When I was studying for my master’s degree, I thought the hardest part would be the late nights, the research, the deadlines. I imagined that once I graduated, the degree would open doors, my hard work would be rewarded, and things would finally feel easier.
But real life doesn’t wait for you to “get settled.” It doesn’t pause because you’ve earned a diploma.
For me, the job search wasn’t just about sending out resumes—it was about balancing hope and exhaustion. Every application meant time stolen from somewhere else… usually from the moments I could have spent resting or caring for my child.
Caring for a Child with a Disability Changes Everything
Parenting a child with a disability means your days are already full—full of appointments, therapies, advocating, and constant problem-solving. The unpredictability is intense: one day might go smoothly, the next could be an avalanche of meltdowns, phone calls from school, or medical needs.
Trying to fit job interviews, networking, and applications into that reality? It feels like trying to run a race while carrying a heavy backpack that only you can lift—one filled with love, yes, but also with an unshakable weight.
The Invisible Challenge
What’s harder than explaining an employment gap? Explaining that the gap was filled with the most important work of your life—raising and advocating for a child who needs you 24/7. Unfortunately, the world doesn’t always see caregiving as “experience.” They don’t put it in the “skills” section of a resume, even though it’s taught me resilience, negotiation, time management, crisis response, and problem-solving better than any classroom ever could.
Holding On
I’ve learned that finding work after a master’s degree isn’t just about qualifications—it’s about finding an employer who sees me, all of me, including the role I play as a parent and caregiver. Until then, I keep showing up for both jobs—the one I’m paid for (whenever it comes) and the one that will never be on my LinkedIn, but is written all over my heart.
Until then, I’ll keep doing the hardest, most important work—whether the world calls it a “job” or not.
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