Any moms looking for jobs now?

[gokiamma]

Hello moms,

It has been some time since I posted. Well, I was let go from a reputed Tech Company here in the Bay area some 3 weeks ago. It was a very high pressure job and we had a re-org due to which my role is now relocated to Singapore!. Anways, i am writing to exchange comments with other moms who might be in a similar boat.

On one hand I am happy, because work was killing me- It was a role in Finance and often required to present to higher management. With two kids (6 and 2) I was never available mentally even if I was home physically.THis break is god sent and I am enjoying the down time. On the other hand I cannot afford to be out of job for long. I just completed a very expensive MBA. So I am posting resume online/working through contacts etc. Searching for jobs can get tiring after sometime ykwim?

Anways, if there are others like this --feel free to write back!

Thanks for reading.
Deepa

[sparklett]

I'm in a similar boat.

I've been job hunting for a few months now. On the very good side, I've had four offers in three months but I've declined all of them becuase they just weren't "right".

I have to work for the next two years so DH can finish his master's and I want a job where I can be really happy. I'm looking for something with a very comfortable salary and a flexible work schedule. So far, I've found that employers are very willing to accommodate my work schedule (results-only work environment, working from home, etc.) but the compensation is liveable but not comfortable, or the benefits aren't what I want.

I have a part-time job teaching three courses online, but that's just to make some fun money.

So the search continues! I'm hoping something will come along by August. It looks like we'll be moving out of the area and that is REALLY exciting.

[gokiamma]

Hello sparklett,

Congratulations !! 4 offers in 3 months is a very good indicator of the market needing your skills. I totally agree and appreciate your resolve to wait for the right job. For once you settle for something less than your "ideal", it becomes all the more work to come out and regain your original levels. I have a feeling that you will very soon find the right job you are looking for!!

Good Luck! and Keep the hopes high

Thanks for writing!
Deepa

[RollerCoasterMama]

Good luck with your search!

Another ray of hope to the market...I've had some friends that were laid off for quite a while from high up techy jobs. It took a while because the companies almost thought they weren't serious in applying sometimes because they'd had pretty high up jobs before. (One simply replied to an application "This position only pays $50K." Uh, thanks...that's $50K more than no job!!! And around here, that's a decent job! Not super fancy, but very live-able!)

But I'm super happy to report that all the laid off folks have pending job offers just in the past couple of weeks! Things seem to have kicked back in somewhere in the past few months!

There's hope again in the market!

[Chamomile Girl]

gokiamma, I am also in the Bay Area and have had a very frustrating job search this year. But I am a teacher so there were very few jobs in the first place. I hope that your search goes well! In the mean time enjoy the time that you have with your family. This area is so beautiful this time of year.

I live in Silicon Valley so I'll bet that we live close to one another.

[physmom]

Sort of. My Ph.D is done except for the actual defense (but the thesis is already turned in). I would be looking for a job but we're wating on DH's job situation to stabalize first since he'd be the higher paying one of the two of us. I'm none to happy with the current situation because I really miss work. But I do enjoy the extra time with DD. In the meantime I'm trying to find some sort of tutoring work to do on the side to make some extra bucks.

[K-Mom3]

Yes, I'm job searching. I found a temporary job for a few months that I am loving and I'm searching for something for after it ends.

Job searching is really hard. For me, the hardest part is the emotional ups and downs. You know, you have to hope enough to actually do something about any given lead and then it is a huge let down when it doesn't work out.

I applied for a job even though I didn't think I was really qualified for it...and I wasn't. But the guy who interviewed me gave me this temporary job that wasn't ever on the market and that is giving me some good experience that may lead to something else...

Anyway, best of luck to you. It is hard to enjoy the "time off" when you're worried about finances. You can do it!

[liberal_chick]

I'm job hunting, but since I'm not a CNA, LPN, or RN (I'm just a lowly teacher, apparently), I'm having less than zero luck. There were only 4 schools within an hours drive in ANY direction with openings I qualified for and 2 have filled the positions, 1 decided not to have the position after all, and 1 won't interview me b/c I'm not a coach.

I even applied to be a housekeeper at the hospital and haven't gotten a call (and I left my college degree off the application so they wouldn't think I was overeducated/overqualified). *sigh*

[gokiamma]

Hello Ednab,

Congratulations on your new job!! That is wonderful news. thank you for pointing out the site as well. I will surely look it up. Do celebrate the occassion before you start working!

As for me, I continue to search. IT is quite frustrating at times, since no one replies. I am playing by the book--networking/polishing my resume etc --but guess that is not enough. I am sure it is a question of time,and so till then shall just enjoy this break and be happy!

Besto to all you other mommas!

[sparklett]

I'm ruminating on two offers right now.

