Working Mummies Support Group #2

**Beautiful Disaster** · January 8th, 2015, 06:44 PM

I work for both necessity and choice. Like mamma t it helps my sanity and our family is better off for it. Unfortunately in my field (insurance broking) there isn't if any pt jobs cause you have to be there for your clients

sometimes it doesn't seem worth it when I'm going to be paying 1/2 my wage in daycare fees

I'm still waiting to hear and this is the part about job seeking that is the absolute pits.

How did you go mama T

**peanutter** · January 8th, 2015, 07:22 PM

I work by choice, but because I've always been the breadwinner, it's a necessity.

If I had wanted to be at home with the kids, DH would have supported it, but we would not have bought a house, and our lifestyle would be different.

But that's also probably because we've known for years and years that he wanted to be the child rearer, and I wanted to work ... perhaps if that hadn't been decided so long ago, he'd have gone into a career path which lead to earning more ... who knows?

But I work, and happily work, and then go home to my darlings

**Mumma T** · January 8th, 2015, 07:45 PM

BD i got turned down for a job today and wont find out if i made the short list for yesterday's til end of next week. I really loathe job hunting. I will start considering long term temp positions soon. Any idea when you expect to hear anything?

**Beautiful Disaster** · January 8th, 2015, 07:52 PM

Well they wanted someone to start asap so I hope not too long

One of my references called me today to say that the guy who i interviewed with weeks ago called for a reference today. Not sure i want that job mow

**wysiwyg** · January 8th, 2015, 08:13 PM

BD i got turned down for a job today and wont find out if i made the short list for yesterday's til end of next week. I really loathe job hunting. I will start considering long term temp positions soon. Any idea when you expect to hear anything?

Sorry to hear you got turned down. I agree about the loathing job hunting - I need to start soon (next week) but is so depressing I really don't want to. Everything is so short term - I just can't turn my life upside down and sort out necessary care arrangements to go full-time for a 3 month contract (and one where they will only decide to renew or not in last week). I can't understand the logic behind it - companies spend a fortune with recruitment agencies to try and get right candidate but then are not confident enough in that to give a decent length contract (on a 9 month project makes very little sense to give 3 month contracts for example) so then the contractor will spend the last four weeks job hunting and then they might decide in last week is time to offer renewal by which point the contractor has found a better offer and so they have to go through the recruitment process again.

In my last role on my last day they asked me to stay they were offering slightly more money but only for January (I had already cancelled childcare for DD (you have to give them 4 weeks notice) I mean really what planet are they on that they think I can just drop all my plans and make rearrangements for care for just an assurance of 4 extra weeks of work.

**Ladylove** · January 8th, 2015, 09:16 PM

I was in my last role interstate for 8 years so job hunting is a bit alien to me now. I have applied for one job since I returned here, a really exciting (to me) position but I didn't even get an interview. That hurt because I have a decent amount of experience but they had an extraordinary volume of applications apparently. But still, I'm genuinely surprised I didn't even make it to interview.

**nyigi** · January 9th, 2015, 04:39 AM

It's a combination of choice and necessity for me. DH's work comes and goes so the money is a bit irregular. We could probably manage with just him working and we've done for short stretches (doing it again now) but it's hard financially and he gets really stressed.
I've always been really happy working. Though I'm really enjoying my time off now (though I'm actually still going into the office and working 3 days a week, I'm just taking DS2 with me and not worrying too much about how much I'm getting done).
Best solution would be for both DH and I to work part-time.
It's looking like I might not find anything till next year which is a bit longer than I would've liked. We'll see...

**Mumma T** · January 9th, 2015, 10:21 AM

I was in my last role interstate for 8 years so job hunting is a bit alien to me now. I have applied for one job since I returned here, a really exciting (to me) position but I didn't even get an interview. That hurt because I have a decent amount of experience but they had an extraordinary volume of applications apparently. But still, I'm genuinely surprised I didn't even make it to interview.

I have been surprised on 1 or 2 roles also. I find in Melbourne sometimes you can have experience up the wahzoo but it still doesn't mean you'll get even an interview, especially if its through an agency.

**Beautiful Disaster** · January 13th, 2015, 06:56 AM

I hate waiting

**Mumma T** · January 13th, 2015, 08:08 AM

Me too!
I applied for a 6 month contract yesterday and they emailed me asking if i would like to be considered gor a 12 month contract role they have going too. We have negotiated the money so now waiting to see if i get either of them. Fingers crossed. I will keep looking for something permanent if i get either of them but i really need to get back to work as money is super tight right now.

**Beautiful Disaster** · January 13th, 2015, 08:12 AM

Yep here too. It's causing me so much stress

**Mumma T** · January 13th, 2015, 08:39 AM

I hear you, I find it really stressful too. Interview next Wednesday for both roles

**Beautiful Disaster** · January 13th, 2015, 08:39 AM

Wow that's ages away. Good luck

**Beautiful Disaster** · January 13th, 2015, 04:41 PM

So I just heard that I got the 1st job I went for but i really don't want to accept it

I guess if I don't get the 2nd one I have a fall back option I just don't think the 1st one will work with kids

**Mumma T** · January 13th, 2015, 04:48 PM

Congratulations on getting the first job.

Keeping everything crossed you get the other one too

**wysiwyg** · January 13th, 2015, 06:18 PM

Congratulations BD - hope the other offer comes through so it works out for you the way you want it.

I started more serious looking today - I am not really sure what is for the best though - DH job finishes mid April (was a fixed term contract - working on a major sporting event which will finish then so there is zero chance of any extension), if he can't line up a job straight away it will mean I need to get a full time contract to earn some decent money for us to live on. There has been one or two jobs I have seen which are permanent 12 month fixed term (asking for full-time but I might be able to swing four) but the money would not be that good but are close by - if I went for them I would have to see out the 12 months - but if DH doesn't get a new job quickly - we would be really stumped for money if I was in those positions - I think if they were permanent positions maybe it would be worth the risk to get my foot in the door at that place but for a 12 month fixed term am not so sure.

What are the likely reasons places choose 12 month fixed term permanent, they are not an option I am very familiar with at all. DH I could understand it - once the tournament is over then there is no role, or company, so a 30 month fixed term made obvious sense. The above roles are with a not for profit - is that likely to influence why the roles are 12 month fixed term?

In the past I tend to apply for things and then see what happens if things progress - and that is probably what I would advise other people too, but I seem to do quite well at getting jobs but I am not sure my "let fate decide" approach has worked that well.

Everyday I just think - who knew that working and having a family would be this difficult - all the ways I expected it to be difficult - missing the kids, tiredness etc I haven't found that bad - but the finding suitable interesting employment and working out what to do so some money keeps flowing in - is far more difficult than I imagined.

**Beautiful Disaster** · January 13th, 2015, 06:43 PM

My job I was at when I was preg was a 12 month contract as they were waiting on a computer says to be implemented that would replace my job. Hence why I couldn't go back.

**Foss** · January 13th, 2015, 07:12 PM

The 12 month contract for not for profits are typically tied to specific funding deeds. Sometimes they get extended but only if they can secure additional funds. Depending on the organisation, they could also be tied to election cycles...