Here I go again :-(

[BringBackCatsEyes]

Was made redundant in Sept last year. Found work in Jan of this year after months of dehumanising, depressing searching.
It's a 12 month fixed term contract. I am doing very well. The company is doing well.
Was told today it won't be renewed. Now I have to remain professional while looking for work.

I am a lone parent, age 55.
I don't know if I can go through it all again.

I am in academic science. There are few jobs in my field.

Ah, sending sympathy and commiserations. I’ve been made redundant as a single parent 3 times so know that awful feeling of looking for work with so much responsibility on your shoulders. I really hope you find something else when your contract finishes - good luck!

I have found this thread really interesting when it comes to the number of posters who have suggested entry-level, minimum wage roles to you OP. It shows just how little so many women value themselves in my opinion. Your post seemed to me to be more about the frustration of redundancy rather than needing advice on how to secure any job going. Those are two very different things. This race to the bottom is so insidious.

Yeah, this. OP, your general mood is coming across in your posts, so it could well be in real life. No need to be short with people trying to help.

Thank you. I'm sorry you have gone through the same. I have some time this weekend to really start making a plan.

It is exactly that - frustration, worry about the future and stress about my responsibilities.
Ido have time and am nowhere near needing to look for entry-level positions.

If it is any help, I will pm you some suggestions

Just wanted to say how much I feel for you OP. Have also been made redundant twice as a single mum with mortgage to pay and two children to support. The responsibility and stress caused is off the scale.

I was in publishing and first redundancy was beginning of 2009 recession. I could see my job wouldn’t be around in ten years so rather than get another job in that industry, I learnt to code aged 40, took a pay cut but built it back up rapidly although decimated my savings while I did that.

Got made redundant again as their big contract fell through. The job market was tough then but easier than now and it was brutal then. Now AI and other industry developments are chipping away at my job so although I’m employed I’m needing to learn new skills to turn my role into something else to stay employed.

I’ve taken in a lodger as costs are increasing all
the time and it helps me save more and feel less worried financially because I know that’s a fixed monthly extra bit of money coming in.

I have a lot of professional skills and knowledge from my first career which I don’t use at all now. Then a lot of knowledge in my new career which is constantly changing. I like learning and a challenge but it’s like surfing scree trying to climb up but on a surface underfoot which is slipping down all the time.

Agree, the days of taking a low grade NHS admin job or similar as a stop gap whilst you continue looking are long gone.
Its tough out there OP but remember you've done it before, you'll do it again.

Disagree, The only way to apply for 7 to 8 jobs a day is using a generic cv or ai 100%. Neither is good.
CVs and cover letters need to be tailored to each job description nowdays. Use ai as a first pass then go back and de-ai it. Employers are sick of seeing tons of ai generated applications, all very similar!

Not a stop gap, but a starting point.

I took a low grade NHS job after x amount redundancies. 5 years in and 3 departments later, I am working in procurement as category specialist. My job is reasonably safe and well paid. It's a new career for me, and the first 2 years on low wages was worth it.
You also need to keep in mid that the NHS has an unofficial recruitment stop. They will always try and recuit internally and favour those applicants. They never replaced me when I left one of the previous positions. So being already employed and the ability to play the long game is almost a requirement.

Would agree with the career pivot to NHS or Public Health maybe?

A drop in pay for a couple of years could be covered with interest only on your mortgage temporarily.

It sounds shit but facing the reality and digging in now to keep working steadily somewhere that is funded for 10-15 years could save the cycle of angst continuing.

How did you support your home and family while you were on a low grade salary for 2 years?

Trying to think outside the box… agencies where professionals with a degree, often teachers but not always, teach a child in their own (ie the child’s) house are desperate for scientists who can teach key stage three and four science. The money Is not brilliant; it’s about £25 per hour after tax. You can make a decent living, especially if you’re capable of teaching key stage three and four maths as well as science.
The work is not difficult, as you’re only dealing with one child in their own home, with a parent somewhere in the background, as opposed to a class of children. Sometimes the children have medical conditions, ADHD/Autism or MH conditions that stop them attending school.

I am 65, semi retired and can earn up to £2000 per month working about 5 hours a day. It’s a real bonus for me to be able to carry on earning a decent wage now that I’ve retired. I’ll be doing it for as long as I can, although I may cut down my hours if I’m finding it too much.

Spreadsheet, in/ out.
Out is categoryised by none negotiable like Mortgage and other standing cost...
to negotiable things like subscriptions and hobbies- these had a budget attached!
Lots of running, hiking and weights at home instead of the gym.
Switched to mainly veggie/ vegan food, pulses are cheap, tasty and nutritious. Still mostly veggie not because of costs, but because my health is better.
I involved DC in the weekly planning, so they had their expectations set at an realistic level. I'm a bit of a fashion disaster and don't really care much about clothes beyond the fitting, clean & appropriate for the occasion...

