How hard is it for a late 40s SAHM to return to the workforce?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You sound like a busy body. Of course there are jobs out there she qualifies for. Why don’t you just ask her why she isn’t stepping up to the plate and getting any kind of job at all and contributing? Isn’t that what you want to know?

I don't know what you're personally attacking me. I have no idea what's realistic for someone of her age, employment gap, and lack of degree. Is it easy to get a job? How much could she make? I have no idea. Hard to have a sincere conversation with her and my brother without understanding the landscape.

Why are you personally attacking her? It’s not your business

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are a gazillion admin jobs open at Booz, Deloitte, PWC, Jacobs etc. And the HR dropdown on the hiring menu doesn't even go below 65K.

I’m 50 and have been looking for 6 months. I have a masters degree but it’s completely outdated and the long gap in employment seems impossible to overcome. I’d love to know about these positions PP speaks of that are all above 65k. I was just searching Booz and see much lower (40s). I’ve applied for lots of jobs from non-profit to government to corporate and have only landed 1 interview (didn’t get it because they were worried about tech skills). I’m smart, focused, have great communication skills and learn quickly so it’s very demoralizing to think that staying home as put me on par with someone who didn’t even attend college.

Temp as an admin at a law firm. 70k + and you sound perfect for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:*I'm assuming a nursing program at the local university would probably provide immediate employment but I don't think they can afford going into student debt at the moment.

Nursing students get paid?

All of the nursing students I know seem to be employed all through college.

Employed with pay, or like…fulfilling service hours for their degree? I truly have not heard of nursing students earning income during school

someone could have a job while going to nursing school. i am sure many have.

[Anonymous]

They probably just want to complain about money. Some people see it as noble to struggle and pump up their woes. Is it possible they are not doing bad enough that she would consider getting a job? If she did start looking, it might seem overwhelming when looking at employment requirements. The readily available jobs like subbing are not going to pay well enough to be worth the effort and often people just break even when putting in the time/gas/maintenance for doordash (some lose money). You should not go in with the "get any job" attitude or it will backfire. She needs to focus on employment that will pay enough to cover her transportation and work related costs with enough to soften the dh's paycheck cut. That kind of employment is very hard to find.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are a gazillion admin jobs open at Booz, Deloitte, PWC, Jacobs etc. And the HR dropdown on the hiring menu doesn't even go below 65K.

I’m 50 and have been looking for 6 months. I have a masters degree but it’s completely outdated and the long gap in employment seems impossible to overcome. I’d love to know about these positions PP speaks of that are all above 65k. I was just searching Booz and see much lower (40s). I’ve applied for lots of jobs from non-profit to government to corporate and have only landed 1 interview (didn’t get it because they were worried about tech skills). I’m smart, focused, have great communication skills and learn quickly so it’s very demoralizing to think that staying home as put me on par with someone who didn’t even attend college.

Have you tried the temp route that others have suggested?

I haven’t. I’m going to check it out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Everyone's 40-something husband should know an entrepreneurial guy who is looking for a dependable woman who can handle secretary duties. Especially since she won't require fringe benefits or be a no-show flake like a zoomer, she'd be an ideal candidate. $20 to 30 an hour.

But this requires her and her husband to put themselves out there. If the husband has an macho provider ego and the wife is worried about being seen as low skill, they will just sulk and complain about their eroding downward lifestyle.

This. If she comes across as smart and dependable, they should start telling their friends and his coworkers and likely someone will have something for her. She has to want it though, and you don't know that she does.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You sound like a busy body. Of course there are jobs out there she qualifies for. Why don’t you just ask her why she isn’t stepping up to the plate and getting any kind of job at all and contributing? Isn’t that what you want to know?

I don't know what you're personally attacking me. I have no idea what's realistic for someone of her age, employment gap, and lack of degree. Is it easy to get a job? How much could she make? I have no idea. Hard to have a sincere conversation with her and my brother without understanding the landscape.

DP. Why on earth is any of this your business?? Have they asked to have a "sincere conversation" with you? Good grief, worry about your own life.

[Anonymous]

This isn’t your business.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are a gazillion admin jobs open at Booz, Deloitte, PWC, Jacobs etc. And the HR dropdown on the hiring menu doesn't even go below 65K.

I’m 50 and have been looking for 6 months. I have a masters degree but it’s completely outdated and the long gap in employment seems impossible to overcome. I’d love to know about these positions PP speaks of that are all above 65k. I was just searching Booz and see much lower (40s). I’ve applied for lots of jobs from non-profit to government to corporate and have only landed 1 interview (didn’t get it because they were worried about tech skills). I’m smart, focused, have great communication skills and learn quickly so it’s very demoralizing to think that staying home as put me on par with someone who didn’t even attend college.

+100
The amount of untapped potential within this demographic is criminal. I'm early 50s with a similar background to you and have applied to countless positions within the federal government and private industry. I have applied over and over to admin positions within FCPS and have never even been called for an interview. Certainly makes you wonder...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are a gazillion admin jobs open at Booz, Deloitte, PWC, Jacobs etc. And the HR dropdown on the hiring menu doesn't even go below 65K.

I’m 50 and have been looking for 6 months. I have a masters degree but it’s completely outdated and the long gap in employment seems impossible to overcome. I’d love to know about these positions PP speaks of that are all above 65k. I was just searching Booz and see much lower (40s). I’ve applied for lots of jobs from non-profit to government to corporate and have only landed 1 interview (didn’t get it because they were worried about tech skills). I’m smart, focused, have great communication skills and learn quickly so it’s very demoralizing to think that staying home as put me on par with someone who didn’t even attend college.