[Evan&Anna's_Mom]

I was laid off three weeks ago from a non-profit agency (I do marketing/communications/development). Not a great time to be looking for non-profit work given that everyone is struggling for budget so I've reluctantly turned back to the for-profit world. I'm enjoying some extra time with the kids but can't afford do to this more than a couple of months. I'm really sad because last year I had negotiated the perft 3/4 time job with hours to exactly correspond to the kid's school dismissal and I'm absolutely sure that I won't be able to walk into somewhere new and get the same perk. Grr...

[gokiamma]

Hi Everyone,

Just checking in to see how the search is progressing amongst those of you who are in the job market. As for me, well since early August --I feel that the market has slowed down till now. I had a few interviews these last 6 weeks, but nothing close to any offers yet. I continue to try though wonder how long I can be in the "search" mode . Time at home has surely been fun--with the kids and not having to worry about meetings/phone calls etc. But I think I prefer to use my skills/grey cells to earn a living.

Hope you are all keeping well! Would love to hear.

Deepa

[sparklett]

Hi Deepa,

Hang in there! Something good will happen. I have a bad feeling that everyone is going to experience even more of a slowdown as the holidays near and then things will pick up after the 1st.

As for me, I [finally] got a job! After seven months, 30 or so resumes, a dozen interviews, and a couple offers, I finally found a good job. We ended up having to relocate 1,000 miles away from home to take said job, but I'm excited about the adventure. I'm working as a policy analyst for an environmental nonprofit. Started last week. It was worth the horrible stress and wait... this is the best offer I got and the salary is more than I've ever made. Plus I'm working from home. Just keep up your search! The right job is waiting for you.

Of course, things are never perfect. Found out last week that my left ovary needs to come out so just as I'm settling into the job, teaching three classes online, and going to school full-time, I now get to deal with recovering from an ovarioectomy. Does the fun never end?

Anyway, keep going! Good things will happen.

[meemee]

just joined the job search market.

but its in a restricted field. archaeology or anthropology or native american stuff.

so putting the word around and in the meantime continuing to volunteer at museums and Indian health.

hopefully one of these will land me a job someday.

ouch sparklett. hope things go well for you.

[One_Girl]

I have been looking for a teaching job in an elementary school for 9 months now. I settled for a job in daycare 2 months ago but am still looking. I have only had two interviews out of over 50 applications for teaching jobs so I am applying to grad school so I can get a special education certification. I enjoyed being out of work for a while because I was able to homeschool my dd, but I really need to work now and I wish I was working in a school. Good luck!

[gokiamma]

Hello Sparklett--So nice to hear about your new job and as you have commented it sounds extremely good--WFH Plus higher salary . News like this, certainly uplifts me and renews my interest to apply. So thanks a bunch. I will keep my fingers crossed for your ovarioectomy. Hopefully your gynaec can find a cure involving medicines/diet and you do not need to change much of your daily routine. Take care!


meemee/one_girl--At a career counselling workshop that I attended, I was told that during job search--constant applying and networking are the only ways to change the situation. So it is good that you are both doing that. As for me, while I do it as well, sometimes need external push (particularly from those who have gone thru this) to say it works out!! One thing is certain, this experience of job hunt has certainly made me use my brain fully and it appears to have done the same for you as well! After all it is not easy to constantly think of whom to network with and where to volunteer etc..Good luck to both of you.

[blake201]

I SHOULD be job hunting, but as the mom of a 12-week old I'm too tired. I have a great job with good pay (and ok benefits) but half the company just got sold and the rest is losing money fast--we've had several rounds of layoffs, and they just keep cutting our benefits and pay.

I just started back to work on Friday and I wish I had the option to work part time--it would certainly save the company $$$. Or that the layoffs would come very soon, so I could get unemployment money and stay home with my baby while looking for a new job that hopefully wouldn't start until she was at least 6 months old.

Sadly my husband is a temp with no benefits at all--we rely on my salary and healthcare. And I've got a great resume and salary history and educational background, while he just has a long history of lowpaid temp jobs and a BA in Film. So I REALLY do need to look... sigh.

[Halfasianmomma]

I'm (still) looking to change fields, but I get the feeling that it won't happen this year. I've applied to many school boards (I want to go back to teaching), have had 2 interviews, but so far, nothing. I'm told things can keep moving until the end of September but I'm not holding my breath. So, for the moment, I guess I'm staying at my job, which pays well, has great insurance and benefits, but is BORING. Ah well.

[dawningmama]

I'm job hunting! We just relocated from NY to NC. I was only really half-looking for a while as I got my kids settled into school (we'd been homeschooling the past few years) and got the house set up while dp was still living and working in NY. But now I'm on the hunt! Still looking to stay part-time and I would prefer to stay with the government, but I'm sending my resume basically everywhere. Flexibility, lack of commute and work environment are top priorities to met at this point. I'd love something that I can do a bit from home. And I have some ideas for a home business. We'll see, we'll see.