Any career advice - lost at 46

[Lovelemons]

I fell pregnant at 27, with partner for 15 yrs, had 3 kids. Broadly stay at home mum but during this time I ran 2 businesses from home self employed, and after DC got an aupair and worked in an office part time, still main carer for 3 DC. Ex is a high earning partner at a law firm and takes home 900k pa.
we broke up as we were not married, he managed to get 50/50 childcare and therefore no maintenance or housing for me.

I’ve moved from London and am in dire straits. My CV looks patchy, to say the least. I currently work PT as a carer but it’s freelance and there is no future to it. I have applied for job after job, admin, employed care work, civil service (court clerk, police admin, many more), secretarial, so much. I have a degree but it seems to be no use with no proven/referenceable career.

I think I must retrain in something, the carer work is back-breaking (literally I feel old and have put my back out getting wheelchairs into cars etc) and I would like a job that isn’t freelance and/or manual.

I feel lost and useless, bringing up children was a joint choice but now I just don’t know what to do. It’s so depressing to be rejected time after time for even basic admin jobs. I guess they take one look at my CV and have 50 times more applicants with recent experience, or just think I’m too long out of the market.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what could I retrain in that won’t be taken over by AI or is too physical?

Sorry if I missed this, but what is your degree in and have you ever worked in that sector? What type of role would you like? Admin, healthcare, with general public, outdoors etc???
If you are wanting something in a caring type nature, what about an osteopath? They are a recognised health professional in the uk with a registration body. I used to go to an osteopathy school clinic, where final year students saw patients under the supervision of seniors. Majority of students were older and had already had a career- often in something completely different such as police officers, teachers, dental nurses etc.

Once qualified you could either rent rooms or have your own space in a garden room etc and set your hours. Not a quick fix for a job, but an option if you are looking at retraining.

Yes HR is a good call to retrain quickly. Recruitment background and degree would be a big help. You could do CIPD 5 or maybe a masters in a year.

Just wanted to say I admire your pluck and determination to pull yourself up and not be defeated or bogged down by bitterness

Yes - you seem to have a brilliant attitude and that will shine through to employers when you get your chance. Good luck.

@Lovelemons you might have had enough of kids after raising three, but as you've mentioned caring and MH work have you considered residential childcare in a children's home? It's shift work but there's a decent career path and if you work for a LA the pay is not bad (nothing in your exs league but comparable to teaching/nursing grades) and you get shift allowance and overnight payments. I've just recruited a new team of staff for a home I'm opening, ages range from 26-57 for my new staff. I stopped looking for people with experience as I tended to get people who just wanted to leave the private sector and come to local authority for the higher pay and pension. I've recruited on what I think people will bring to the job, sounds like you'd have plenty of transferable skills and experience. Good luck whatever pathway you choose, sorry about the shitty ex!

There are lots of options for you - how about HR or Occupational Therapy?

The probation service are doing a massive recruitment campaign at the moment. With your life experience I'm sure you would be a good candidate. I'd second having someone look over your CV and help with cover letters. I think there is also help available with civil service application processes.

You ran 2 businesses

It sounds like you are under selling yourself

You must have lots of transferable skills

I agree look at jobs in local hospitals, schools, prison, police, civil service

Age is not a barrier, when state retirement age is 66, 67 & there is no compulsory retirement age anymore ( except certain jobs due)

It's not uncommon to have to restart in your late-40s, so you're not alone. And you seem to have a lot of resilience so I'm confident you'll land on your feet.

Do you have any social/family network where you live now, that you could leverage? Ask people to tell you about jobs they see that might suit you? Give you ideas of growth sectors in their industry? Inviting you to events where you could meet people? I think half the challenge is getting some confidence back.

You've got this. Good luck!

@Lovelemons Friend volunteered for a couple of months (part time) and was able to use superior as a reference