Tough transition to the UK

Good advice has already been given. Just wanted to tell you to keep hanging in there! Are you part of any expat meetup groups? I know you mention your husband works in London so you must be in the southern region but not sure where specifically. Might be nice to just get out and talk to other expats in person, if possible. The summer weather we had as well won't help any homesickness either if you're from cape cod. I know I was even missing summers on the cape this year!

I haven't joined any expat groups but i recently got into rowing. I do that once a week usually (my husband is actually in Boston at the minute so I skipped out this week). I like the socialisation of that and it's good exercise. I know there are lots of Americans here (I live in Richmond) and I dunno, I've been an expat before and I'm not huge into groups. I have met a few folks from my son's nursery though and that's also quite helpful (one American who shares a lot about their journey between the US & UK with a kiddo). I don't so much miss the US, I really miss having a job and being more self-sufficient. My work outside the UK has no value and these past 6 months of constant rejection is really getting to me. I am now registered with a load of recruiters and they said to lower expectations even more and start from the very bottom (£10-12/hour admin roles) so that I can build credibility within a British higher education workplace. I will do it of course, but it is definitely a professional nosedive and financial shock from £35/hourly that I made as a lecturer the US.

I think your depression and other problems are being exacerbated by the natural feelings of culture shock.  Google it, or see my post about the book somewhere on this forum. 

Thanks for that, Jim. Meant to reply much earlier. I suppose a bit of this could be due to culture shock, but I have more anxiety and downers about finances (see above response to Kiss of Death). I really can't enjoy being here because I can't afford to socialise for the most part. I thrive being around people. I have met up with friends (without simultaneous childcare obligations) about 5 times since I arrived. My husband goes out more - perhaps twice a month. Of course he has many more friends here than I do. I think a lot will improve once I don't have this constant dread that we have now haemorrhaged through our hard earned savings without any hope of padding it back up.

As an aside, I had a routine blood test about a month ago, and my doctor found signs of hypothyroidism, which can also cause depression. We're monitoring it before medicating but that, too, could be a reason for this habitual feeling of being in the dumps.

I  My work outside the UK has no value and these past 6 months of constant rejection is really getting to me. I am now registered with a load of recruiters and they said to lower expectations even more and start from the very bottom (£10-12/hour admin roles) so that I can build credibility within a British higher education workplace. I will do it of course, but it is definitely a professional nosedive and financial shock from £35/hourly that I made as a lecturer the US.

I'd have loved to get £10-12 an hour for a first role in the UK!

My first job here paid £13k a year (minimum wage), second job was £17k... And I'm finally at £27k after 4.5 years.

They won't hire me for those jobs. I'm nearly 40, have a PhD, and lots of experience. They don't believe I'll stick around. I have applied for a huge range so it certainly is not as if I am holding out for a £35ph job.

I'd have loved to get £10-12 an hour for a first role in the UK!

My first job here paid £13k a year (minimum wage), second job was £17k... And I'm finally at £27k after 4.5 years.

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They won't hire me for those jobs. I'm nearly 40, have a PhD, and lots of experience. They don't believe I'll stick around. I have applied for a huge range so it certainly is not as if I am holding out for a £35ph job.
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What type of roles were you hoping to get? If you don't mind travelling from Richmond to Bracknell, I know Vodafone is hiring in the projects areas.

My last role was in programme management at a university (within campus life), before that I was the academic director and assistant professor in a university centre. So I have mainly been eyeing up programme management positions and in the higher ed sector since that's my recent experience. What's keeping me out of that is direct experience with the widely used database in unis here which you can really only get access to in universities themselves. I'm not averse to other sectors (applied to non profits, consulting, finance sectors, even Gap and no joy). I'll check out Vodafone though and see if there might be a fit - thanks!

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My last role was in programme management at a university (within campus life), before that I was the academic director and assistant professor in a university centre. So I have mainly been eyeing up programme management positions and in the higher ed sector since that's my recent experience. What's keeping me out of that is direct experience with the widely used database in unis here which you can really only get access to in universities themselves. I'm not averse to other sectors (applied to non profits, consulting, finance sectors, even Gap and no joy). I'll check out Vodafone though and see if there might be a fit - thanks!

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Not sure if you drive but there are offices in a few different places you might be able to get to relatively easy by train/bus if you don't drive (and, actually, the more locations you're open to, the more job opportunities there are). Would definitely give their job page a look and see if there's anything you might be interested in. If nothing else, it will get you some UK work experience I know they are always hiring so thought I would let you know.

Appreciated! I don't drive yet and we don't yet have a car but it is something to consider. Thank you

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I don't so much miss the US, I really miss having a job and being more self-sufficient. My work outside the UK has no value and these past 6 months of constant rejection is really getting to me. I am now registered with a load of recruiters and they said to lower expectations even more and start from the very bottom (£10-12/hour admin roles) so that I can build credibility within a British higher education workplace. I will do it of course, but it is definitely a professional nosedive and financial shock from £35/hourly that I made as a lecturer the US.

