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Original poster

Can anyone help me find a job please, one that makes me better off not worse.

45 replies

ChristmasCracker · 17/12/2004 20:22

Have spent most of the day looking for a job, but the 2 that were suitable actually made me worse off when i went to the wftc site.

I have no quialifications, no work experiance and 3 kids, 2 who are at school and 1 at home.

I donot mind Ds going to nursery so i can work, it just doesn't seem an option as although i'd get help with the childcare it isn't enough.

I don't drive so any job of an evening/night needs to be local.

Erm, at the mo am so desperate that i don't really care what it is.

OP posts:
tammyBEARinggifts · 17/12/2004 20:27

hiya, when i was looking for work, i applied for all office type jobs. Most are willing to take on people who can type at a particular fast speed (mumsnet is good practise ), know how to do office duties which are easy enough like photocopying, using telephone, filing. Have you any other work experience? I had never worked in an office or had computer qualifications when I got my job at an office just before I had dd. They were impressed mostly with my quickness on typing. Have you thought of applying for those types of jobs as they are usually quite well paid as well.

feastofstevenmom · 17/12/2004 20:30

i saw your post on the other thread about tax credits etc - have been discussing this recently with wk, and according to her, who has been researching these things recently the calculations on the website are a bit rubbish and you are best off talking through the figures with a flesh and blood person to see exactly what you would come out with at the end of the day

so it might be that you would get more than the website seems to indicate.

agree with tammybear that office work etc might be the way to go - have you tried any local employment agencies - sometimes they have long term data entry work for example

feastofstevenmom · 17/12/2004 20:30

i saw your post on the other thread about tax credits etc - have been discussing this recently with wk, and according to her, who has been researching these things recently the calculations on the website are a bit rubbish and you are best off talking through the figures with a flesh and blood person to see exactly what you would come out with at the end of the day

so it might be that you would get more than the website seems to indicate.

agree with tammybear that office work etc might be the way to go - have you tried any local employment agencies - sometimes they have long term data entry work for example

feastofstevenmom · 17/12/2004 20:30

i saw your post on the other thread about tax credits etc - have been discussing this recently with wk, and according to her, who has been researching these things recently the calculations on the website are a bit rubbish and you are best off talking through the figures with a flesh and blood person to see exactly what you would come out with at the end of the day

so it might be that you would get more than the website seems to indicate.

agree with tammybear that office work etc might be the way to go - have you tried any local employment agencies - sometimes they have long term data entry work for example

Gobbledigoose · 17/12/2004 20:30

Could you get a job as a receptionist? You're a woman so I'm sure you are more than familiar with the phone and you are obviously 'computer literate'!!

I think a receptionist would be a nice job, getting to chat to lots of different people.

Would a supermarket checkout type job be no good? I know it can be a bit mind-numbing but again, you get to meet and talk to lots of different people and you don't need specific experience to do it. There would probably be lots of overtime options too.

Or a job in somewhere like M&S or Boots? I worked in M&S when I finished my degree and was applying for jobs and I loved it! Met loads of nice people, worked in lingerie and learned to be a bra fitter!

feastofstevenmom · 17/12/2004 20:31

ooops dead sorry about triple post there.

Original poster
ChristmasCracker · 17/12/2004 20:31

Well there were 2 on there today which were admin jobs. The one was at the post office, 18 hours a week, over 3 days i think. Sounded brilliant as they didn't want any expeiance etc and the pay was 6.66 which wasn't too bad i thought BUT when i worked it out on the wftc with the 3 days childcare and before and after school club for dd's i would have been worse off by about 30 quid a week.

OP posts:
Gobbledigoose · 17/12/2004 20:31

What about being a 'mystery shopper'? Then you could perhaps keep ds with you so you earn money but with no childcare outlay.

tammyBEARinggifts · 17/12/2004 20:33

you should apply for them anyway, but if you're offered the job, then maybe you could go to CAB and see if they can help you work out whether you will be better off or not. i think they can do that for you

Gobbledigoose · 17/12/2004 20:33

Also, if you are computer literate and can type, what about doing 'transcription'. Market Research companies use them to listen to taped interviews and you basically just type it all out word for word. Or you could work for a transcription agency. You could do a search in Yell.com to find some local to you.

