Yes I know now: what a mad idea it was to take ten years off to raise children but at the time it made sense. My husband ran his own business and worked long hours 6/7 days a week....it really did seem to make sense at the time. Anyway, his business has dwindled enough for me to have to get a job which fortunately coincides with the youngest starting school this year. Yay! A bit of good news - or so you'd think. I live in a very rural area (nearest big town over an hour's drive away) and practically all jobs are part of the jobBridge scheme - for which I don't qualify (as am not on jobseekers). I have done courses and voluntary work over the years at home so I don't think I am totally unemployable but the future doesn't look very bright. I have applied for the few jobs (4 over the past 6 months) that have come up that are NOT jobBridge but no luck so far. So, are there any incentives to help people like me back into the work place that I have missed? I cannot get on any local courses as they are all for people on jobseekers too and I cannot move to a more urban area as I am not allowed to sell my house (have posted re this separately -planning office issue). What have other parents done after taking a (ridiculous in hindsight) career break???
Back to work after a 10 year break???
- Thread starter Xsue
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I don't have any specific advice other than to say what you have done is normal enough for quite a lot of people. A friend in a rural area has just recently returned to work outside the home after ~ 7 years with 3 kids, so it is possible. I myself had to take an enforced career break over 3 years ago due to illness, so in terms of getting a job, it is challenging. Its a matter of selling yourself to a prospective employer that you are the best person for that job and do whatever is necessary re upskilling and networking.
Gerry Canning
Registered User
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Xsue. Quote {ridiculous in hindsight}to stay at home.
Ask yourself ,
1. Did you see your kids grow up and enjoy the various milestones/tribulations?
2.Would you have preferred to be rushing to off-load them @ the Creche ,to hasten to work? 3.Wouldyou have preferred the rush of collecting them before 6 from the Creche?
4. Would (had you kept working) be regreting the lost times with your children?
I suppose we always see the other journey as better .
For me I think the children and memories come ahead of this thing we call (work).
To be clear ; I ain,t judging , just commenting.
Ask yourself ,
1. Did you see your kids grow up and enjoy the various milestones/tribulations?
2.Would you have preferred to be rushing to off-load them @ the Creche ,to hasten to work? 3.Wouldyou have preferred the rush of collecting them before 6 from the Creche?
4. Would (had you kept working) be regreting the lost times with your children?
I suppose we always see the other journey as better .
For me I think the children and memories come ahead of this thing we call (work).
To be clear ; I ain,t judging , just commenting.
I was thinking the same thing.
OF COURSE I can see how my children, myself and my husband have all hugely benefitted from my being at home for them. It was a decision based on how our situation worked at the time. But now we are in this situation and I feel somewhat marginalised because of those decisions we made at the time: for me staying at home and for my husband being self employed (in the good old days he employed 6 people - small enough but significant in our area) - which seemed to be the best choice.
I would have loved something like a classroom assistant and practically every small school in our area has advertised for one of these since September: ALL as a jobBridge job. One school principal rang me to let me know that they were looking for someone - as I had told her I was hoping to find a job this year - I cannot apply!! It's frustrating but I want to be sure I am doing all I can to improve my prospects - and it does help to hear that people do manage to get back out there; I am a fan of the JobBridge scheme (and apprenticeship schemes) in theory: just not when I (and my ilk) are excluded. Thanks for your replies.
I would have loved something like a classroom assistant and practically every small school in our area has advertised for one of these since September: ALL as a jobBridge job. One school principal rang me to let me know that they were looking for someone - as I had told her I was hoping to find a job this year - I cannot apply!! It's frustrating but I want to be sure I am doing all I can to improve my prospects - and it does help to hear that people do manage to get back out there; I am a fan of the JobBridge scheme (and apprenticeship schemes) in theory: just not when I (and my ilk) are excluded. Thanks for your replies.
If your husbands earnings have fallen drastically you could apply for jobseekers allowance which is a means tested payment. It will take some time to be assessed as your husband is self employed but even if you only get €10 pw from this after 78 days you will be able to apply for jobbridge places.