFH if possible (ideally not call-centre type work). He has excellent organisation, project management, research, listening and communication skills but would not be able to prove these in work based examples on a CV. Are there any jobs out there where he would be able to use these skills?

I was wondering if anyone has been in this position and how you made that first step back into work. What sort of job were you able to get and where has it led you?

Thanks in advance.

OP posts:

Hoppinggreen · 25/01/2022 17:00

He was a waiter and then spent a few years getting a non vocational degree or 2 - he does not really have any practical experience other than as a waiter presumably?
Given that he is going to have to find an entry level job and given he wants to wfh he might have to not be picky at all for a while until he can demonstrate skills and experience he has gained through work.
There is nothing wrong with hospitality work and I have a degree in English myself but he isn’t that marketable right now, especially if he doesn’t want customer service type work

couldhavenotcouldof22 · 26/01/2022 22:32

Not wfh but could he do work in education in some capacity? Private schools take unqualified English teachers - not something I agree with myself as a qualified teacher - but there may be opportunities there.

snowballupahill · 27/01/2022 15:16

Just a thought - weren't schools looking for tutors to help children catch up after Covid? Also if not WFH what about a teaching assistant? Alternatively roles which have flexible working or flexible working conditions eg civil service. I am also trying to return back to work after a career break and it's hard work when you need to explain career gaps and you are up against other potential employees who don't have these gaps.

WaitingForEgg · 27/01/2022 15:21

I was going to suggest teacher training
I can’t imagine he will easily walk into a wfh role

bowlingalleyblues · 27/01/2022 15:25

Our local authority does return to work opportunities for stay at home parents, they are “returnships”. I think people have typically been working in similar fields prior to being a parent though. If he would reconsider WFH maybe a front of house role or admin role in an arts organisation would help him build up his cv but also his network, which will help him get another role once he’s established a bit of a track record. There’s a site called arts jobs that has a lot of these. I also know some writers who take on work from home admin / Pa work for small organisations and literary magazines, if he knows the field he should be aware of these and could get in touch with them directly.

MoltenLasagne · 27/01/2022 15:42

Honestly I think it's a lot of pressure to try to find the perfect job after 8 years of not working when he has a very limited cv. I'd prioritise getting a short term job that fits flexibility requirements with the intention of then looking for a better "career" fit job.

It's a lot easier going to interview when you're already employed - you can use examples from your current role, plus I think its easier to perform well when you know you've still got the financial fall back of your current job.

DisforDarkChocolate · 27/01/2022 15:47

I agree with the previous poster. He needs any job, career progression can follow. He's very unlikely to walk into a writing job without a lot of effort/luck/building a portfolio etc.

RedskyThisNight · 27/01/2022 15:52

A job in communications or marketing might work for him? He'll probably need to start with something like a fairly basic admin role though. Realistically, he needs to apply for any likely job and then take stock when he's there and has got some experience under his belt.

Orangesandlemons77 · 27/01/2022 15:57

I have seen jobs invigilating for exams, tutoring, (English) and some jobs in academia / research, also wellbeing for students at local college / uni, might such jobs suit him perhaps

Arbeity · 27/01/2022 15:59

Can he go back to hospitality for now (maybe FOH roles as a progression from waiter?) whilst also applying for graduate schemes in things like marketing / pr / communication? There is no age limit on the graduate schemes, but you do need to apply within so many years of graduating.

The benefit would be getting all the training and career development stuff that comes with grad scheme, like formalising his project management abilities. They don't tend to be too full on (outside of stuff like law/banking) so he should still have tim to work on his novel on the side

Madickenxx · 27/01/2022 16:00

I know you said no call centre work but if you are selective in terms of the organisation you apply for, contact centre work is an excellent way to get a foot in the door. My organisation has a contact centre and they get excellent training. After a few years on the desk, they have a broad understanding of the financial services industry and are well placed for other roles across the sector. I'm sure it would be the same in other areas as well, such as IT / Insurance etc

strawberry12345 · 27/01/2022 16:01

What about proofreading jobs online?