+100
The amount of untapped potential within this demographic is criminal. I'm early 50s with a similar background to you and have applied to countless positions within the federal government and private industry. I have applied over and over to admin positions within FCPS and have never even been called for an interview. Certainly makes you wonder...

I think the problem is that there’s a statistic that something like 85% of jobs are found through people’s networks. So your network really dries up when you’re out of the workforce. It’s just more rare to just randomly send resumes out and get jobs that way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are a gazillion admin jobs open at Booz, Deloitte, PWC, Jacobs etc. And the HR dropdown on the hiring menu doesn't even go below 65K.

I’m 50 and have been looking for 6 months. I have a masters degree but it’s completely outdated and the long gap in employment seems impossible to overcome. I’d love to know about these positions PP speaks of that are all above 65k. I was just searching Booz and see much lower (40s). I’ve applied for lots of jobs from non-profit to government to corporate and have only landed 1 interview (didn’t get it because they were worried about tech skills). I’m smart, focused, have great communication skills and learn quickly so it’s very demoralizing to think that staying home as put me on par with someone who didn’t even attend college.

Temp as an admin at a law firm. 70k + and you sound perfect for it.

DP. It’s always amusing to me how easy people on DCUM think it is to just go out and earn $70K+.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are a gazillion admin jobs open at Booz, Deloitte, PWC, Jacobs etc. And the HR dropdown on the hiring menu doesn't even go below 65K.

I’m 50 and have been looking for 6 months. I have a masters degree but it’s completely outdated and the long gap in employment seems impossible to overcome. I’d love to know about these positions PP speaks of that are all above 65k. I was just searching Booz and see much lower (40s). I’ve applied for lots of jobs from non-profit to government to corporate and have only landed 1 interview (didn’t get it because they were worried about tech skills). I’m smart, focused, have great communication skills and learn quickly so it’s very demoralizing to think that staying home as put me on par with someone who didn’t even attend college.

Temp as an admin at a law firm. 70k + and you sound perfect for it.

DP. It’s always amusing to me how easy people on DCUM think it is to just go out and earn $70K+.

I am basing that on actual experience, temp to full time is the way to go for someone like this poster. I KNOW she can get this type of job based on what she described.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are a gazillion admin jobs open at Booz, Deloitte, PWC, Jacobs etc. And the HR dropdown on the hiring menu doesn't even go below 65K.

I’m 50 and have been looking for 6 months. I have a masters degree but it’s completely outdated and the long gap in employment seems impossible to overcome. I’d love to know about these positions PP speaks of that are all above 65k. I was just searching Booz and see much lower (40s). I’ve applied for lots of jobs from non-profit to government to corporate and have only landed 1 interview (didn’t get it because they were worried about tech skills). I’m smart, focused, have great communication skills and learn quickly so it’s very demoralizing to think that staying home as put me on par with someone who didn’t even attend college.

+100
The amount of untapped potential within this demographic is criminal. I'm early 50s with a similar background to you and have applied to countless positions within the federal government and private industry. I have applied over and over to admin positions within FCPS and have never even been called for an interview. Certainly makes you wonder...

What are you alleging? Ageism? How would screeners even know how old you are? If you're literally not hearing back at all, it's just your resume went into the e-void and probably never had actual eyes on it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are a gazillion admin jobs open at Booz, Deloitte, PWC, Jacobs etc. And the HR dropdown on the hiring menu doesn't even go below 65K.

I’m 50 and have been looking for 6 months. I have a masters degree but it’s completely outdated and the long gap in employment seems impossible to overcome. I’d love to know about these positions PP speaks of that are all above 65k. I was just searching Booz and see much lower (40s). I’ve applied for lots of jobs from non-profit to government to corporate and have only landed 1 interview (didn’t get it because they were worried about tech skills). I’m smart, focused, have great communication skills and learn quickly so it’s very demoralizing to think that staying home as put me on par with someone who didn’t even attend college.

+100
The amount of untapped potential within this demographic is criminal. I'm early 50s with a similar background to you and have applied to countless positions within the federal government and private industry. I have applied over and over to admin positions within FCPS and have never even been called for an interview. Certainly makes you wonder...

What are you alleging? Ageism? How would screeners even know how old you are? If you're literally not hearing back at all, it's just your resume went into the e-void and probably never had actual eyes on it.

Yes, there is software that screens out applications with gaps in work history. People can know your age by the years you graduated or dates of employment (or if you leave those out it's a red flag). I'm not sure that's the PP's problem though. It's hard to get interviewed for a federal job even when you have an amazing work history. The best thing really is having a referral from a real person to the job you're interested in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are a gazillion admin jobs open at Booz, Deloitte, PWC, Jacobs etc. And the HR dropdown on the hiring menu doesn't even go below 65K.

I’m 50 and have been looking for 6 months. I have a masters degree but it’s completely outdated and the long gap in employment seems impossible to overcome. I’d love to know about these positions PP speaks of that are all above 65k. I was just searching Booz and see much lower (40s). I’ve applied for lots of jobs from non-profit to government to corporate and have only landed 1 interview (didn’t get it because they were worried about tech skills). I’m smart, focused, have great communication skills and learn quickly so it’s very demoralizing to think that staying home as put me on par with someone who didn’t even attend college.

+100
The amount of untapped potential within this demographic is criminal. I'm early 50s with a similar background to you and have applied to countless positions within the federal government and private industry. I have applied over and over to admin positions within FCPS and have never even been called for an interview. Certainly makes you wonder...

I think the problem is that there’s a statistic that something like 85% of jobs are found through people’s networks. So your network really dries up when you’re out of the workforce. It’s just more rare to just randomly send resumes out and get jobs that way.

Agree. That’s why your husband needs a network. I have been a long time SAHM, but my husband has several friends/former colleagues who know me who have told me I have a standing offer to come work for them if ever I want to.