It is hard. In the States I was bringing in a similar amount as a personnel administrator at a University, with 20 years' experience. Here I'm having to fight tooth-and-nail to get interviews for entry-level, clerical positions in academia at £8 an hour. I've had more luck with interviews for government jobs, but they also pay abysmally poorly for the duties of the positions. It's just an entirely different landscape here that you have to navigate.

I've been looking for work, on and off, for over 15 months now. I had a job offer that ended up being pulled because the Home Office decided they didn't want to have to do a security check outside the country on me (I hadn't been in-country long enough). I have had another offer where the final terms of the offer were not what the advertised position was as far as hours worked for the stated pay - by a longshot - that I turned down.  I do think it's just a matter of slogging through it until you can get something, anything, that is tolerable - for the maintainence of your sanity. From there, you start to build a career all over again.

For me, it's realistically too late to do that - I'm really already early-retired, but have a few good years left where I could be productive.  Unfortunately, I'm bidding for the same jobs that someone 21 years old and completely "green" is going after, and I really do think there is both an anti-age bias and the consideration that I'm not as good an investment as someone who they could possibly keep on for a few decades. Them's the breaks.  Please don't give up.  Even if you take something well below your capabilities and experience, it'll be good for your mind to be working. And you don't have to stay there forever.

It's crazy! But then I interview and the first thing they say when I get into the room (at LSE - my first interview): "So obviously you're overqualified." Then they ask about my research and this is all for an admin role. When I got feedback they were generous in giving me detail but also said that I was an academic and that they hired someone with previous admin experience that best fit the role (read: BA only). Second interview was largely the same. I'm being sent similar roles as you mention - they vary in salary, but of course they're all much lower than I have been making.

Sadly, Navient doesn't care. Despite being unemployed they've doubled my repayments. Add that to the stress of not having a job to qualify us as a family for that 30 hrs childcare (I need to be  working and earning over 125/wk)) or being able to plan for another child - it is so depressing. My husband had zero trouble in the US and he has no higher education whatsoever. Upon his return to the UK he is now making 35% more than he had been earning in the US! I don't even know why I decided to do a PhD when I see what he has done.

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We'll have to meet up then, because I'm just in Twickenham.  Even more important is the fact that my wife is a University lecturer and can tell you many things about working here, especially about the local market. 

We are going to the Kempton Park Steam Museum on Sunday (http://www.kemptonsteam.org/  to see the steam engines go and the classic cars.  You could come if you are up for an adventure , or we could meet by the river for a pub lunch.  I know a couple of good pubs with playgrounds. 

It's crazy! But then I interview and the first thing they say when I get into the room (at LSE - my first interview): "So obviously you're overqualified." Then they ask about my research and this is all for an admin role. When I got feedback they were generous in giving me detail but also said that I was an academic and that they hired someone with previous admin experience that best fit the role (read: BA only). Second interview was largely the same. I'm being sent similar roles as you mention - they vary in salary, but of course they're all much lower than I have been making.

Sadly, Navient doesn't care. Despite being unemployed they've doubled my repayments. Add that to the stress of not having a job to qualify us as a family for that 30 hrs childcare (I need to be  working and earning over 125/wk)) or being able to plan for another child - it is so depressing. My husband had zero trouble in the US and he has no higher education whatsoever. Upon his return to the UK he is now making 35% more than he had been earning in the US! I don't even know why I decided to do a PhD when I see what he has done.

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Direct loan consolidation?

It's crazy! But then I interview and the first thing they say when I get into the room (at LSE - my first interview): "So obviously you're overqualified." Then they ask about my research and this is all for an admin role. When I got feedback they were generous in giving me detail but also said that I was an academic and that they hired someone with previous admin experience that best fit the role (read: BA only). Second interview was largely the same. I'm being sent similar roles as you mention - they vary in salary, but of course they're all much lower than I have been making.

Sadly, Navient doesn't care. Despite being unemployed they've doubled my repayments. Add that to the stress of not having a job to qualify us as a family for that 30 hrs childcare (I need to be  working and earning over 125/wk)) or being able to plan for another child - it is so depressing. My husband had zero trouble in the US and he has no higher education whatsoever. Upon his return to the UK he is now making 35% more than he had been earning in the US! I don't even know why I decided to do a PhD when I see what he has done.

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Have you thought about re-working your CV to play up the administrative duties and downplay education? (I'm sure you have, but thought I'd ask on the slim chance you had not.)

We are talking six figure repayment.

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We'll have to meet up then, because I'm just in Twickenham.  Even more important is the fact that my wife is a University lecturer and can tell you many things about working here, especially about the local market. 

We are going to the Kempton Park Steam Museum on Sunday (http://www.kemptonsteam.org/  to see the steam engines go and the classic cars.  You could come if you are up for an adventure , or we could meet by the river for a pub lunch.  I know a couple of good pubs with playgrounds.

You should go if you can. It'd get you out of the house and into the "old girls' network" with his better half. And that is REALLY invaluable!

We are talking six figure repayment.

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I'm only slightly below that. My payments are about $75 a month for 25 years on a consolidated loan via REPAYE, and then written off. I'll probably be dead by that point, and they can't get blood out of a rock. 

I think REPAYE is probably better for a single person, but you really should investigate the options if you have not done already.  https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/consolidation     and   https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/node/78