Here’s my life in a nutshell. I have a B.A. in English and a M.A. in Linguistics. I haven’t worked for 12 years, by choice, in order to stay home with the kids. Now the youngest is in school and it’s time for me to look for work.
I have 4 kids (ages 6 to 13) so any job would have to pay enough to make it worth it for the kids to be in after-school care and all summer. My husband makes a pretty good salary, but we’re spending all he earns now.
Before I stopped working, I still hadn’t figured out my career. I had several jobs, none of which excited me much. I was an ESL teacher for years, then I worked as a paralegal, then even got into a little computer programing.
Now I haven’t’ worked in so long that I think it will be hard to find a job at all, let alone one that is flexible and pays enough to make it worthwhile.
Any advice on how to get back into the work world after a loooong absence?
One way to get your feet wet and get some recent work experience may be to volunteer to work as a paralegal with your local Legal Services program or another non-profit entity while you look for a paying gig.
What about substitute teaching (which you should be able to get right away) to see if you like teaching, then getting a teaching certificate once you’re sure?
It’s flexible in that you will always be off the same days the kids are off, and for the most part will be home the same time as them.
Most stuff involves computers these days, but I’m not sure how relevant your 12-year-old experience is. Do you know any languages? programs? software stuff? for anything that’s still in use today? If so, highlight that in your resume.