Selling yourself

[gina]

How does one sell him or herself?

I have this major problem and unless i drop everything that means the world to me, i cannot solve it. I need some answers, or at least a direction...


My husband has become disabled, he no longer works, therefore he no longer gets a paycheck or health insurance for the family and himself. (He does receive a disability check every month, although its not much)
All i do is drive a school bus.. not much pay, no benefits at all and the hours pretty much suck.
I need a real job. But i have no qualifications, no money and my ambition level is sinking lower and lower.

My question is, how does one sell him or herself when theres nothing there to offer? I need a job with benefits and a decent pay to support my family.... but how/where??

How do single parents do this thing? support kids/home/school/holidays/etc? How does someone further their education when the monies just dont exist to support this venture? How.... does a person make what seems like a hopeless situation work out for the best?

How does a person sell their self when s/he have nothing to offer?

[writespeak]

Gina, have you thought about being self-employed or working for an employer from home? Somewhere there are lists of types of work that stay-at-home parents can do. You could fit some of that work between bus driving.

If you want a job with benefits etc., I suggest putting together a functional resume, one that focuses on your skills rather than your work history. You must be good with children, for example. Do you have volunteer experience that shows your people skills? You certainly have computer skills. :)

How does a person sell their self when s/he have nothing to offer?

You have more to offer than you think.

In a previous job, I went through resumes and interviewed applicants. The resumes went into "yes," "maybe," and "no" piles. They had to look professional and have all the information that I asked for and needed. If the applicant left me to work to figure out his/her qualifications, the resume didn't go in the "yes" pile. I got to the other piles only if I didn't get enough suitable applicants via the "yes" pile.

Your cover letter and resume can get you to an interview, and you keep selling yourself after that.

In the interviews, I looked for the right personality for the job, confidence, a comfortable way of relating to people, and demonstration of the ability to meet the job requirements. Nervousness was normal, so I wasn't concerned about that unless it was excessive.

So...look for job descriptions that could fit you, put together a good resume, apply, and be your natural friendly self in the interview. :) I know, it isn't as easy as that, but it's a start.

Good luck! :)

Lois

[Aussie Bob]

Gina,

Sorry to hear of your situation. Sometimes life can be hard. :(

Can your husband perform any other duties, with his disability? What about working online? Is that a possibility?

[ldcdc]

Hi Gina, I'm sorry to hear that your husband's health continued to deteriorate. Best of luck to both of you!

[Diesel]

Best Of luck gina :) I wish i could do something.