Need inspiration for a job!

ljt · 16 Aug 2023 at 10:30

It's an awkward position and decision isn't it!?

I tried full time work while caring for about 12 months and it made me really ill, which is why I reduced my hours down to 28 a week the last 4 years of my previous job. Although that was also OK with my previous employer as the role was on a decline anyway, so it suited them as well.

I'm currently back to full time caring at the moment as my Mums health has taken a dip (hopefully only temporary) so part time is most I could currently do. I'm also toying with the idea on working for myself somehow so I don't have to worry about having to deal with an employer. However I have no idea what I could do from home to earn something to help pay the bills instead of eating into redundancy money

jon86 · 16 Aug 2023 at 14:12

ljt said:
I'm currently back to full time caring at the moment as my Mums health has taken a dip (hopefully only temporary) so part time is most I could currently do. I'm also toying with the idea on working for myself somehow so I don't have to worry about having to deal with an employer. However I have no idea what I could do from home to earn something to help pay the bills instead of eating into redundancy money

It sounds like some sort of WFH job where you can be mostly asynchronous might work for you; this would allow you to fit work into your days, versus having to fit your life around your work day. Some jobs that immediately come to mind include accountancy (e.g. tax, [SME] corporate finance), writing (e.g. copywriting), etc. What do you currently do for work?

ljt · 16 Aug 2023 at 14:18

jon86 said:
It sounds like some sort of WFH job where you can be mostly asynchronous might work for you; this would allow you to fit work into your days, versus having to fit your life around your work day. Some jobs that immediately come to mind include accountancy (e.g. tax, [SME] corporate finance), writing (e.g. copywriting), etc. What do you currently do for work?

I worked in the telephone exchanges as a frames technician for BT/Openreach (basically installing/faulting copper wiring/circuits from point to point) until I took voluntary redundancy and finished end of July this year.

A WFH job would be ideal at the moment, but starting new somewhere I'm unlikely to be able to do that from the start due to training etc.

ljt · 27 Aug 2023 at 10:16

A little update.

In the odd couple of hours a day outside caring duties while my Mom's is particularly poorly at the moment I've been working through a CompTIA A+ core 1 course on udemy as my last IT qualification is from college over 20 years ago. So I needed to refresh my IT skills.

I've also applied for an IT technician apprenticeship at a local museum but it's minimum wage and an IT technician role at my local college which is just above minimum wage.

They'll be a big drop in wage from my role at Openreach but I don't have any current qualifications in IT or experience in those rolls so I need to start somewhere. Thankfully my outgoings are minimal so minimum wage will cover them, but at least I can get some experience in the mean time and build up qualifications at the same time.

ljt · 2 Sep 2023 at 18:07

Well I've heard back from the museum and I have an interview next Wednesday - my first interview in 17 years! It'll be good experience if nothing else!

The post at the college doesn't close until Monday so still awaiting to see if they'll also get back to me.

On the course front I've completed the training for Core 1 of the Comptia A+ done a practice exam and scored 91% so I'm going to brush up on my weaker areas and book in the actual exam then move on to Core 2 after.

Zefan · 2 Sep 2023 at 18:11

From experience, book the exam now and work a plan backwards from it. There's something about the event being set that makes things happen.

ljt · 19 Sep 2023 at 14:14

Well I've just passed my Core 1 of CompTIA A+ so at least I'll have something to tell them at my 2nd Interview tomorrow!

Now to start on Core 2!

malachi · 19 Sep 2023 at 14:37

ljt said:
Well I've just passed my Core 1 of CompTIA A+ so at least I'll have something to tell them at my 2nd Interview tomorrow!

Now to start on Core 2!

Good luck!

ljt · 27 Sep 2023 at 19:53

Ah well didn't get the job - Had an email this afternoon saying "sorry you weren't successful"

Back to cracking on with the certificates and eating into my redundancy money - yay

swillsy · 27 Sep 2023 at 22:25

Its definitely tough out there atm! However good XP to use for the next one! Good luck!

ljt · 27 Sep 2023 at 22:52

swillsy said:
Its definitely tough out there atm! However good XP to use for the next one! Good luck!

Cheers! Yeah it was my first interview in nearly 20 years, was a bit annoying as I was in for a 2nd interview, apparently there were 3 of us called back. Perhaps my lack of a recent IT qualification held me back, but on the other hand it was for an apprenticeship role, and didn't ask for any qualifications on the job description, so I don't know.

I've asked for some feedback anyway, whether they'll reply is another matter.

ljt · 26 Oct 2023 at 14:16

Well I've just passed my Core 2 of the A+ so now officially A+ Certified.

I've also got some interview coaching next week and the possibility of doing the CompTIA Network+ and Pentest+ certifications for free, so I'll be putting my name down for those!

ljt · 1 Dec 2023 at 13:55

Well the free Network+ etc exam wasn't due to start until well into next year, so I decided to have a go myself and use the same learning methods I used on the A+ exam.

Happy to say I passed my Network+ today. Hopefully this will go at least some way to proving to a potential employer that I'm willing and able to have a go, and gives me a bit more IT/Networking info to put on my CV that's currently full with telecoms stuff!

OspreyO · 2 Dec 2023 at 10:33

Well done mate. You're doing the right thing. It's just going to take time.

ljt · 2 Dec 2023 at 14:37

OspreyO said:
Well done mate. You're doing the right thing. It's just going to take time.

Cheers! Hopefully not too much longer though, my redundancy payment will only last so long!

Will now start applying to jobs as they come up and look at doing some more smaller, specialised certs, possibly for AWS/Azure.

I had seen some apprentice roles advertised, which would be ideal, state for the fact they are only paying £10,000 (for the first year at least) and that just will not cover my mortgage/bills etc

else I'd jump at the chance. If it were real minimum wage I could manage ok for a year or so on that while I build some experience, but those 10k sort of apprentice wages I just couldn't live on.

ljt · 25 Feb 2024 at 17:43

Well another update. It was quiet over Christmas and New Year. Applied for around 25-30 jobs just after new year. Didn't think I'd hear much in all honesty.

However I ended up with around 10 of them ask for interviews/team calls etc. I went to my first face to face on 8th Feb, and was offered the job on the 9th. I was driving to another interview at the time so missed that call until after. Anyway I start as a Trainee IT Support Technician on 4th March!

Looking forward to starting, getting back into a routine and earning again! It's been a horrible, stressful 7 months.

OspreyO · 25 Feb 2024 at 19:32

Best of luck with it.

Ev0 · 28 Feb 2024 at 17:14

ljt said:
Well another update. It was quiet over Christmas and New Year. Applied for around 25-30 jobs just after new year. Didn't think I'd hear much in all honesty.

However I ended up with around 10 of them ask for interviews/team calls etc. I went to my first face to face on 8th Feb, and was offered the job on the 9th. I was driving to another interview at the time so missed that call until after. Anyway I start as a Trainee IT Support Technician on 4th March!

Looking forward to starting, getting back into a routine and earning again! It's been a horrible, stressful 7 months.

Excellent news well done!