CurtainTroubles · 27/01/2022 16:02

This reply has been deleted

Withdrawn at the user's request

Abracadabra12345 · 27/01/2022 16:11

@Arbeity

This is excellent advice. My niece has a degree in English and M A in creative writing and after a u-turn career-wise, joined a graduate scheme for IT. It was tough but she graduated and was able to build up experience and skills while contracted to the agency and now wfh earning an impressive salary. She’s still working on that novel

Orangesandlemons77 · 27/01/2022 16:13

The jobs I mentioned upthread were on the site Indeed in case worth having a look maybe. Also maybe local college worth a look in case they need creative writing tutors?

Also something which is often needed is support workers to help take notes for students with special needs?

Newgirls · 27/01/2022 16:14

What about working in a book shop? Can be very helpful to a budding writer with contacts, industry knowledge etc

Highly prized jobs but he might be lucky?

Novels rarely pay the bills and most have jobs alongside. But you never know!

Online proofreading can be a bit of a scam but he could offer to local businesses?

HopefulProcrastinator · 27/01/2022 16:15

What about copywriting? Decent copywriters are valuable and if his desire and talent lies in writing he should be able to turn his hand to it even if it is mostly corporate boring stuff

Abracadabra12345 · 27/01/2022 16:15

I have a friend who had to take warehouse work to earn money despite his degree a few years ago but he kept applying, kept looking and kept failing, but now has a job he loves. He had to do that warehouse job in the meantime though. You can’t pick and choose.

RedskyThisNight · 27/01/2022 16:20

My friend has a job proof-reading theses for university students who have EAL. That's all homebased and might suit ?

TedMullins · 27/01/2022 16:23

Being blunt, a degree and MA in English and creative writing is going to be absolutely bugger all help in getting him a writing job. I'm a journalist, and it is ALL about having a portfolio, hustling, and making contacts. Same with friends who work in other media/writing roles like content managers and copywriting –you need proof of the work you've done. He might be able to get an entry level role or office admin in a small content agency then look to work his way up, if there's anything like that near you? I would say his best bet is to go to recruitment agents –when I was looking for my first office-based role after working in retail years ago I found one by going through recruiters who put me forward for really basic stuff like writing product descriptions for retailers.

Planetzero · 27/01/2022 16:24

What about something related to the pandemic? I know a couple of people working from home with test and trace and also volunteers are needed in vaccination centres. I know it’s not what he wants but I would say any experience at all at the moment is vital for his cv.

If he gets a dbs check it might be worth pursuing work in schools, even exam invigilation to start with.

He could also enrol with some agencies as they might get him temporary work and a foot in the door for all kinds of jobs.

Kinko · 27/01/2022 16:26

He should get temp work. That will bring home the money but without tying him down.

He could do consultant work, or basic admin depending on his skills. Put together a CV and have him approach a few recruitment agencies to discuss.

LaChanticleer · 27/01/2022 16:30

He is also somewhat disheartened about having to settle for any job after working so hard for his qualifications.

He's really going to have to start at the bottom. As a lot of graduates do. He sounds a bit unrealistic, but he also sounds very competent, and should be able to progress. Committing to the first step is the key.

And he should remember that once you're in work, it's easier to get better work.

irene9 · 27/01/2022 16:37

He's got anxiety and probably social anxiety, and self esteem issues. He do a social media/digital marketing course and try to start off that way. Writing content for people's Facebook pages and the like.
He could ask a local company for work experience a couple of days a week.
Being a writer, that's pie in the sky.
He's afraid to get a job. His greatest obstacle is fear and that's what he needs help with. Work experience will help with that. Or therapy, but it would have to be goal oriented cbt or suchlike to tackle the work issue.

sweetbellyhigh · 27/01/2022 16:51

Comms in a charity that interests him? Gives him the opportunity to use his writing and project management skills, gain experience in a particular sector, work with adults etc

Volunteering at said or similar charity will help enormously as a road in.

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