career opportunities out there?

Question

Hi I am a single mother of two and recently lost my job of 8 years and I am in desperate need of some advice I have my high school diploma received in 2010 and I need to build a career so I can have some stability for me and my daughters any advice helps thank you in advance.

Anonymous · Answer

Teach yourself to do computer programming and then become a developer. Check out this girl's story: https://twitter.com/taeluralexis
There's a really big online community (twitter) that helps people learn to code and is a great support system. It's absolutely possible to do without a college degree.

JB09718 · Answer

Hospitality (like front desk at a hotel) could be a good fit. I worked full time and was eligible for benefits but my shift was 3pm-11 (usually closer to midnight) most days and nearly every weekend or holiday which could be difficult depending on your children’s ages/childcare needs. Perks were awesome though! It’s still one of my favorite jobs I’ve ever held to this day, you meet so many interesting people.

Katie Malone · Answer

Banks. UPS/FedEx -- start PT. The work is really hard, but they offer benefits and the pay is awesome if you are a driver. I believe Kohl's, Starbucks and Target offer benefits.

Kam · Answer

An area worth exploring would be the construction/technical trades. I work for a company in the utility industry and there are a number of benefits to these career paths that women often overlook:

1. The entry-level requirements are often a high school diploma, driver's license and being 18 years of age or older. Most union opportunities do have some type of aptitude test that you will need to pass as part of the hiring process. I'd recommend using some GED test prep materials to help ease you back into taking a standardized test.

2. Through apprentice programs or employers in these fields, you often receive paid on-the-job training from the ground up

3. These jobs are connected to very defined career paths, so  there is definitely opportunity for growth

4.  The compensation is often well above what most high school graduates make in the market today. Starting hourly rate is often around $20/hour for an entry-level title and when you matriculate up to top title with top pay, you can make $50 or more/hour.  Pay rates can go even higher when you take into account pay differentials for working overtime, nights, weekends, holidays, etc. It's not atypical for trade workers to make 6 figure salaries even early career.

5. These jobs are often unionized and so you get all of the benefits and protections that come with a union.

6. Many of the companies and even unions that employ trade workers on a permanent basis have tuition reimbursement programs if you want to go back to school some day. For example, the company I work for actually reimburses 100% of the tuition cost for our employees to earn a bachelors or masters degree.

I recommend looking up the career pages for utility companies (electric, gas, steam, communications, water, etc.) in your region and also doing a search for apprenticeship programs as well. There might even be special pre-apprenticeship programs geared towards introducing women to careers in the trades.

Cindy McLean Canfield · Answer

I went back to college at 38, with grants and scholarships along with student loans and part time work on campus, I was able to get my degree at 42 and started my career within 4 months of graduation.  I have never been sorry I sacrificed time with my 4 kids because all of our lives have been better since then. I put all 4 through college by myself. It is a sacrifice because they don’t get your best for a few years but they won’t mind knowing you are doing it for all of you. Vocational schools are also a quick way to get a career at a reasonable cost. Good luck, just remember whatever you do it’s worth it in the long run.

Renai Lewis-Brochard · Answer

We moved to the US 12 years ago.  I have multiple degrees in Science and Teaching, have over 20 years teaching experience as well as having started and run my own very successful business for 5 years.  I say successful as I opened a new center every year.  
When we moved here, I could not get a job in my field anywhere.  I was told I would need to do a bridging course to qualify as a teacher in that state, and that it would not guarantee that I would be qualified if I moved to another state.  
So I decided to lower my expectations and just get a job first and work from there.  I applied for office manager positions, then administrative assistant positions.  Still nothing.  
So I lowered again and applied for a sales associate position with Pottery Barn Kids.  It only paid $10 an hour but it was a start.  Over a period of 5 years, I worked my way up to becoming a store manager.  Now I was in a position to prove my ability to achieve results which allowed for me to negotiate better pay and quality of life when I moved to my most recent position.  
I will say that you may need to start lower than you think, but if you demonstrate a willingness to learn and have a strong work ethic, you can still achieve a good paying job and have the work life balance you are looking for.

JoyDallas · Answer

Customer service jobs often can be a springboard into other companies as well as  departments at the same company. You get experience working with people, solving problems, and learning the company’s products or services. I’ve seen people move from customer service jobs into operations, sales, billing and other departments.

If you’ve worked retail, food service or as a teller, then you have transferable skills. Look for customer service jobs at companies where they serve clients rather than the general public—you’ll encounter less weirdness and rage.

Crystal Rhineberger · Answer

How are your typing skills? Time management?
How efficient are you at following up?
These are three mandatory skills when knowing you have a career to build. Next is sell yourself to the community and be prepared to travel for the job!
I have met many candidates that would of been a great fit to find they were not willing to travel (for whatever reason, one was well I won’t be able to afford the gas... ummmm that was a bit of a laugh)
Linked in listing what skills you have and networking w people is great too
And always let a future employer know you are open to opportunities to advance your career

career opportunities out there?

You're invited.

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