After Three Years Away from the Workplace, I Landed My First Job in the UK

Those who’ve read my previous posts or know me a little may know that after my daughter started nursery, I began looking for part-time work. I wanted to rediscover a sense of social value beyond family life.

This October, I happened to see a post on social media from a local primary school teacher saying her school was recruiting a part-time administrative assistant. I didn’t hesitate — I quickly prepared my CV and submitted my application online.

A small fact that might be interesting: recruitment in Scottish public schools is different from in China. Schools don’t issue contracts themselves; everything is managed by the local council (similar to a district government). Legally speaking, teachers, administrators, and teaching assistants are all council employees. Their salaries, contracts, and benefits all belong to the council system. However, the interviews and hiring decisions are still made by the school, since the people you work with daily are the headteacher, staff, and children.

Besides sending my CV, I carefully filled out the council’s online application system and even wrote a personal statement of over a thousand words explaining my background and why I was suitable for the role.

I applied at the end of October and received an interview invitation in early November. The interviewers were the headteacher and the office manager. Although I had prepared, sitting at the interview table was still nerve-racking, and the language barrier didn’t help. I felt my performance was average.

At the end of the interview, the headteacher kindly told me she had a good impression of me, but since there were more candidates to interview, they couldn’t give an immediate answer. She said they would call later that day with the result.

So I turned my phone volume to maximum and carried it everywhere. But by bedtime, there was still no call. I more or less assumed the outcome. My husband comforted me, joking, “You’d have to get up early every day anyway — maybe it’s not a bad thing.” 😂

Then came the twist the next day.

It was Friday. I had just finished a free English class and was walking home when an unfamiliar number called. It was the office manager:
“Would you like to accept the job? If you’re willing, we’d be delighted to have you.”

I was so happy I nearly jumped up in the street and immediately said yes.

In mid-November, the council emailed me asking for documents. Since the role involves working with children, a PVG background check was required. I also provided references from previous jobs and volunteer work. The staff member told me she had contacted my referees and would proceed once their replies were received.

By the end of November, the school called to confirm that all checks were complete and I could start anytime.

From application to onboarding, it took a full month. For a seemingly small part-time administrative job, the process was surprisingly rigorous. It also gave me more understanding and respect for the system here.

On my second day after getting the call, I couldn’t wait to go to school. My main duties include:

Registering children who attend the breakfast club
Maintaining order and safety during breakfast and activities
Doing drawing and small games with the children
Managing toys and supplies
Reminding them to tidy up, line up, and finally taking them outside for fresh air

The work itself isn’t complicated, but my biggest challenge — can you guess?

Recognizing names.

I need to quickly find each child’s name on the register and tick attendance. The problem is, I don’t fully recognize the children yet, and I’m not familiar with many English names. A whole page of names can look like a puzzle to me 😂

Thankfully, the children are incredibly friendly. The P2 and P3 kids often surround me and eagerly tell me who’s who, what year they’re in, and their names. They’ve basically become my little helpers.

This morning, I even received a drawing from a child, which warmed my heart.

Spending time with the children — their laughter, trust, and small acts of help — has slowly pulled me out of anxiety and brought me back to a lighter, stronger version of myself.

If you’re going through a period of adjustment, stagnation, or uncertainty, I hope my experience gives you a little courage.

Finally, I truly want to thank my husband for his full support. Because I start work early, he takes care of our daughter’s morning routine — waking her up, dressing her, breakfast, and nursery drop-off. He sometimes feels rushed, but he does it with care and dedication every day.

Much of an adult’s courage doesn’t come from themselves, but from someone behind them quietly carrying part of life’s weight.

This small part-time job is my first step back into working life in a foreign country. And the reason I could take this step is because he silently picked up the things I had to put down.

Thank you ❤️