Dear Jeremy | Money | The Guardian

Dear Jeremy | Money | The Guardian

Is my Oxford degree preventing me from getting an admin role?

I am a 42-year-old woman trying to return to the workplace after 10 years at home bringing up my twin daughters, one of whom is disabled – I have been a carer as well as a stay-at-home mum.

I have a degree in philosophy, politics and economics from Oxford, but of course that was completed nearly 20 years ago. Before having children I worked in admin jobs.

So far my applications haven't delivered much, even though I have a good knowledge of CVs, application forms and so on. I seem to suffer from being "overqualified" in some employers' eyes, yet I lack relevant up-to-date work experience. I am trying to remedy this by working for the NHS in a voluntary capacity as an administrator.

In the past 10 years I have been a school governor and a carer trainer – where I deliver talks about being a carer. I have also completed numerous part-time courses, for some of which I have won awards for being "most improved learner" or similar.

Where am I going wrong? ......