Basically I learned to live a much simpler life. Which I still do. I earn more per hour now, but I am actually only working 27 hours/ week, so have more time to do the things I love- cooking, hiking & dog training (I am involved in the local dog training club do some admin, it's very cheap as an helping/ active member.)
We have far to much clatter in our lives and rush from one thing to the next without a second thought.

I gathered from your post that you believe you are not able to cut back, believe me, that was me! I used to work in e-commerce, most of what I used to do is now done by AI ... and before that, wages did decline rapidly. So really, I didn't have a choice.

Sympathy.
i am a single parent to teenagers and breadwinner too. It’s been bloody rough at times and I don’t blame a certain level of irritation with posters who just don’t get that you keep the whole show on the road and it isn’t snobbery or something that makes £25k roles impossible .

shout out to the refugee from publishing… me too. Retraining, working hard, just at a level above benefits, worrying all the time and paying for everything while lying about your age and doing exams

we’re fucking heroes
hang in there

Well done. Your head sounds screwed on.

The first thing I did when I was made redundant last year was draw up the spreadsheet and cancel a few things (some charities, the door step milk).

I know I am able to cut back a lot more, but I am not at that stage. I obviously know that if I cut back a lot then my £ would go further in the event of unemployment. But honestly, that just makes me cry and wonder what the hell the point is (I'm not being flippant, in the dark hours I tell myself there is the option to not carry on). I am a runner and cyclist - my sports don't cost me much (though I do enter races).

I'm just back from our free food hub (saving food from landfill) and came back with 4 bunches of flowers so they will cheer me up.

Been invited to an interview.
I worked on my cv last weekend and the covering letter last night and received an invitation this morning.
My adult son is home this w/e, but mainly just using it as a base while he visits London. DS2 is going to London on Sunday so I'll have the house to myself so I can prepare.

All good. Nothing may come of it of course, and there are some logistical challenges but I have nothing to lose and my self esteem has had a boost.

Good luck you ll smash it no doubt !

Sending you hugs 🫂 I’m being made redundant September 1st and the last week I’ve been applying for everything I can. I was supposed to have a video interview yesterday. Got ready set up and 10 mins before it got cancelled as they filled the position. I’m starting to get worried now xx

Good luck, it is tough.
I’ve been looking for almost a year it’s hard to believe that…and I’ve done literally hundreds of applications.
Just be prepared it’s not an easy market at all.
Lot of bad behaviour by employers too as they know it’s not a candidate market.
They want the moon on a stick and some.
I had one where I had 2 interviews one on Teams then in person and they didn’t even get back to me with feedback it’s shocking.

@ilovebrie8 it must be hard to stay positive after a year! What industry are you in?

I can't believe they didn't get back to you, that's really not on, really annoys me when you give up your time and they don't even have the courtesy to let you know. Happened to me many times.

I’m in finance. I’ve tried everything even jobs that I am way over qualified to do.
It is ageism I think for me is a big part of it.
It is shocking you put in a lot of effort and preparation and attend two interviews then not even the decency of any feedback.
I’m looking at shop jobs but that’s not happening either.

That's annoying, especially the ageism part. I hope you find something soon.

I have been looking at shop work too and postal delivery driver. I'm not sure how I'll cope if I get to a year but I suppose you don't have a choice, I always thought finance was a safe industry too and well paid!

AI is impacting things and my age.
Most jobs have hundreds of applicants so it’s nigh on impossible.
It’s so demoralising and depressing.
I’d gladly take shop work to be earning and some routine as it is soul destroying looking for work, so many rejections or just no response.
Wouldn’t wish it on anyone.

Still here and offering solidarity OP; I went to an event earlier this week and met someone who was my age and recruiting to fill a similar post, she said she was very pleased to have met up with me so I've sent in a CV etc - we talked about ageism in recruitment and I thought well at least she's had a good look at me first! So I won't have that moment when you walk into an interview and they finally see how old you are ...!

For those from a professional back ground thinking they'd try shop work this is so highly sought now I think a lot of shops are refusing to take seemingly over-qualified people, try dumbing down the CV a bit.

I'm still waiting for redundancy date, seems to be a closely guarded secret, but my employer saying they have no idea what my issue is as it's easy to find jobs. They won't be dissuaded from that viewpoint. Apparently its my attitude to being made redundant thats the problem, I should be much more positive - they're constantly talking about holding a celebration for those being ousted, I kid you not.