Getting back out there
Hey guys. So, I am presently a stay-at-home mom, & have been for 19 years. One child is grown, one has her foot out the door, & the youngest is 11 yrs old. Needless to say, it is now time for me to get back out there & re-enter the work force. I never attended college, and now have a 19 year gap in my work history. I have sent off quite a few resumes, but had no call-backs. I did recently recive one reply stating that I just was not "the right fit" for them. It was for a position as an office assistant, so that was a real low point for me that I wasn't even fit to be an office assistant, in the eyes of the world. They never even called me In For an Interview. I am pretty discouraged right now. I have a small painting business where I do decorative wall painting & simple wall murals for residential & commercial clients, & would love to do that the rest of my life! But, the work doesn't come in consistently enough to be counted on as a steady, viable income. I feel stuck & not sure how to get someone to give me a shot. I have more to offer an employer than what it seems like on paper. Any help or ideas would be appreciated. Thnx!
Office assistance are more complicated then answering phones and taking messages. You may try tech school I did 8 months of school and got a job as registration for a hospital administrative medical assistance classes paid off
Hi Niki, Be careful with the language.. They said your not the right fit for what their looking for but that doesn't mean that your not qualified. Sometimes their looking to hire someone who will be a good cultural fit. Experience and skills has little to do with who they hire. Raising a family is a skilled job with no formal training manual. You would be surprised to see how many transferable skills exist between parenting and the labor force. Would you consider a job in a related art industry like retail?
If you have more to offer, then put it on paper. As for your work history, don't put any dates---Stress the company you worked for, the job title and your accomplishments. Even include your painting business. Leave up to the employer to ask, "Umm..when did you all these things?" Then you explain the gap---and I'm SURE the interviewer will understand in this day and age. I think a total overhaul on your resume is the next step for you focusing on skills, experience but not dates.
Niki, your a mom successfully raising children so in the eye's of the world your a CHAMPION!!! As far as re-entering the job force there are tons of companies looking for applicants with your background. Make sure your resume is solid. Upload it onto your profile and ask other members to share feedback then network. Let everyone you talk to know your job searching. The best jobs are usually obtained through personal references or word of mouth.