Can't believe this is my life now!
Posted 26th May 2008 by 1tiredmama, tagged working mom, unemployed, new direction
I am unemployed, unexpectedly. I am married and have the best 16 month old boy in the world. For the first time since I've graduated from college, I don't have a job! We had to sell our house and move back in with my parents! I'm 32 years old and I'm out of work and back at home! I just can't believe it!
My husband is finishing his bachelors degree and already has a job when he gets done with school, which is GREAT! We're all very excited and happy for him. My son is growing up so fast and is really getting to the cute personality stage. We're all very excited and happy for him. FOR HIM!!! I've always been so used to "so happy FOR HER"!!!! When did it stop being about me? Oh yeah, 16 months ago!!
I want to be one of those people who can say, "being laid off was the best thing that happened to me! I was able to finally do what I wanted". Well, I don't know what I REALLY want to do! I know I have skills. I graduated with a double major in business from a top business school in the country and I can't get a job!!! Well, I can get a job. But, I'd have to take a 50% paycut, which doesn't pay the bills. But, we live at home with my parents right? So, what bills could I have? Damn credit cards, a huge car payment because I trade up and end up being upside in the damn things, and car insurance. I have a house that my grandmother is currently renting from me. The plan is to move back into that. But oh yeah, until I get a job and refinance the house, we can't afford to move back into it! It's a real humdinger of a situation!
Anyone have any ideas on how I can really determine what direction to take my career? And for the first time in my life, I'm starting to feel like it's not about my career! Is that part of being a wife and mother? Ugh!!! Learning lessons the hard way is not fun!!
1 comment so far...
I think you've identified some parameters for choosing what you might want to do next -- you need to make a certain amount of money, it has to be a job that is compatible with being a mom (some flexibility would be great, as I've learned) and it has to be something you're interested in (I firmly believe the last point.)
What about the alumni office at your business school? I went back to my alumni career office when I got laid off from this dot com I mentioned and what they helped me do was connect with a few alumni in industries I was thinking about -- networking, in my experience, is one of the best ways not just to get a job, but to help me figure out what it should be.
Good luck -- keep posting about this, I hope it works out!
Flag as inappropriate Posted by Nataly on 26th May 2008