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making the 5 years I've spent at home relevant when applying for new job....

5 replies

flirtygerty · 27/05/2008 18:56

Have just seen my ideal teaching job advertised. Trouble is haven't taught for 5 years which I think will go against me - any hints/tips? I've finished my MA in that time but that is all - how can I make myself the ideal candidate?!!

OP posts:
conniedom · 27/05/2008 22:54

MA ... Thats all! thats a lot flirty, you had to time manage to do that!

IrishMammyto2 · 29/05/2008 21:19

Oh boy am i watching this thread! I am sitting here filling in an application form for my ideal job after nearly two years at home. So far i have decided my transferable skills are time management, prioritising, budgeting, planning, dealing with distraction, multitasking ummm.....

By the way if you have done an MA, as an employer i would think that means you have kept up to date and have commitment, go for it-apply, the worst they can say is no, and if you dont you will only wonder what if.

Do you know anyone at the school (assuming it is a school) you can talk to, to get more info or any pointers, or any other teaching friends?

I expect its an old story but i feel that an employer will look at me negatively because i have been at home but that is my own perception and when i have spoken to friends about what i want to do they reckon i would be brilliant at it. I think being a sahm diminishes our self confidence when in actual fact it is the hardest job i have ever done.

Go on do it, and let us know the outcome.
Good luck.

HappyNewMum2Be · 30/05/2008 12:06

Why not look at your dates of not being at work a little differently. ie your initial period of time off, then start a new date as a full-time student doing your MA, then it wouldn't feel as big of a gap of not being at work.

does that help at all?....

IrishMammy - completely agree with your comments about the MA thing, I think it is more of a personal doubt issue than one that employers see, if that makes sense.

Good luck for you too.

flirtygerty · 30/05/2008 13:01

cheers. I di my MA through the Ou so can't rally pretend I did the f/t student thing!!

think I might just have to blag about how much my time at home has made me a better person............( can we have a flying pink pig smiley please...)

OP posts:
HappyNewMum2Be · 30/05/2008 13:17

Actually, you can say it was full time - from personal experience, I know that the number of hours they say you need to do each of the modules in an OU course and the actual time you spend doing it are two very different things.

If you feel uncomfortable doing that, why not put it down as part time, not untruthful at all, and leave it at that. Forget about explaining how your time at home, and then if asked at interview, you can say that you chose a practical method of acheiving both your MA and taking care of your children in the same time frame. You can say that it enabled you to experience a time in the personal development of children that you feel has broadened your knowledge of children's needs and given you an insight into the earlier stages of child development, as well as enjoying such a precious time in their lives.

Two birds with one stone!

Staying at home is not a bad thing, but to be honest, as a recruiter, seeing stuff on CVs/applications like staying at home made me a better person, seemed a little twee at times, and I personally feel that expressing it in more professional development terms, rather than personal, is sometimes more appreciated by employers.

It may seem that I am being a little negative about the stay at home thing, but so many companies do look at it negatively that I learned to put a professional spin on things for my candidates to encourage employers to see it not as time spent changing nappies, ironing and playgroup, but as time still spent on investing in the future.

Sorry, seems like I ranted there a bit, but I have been made redundant halfway through my pregnancy, and know that without a doubt that I am going to struggle to find work before my baby is born and I am very conscious that I need to demonstrate that my time awy from a permanent employer has been worthwhile. Yours definately has and if I had the means or ability to get an MA, would jump at the chance.

Good luck - but I am sure you don't need it.

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