43-Year-Old Mom Panicking About Job Interview After 3-Year Career Gap 😰

I'm freaking out and could really use some advice right now. After running my own childcare business for three years, I finally closed it down when my daughter started school full-time. Now I'm ready to jump back into the corporate world, but honestly, I'm terrified. 😅 I just landed an interview for a state government position in criminal justice research, but the competition is fierce – they're doing back-to-back interviews for three straight days! My biggest fear? That they'll take one look at my resume gap and assume I'm too old or out of touch compared to these fresh college graduates. I had to dig way back into my work history just to show relevant skills, which probably screams "older applicant" to anyone reading it. Plus, I'm an introvert who hasn't interviewed in years – what if I completely bomb those dreaded "tell me about your weaknesses" questions? The pay isn't amazing, but the benefits and pension plan would be life-changing for my family. I just need to nail this interview somehow. Any tips for an anxious mom trying to restart her career? 🤞 #careerchange #jobsearch #workingmom #JobCareer #Career