Tell me I’m not alone please!
I have spent the last 6 years raising two beautiful girls. I have no qualifications and I can no longer afford to be a stay at home mum.
I fell pregnant with my firstborn at 22, and suffered extreme PND. So I put everything I had into fixing myself and raising my daughter. My amazing partner got a second job so we could afford to live while I worked on myself. This went on for two years, and we fell pregnant with our second. Postnatal anxiety and depression were nearly the end of me, but along with my partner we got me the help I needed. I still suffer from anxiety and depression, but over the last 6 months it’s become manageable.
Now it’s time for me to go back to work, and I have no idea where to start! I have no experience, no certificates, no nothing! Between leaving school and having the girls I only did some retail and hospitality work. I know I don’t want to return to either of these, but I don’t know what to do! I’ve spent 6 years just trying to be the best mum I can be, I don’t even know what would interest me!
Is it realistic to think I can find a job I’ll love and will work around my family? Or did I f*#@ all chances of that when I decided to spend 6 years unemployed, and now I’ll have to take whatever I can get?
My partner has said he’s happy for me to stay off work for another year while I decide what I want to do or if I decide to study, but I don’t even know where to start!! How would I choose what to study!?
3 Replies
Honestly, if you want to work, with no experience, take what you can get.
A foot in the door, it’s always easier to get a job when you have one.
Have you applied for any, it’s freaking tough out there for people with qualifications, let alone none.
Forget about finding a job you love or that makes you happy, just get one, you can work towards other goals, but I think you need to get out there, it might give you clarity or put you on the right path to what you want.
Most people don’t love their job, but they enjoy the money it brings in for their family.
Think about the free time and more family time you will have with hubby when he can quit his second job, now that’s something to love.
You need to be realistic with your expectations- you need experience so get whatever job you can. Build up your confidence, knowledge base and expertise. This is going to take some time as getting a part time job, or a full time job, is going to take some time. Look at what your interests are and work to your strengths.
I had over a decade off and if I can you can.
Totally new field of work.
Flexible, part time, permanent, not huge wages but enough to support and help.
In my years doing this job I have had opportunity to get promoted to manager and full time work but I didn’t want that.
Don’t be picky to start with.