RoadtripReaderDesert's journey

I've been feeling stuck in my career after switching back to an industry I started in nearly 20 years ago. For the past year, I've been providing my services pro bono, which has been fulfilling but has left me unsure about how to transition to paid work. In my previous roles, I spent a decade in corporate jobs and then got caught up in the ESL world, which has left me with no solid references. Now, at 40, I feel like I'm at a disadvantage in the job market. I’ve condensed my teaching experience into a single entry on my CV, but I worry that labeling it as volunteer or pro bono diminishes its value when HR or AI systems review it. I’m looking for advice on how to effectively present this experience and make the leap from unpaid work to a paid position. I’ve put in a year of effort without compensation and am feeling lost on how to move forward.