Original poster
ChristmasCracker · 17/12/2004 20:33

All of those sound great Gobble, but they always work out making me worse off or no better off iykwim.

I really need to be at least 30/40 quid a week better off for it to be worth while.

I will do that Feastofstevensmom, and see what they say

OP posts:
Gobbledigoose · 17/12/2004 20:34

Oh I see CC. But how about if you worked at M&S or Tesco in the evening? Or Sat/Sun work. Would you have someone to look after the children while you did that? I know it's not ideal but it's a way to earn without childcare costs.

Original poster
ChristmasCracker · 17/12/2004 20:37

I did apply to asda as we have the very large one here. I had interview and they asked what hours i could do and i said i could start at 6 and work until about 11, and the only night i couldn't do was thursdays. They said that was fine and i was called to another interview and asked to pick from a list of shifts, all of which started at 4pm.

I explained again that i had stated i could only work from 6 and they said, oh right sorry we can't offer you anything then

OP posts:
Gobbledigoose · 17/12/2004 20:39

I'd keep plugging at that though in the absence of anything else - my friend does 8pm-12pm in M&S and every other Saturday.

Have you no other late night stores you could work in? Big ones though like supermarkets or M&S - I wouldn't like to work in a petrol station or anything at night.

paolosgirl · 17/12/2004 20:39

Are you specifically looking for a job outside of the home? I'm asking because DH is a tax accountant, and apparently there are changes to tax coming in soon which means that parents will have more financial help with childcare. Had you ever considered becoming a childminder, or opening a small nursery?

Gobbledigoose · 17/12/2004 20:40

That's what I was thinking about with the transcription PG - CC could do that from home as she has a computer so she could work at home in the evenings/weekend so no childcare issues.

Original poster
ChristmasCracker · 17/12/2004 20:51

Paolosgirl - I would love to open a small nursery, but i definatly wouldn't be able to. I did use to be a childminder but TBH i think i'm too unorganised for it.

I will try M&S gobble

Just tried another one i found for in the day but again i came out worse off .

Think it wil definatly have to be evenings/weekends

OP posts:
Original poster
ChristmasCracker · 17/12/2004 20:52

Gobble - how would i find out about transcription work ???

OP posts:
Gobbledigoose · 17/12/2004 21:17

Search for 'transcription agencies' for your area in Yell.com.

I'd personally go for M&S - I enjoyed it, it's quite a nice place to work and there will be lots of Mums there in a similar boat to you. The transcription would be good too but you wouldn't get out to meet other people then.

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

spacedonkey · 17/12/2004 21:19

The transcription work would be good for me GdG, thanks for that tip >

feastofstevenmom · 17/12/2004 21:20

gdg - am also cocking an interesting eavesdropping ear on the idea of transcription agencies

any idea how easy it is to get work if you call them on spec?

Gobbledigoose · 17/12/2004 21:23

Well if you like the idea of transcription work, search for transcription agencies but also approach Market Research agencies who use them directly. MR companies will tape record interviews and often out-source them to be 'transcribed' and anyone with keyboard skills could do that.

If the MR company is specialised (e.g. healthcare) you may need some sort of relevant background, but consumer agencies probably wouldn't require anything other than the keyboard skills/computer literacy.

I've done a bit of it when work got slow for a month or so early last year. It can be mind numbing but it's a 'no-brainer' and a way to earn some extra cash in the evening without setting foot outside the door!

Gobbledigoose · 17/12/2004 21:25

feastofstevenmom - if you rang an MR company on-spec you could well pick up work - especially at this time of year. A friend of mine with no experience at all just rang up places and got work and has kept a few of the clients as key ones ever since.

You may have to do a lot of calling to get a successful hit though.

feastofstevenmom · 17/12/2004 21:31

wow, will have to give that a go next week! thanks for the idea GDG

Gobbledigoose · 17/12/2004 21:32

If you are anywhere near to London there are literally hundreds of MR companies you could try!

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