Advice from Successful Returners to Work

Did you miss our Women Returners 'Back to Your Future' Conference this week in London? For those of you who couldn't join us, our next few blogs will talk about the takeouts from this sellout event.

Our Returner Panel session was chaired by the wonderful Jane Garvey from BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour. Five women who have successfully returned to work after a multi-year career break spoke about their experiences. Two had taken a break to care for small children, one for fostering and setting up a business, one to focus on family time with older children and one to take time out from a long career in a high-pressure role. Three had returned to work via a returnship, the other two via networks or stepping-stone roles.

Here are some of the highlights from their comments, including the panel's advice for other women wanting to get back to work:

On where they are now:

“It’s been a revelation to me - the whole returnship process, the support the firm has provided me, the support from Women Returners and the whole promotion of the idea of being able to return to work... I managed not only to return to work but to start a whole new career in the finance industry." 

"I didn't know that returnships existed. I had set my standard of returning to work as 'perhaps I could take a few steps back if someone would have me' - I really had no expectations and not a lot of confidence that I'd be able to step back into a senior role...honestly, the programme has been transformative for me and my career."

“It’s amazing - I didn’t think that from where I was two and a half years ago to where I am now was going to be possible."


On how they first felt being back at work:
 
"It was a bit of a shock, I wanted it but it was quite challenging. The most interesting thing for me was the progression over a number of weeks. And what I learned from day one was not to crucify myself by setting totally unrealistic standards about what I wanted to achieve.”

"I think we all have that slight reservation that we’re not quite up to it or that we won’t know what to do when we (arrive) and sit down or go to a meeting. But I was amazed at how quickly it all came back. After about three weeks the senior management team were saying 'we feel like you’ve been in the organisation for years - you’ve just fitted back in'."

"My first day was a mixture of terror and excitement.”

“My employers were really welcoming...I was nervous about photocopiers and phone systems."

"Don't worry - within a week you'll be back in the swing of it."

"I was made to feel incredibly welcome from day one. I was given a senior woman as a mentor and meetings were set up for me to meet other people in the department."

On setting boundaries/managing work-life balance:

"You have to decide what you’re going to do in a week, what you’re going to deliver and make sure you communicate that to people around you."

"It's really important for you to take responsibility (for managing boundaries). No-one is going to do that for you."

"Don't set unrealistic standards about what you can achieve when you first get back to work."

On what to wear for interviews:

"A friend gave me some brilliant career advice once. He said - when you’re going for an interview don’t do things that will enable people to write you off from the beginning. If you’re going for an interview where - like it or not - they wear suits then wear a suit. Do your research."

"For me, it’s about feeling confident. - if you feel confident in what you’re wearing that’s what’s important - and the fact that you project that confidence."

“It's very dependent on the workplace. I don’t think it’s to do with wearing a suit - it’s about getting the dress code right.”

"I went to the hairdresser for the first time in two years - I wanted to feel 'put together' and confident."

General comments/advice:

"What I would recommend is lots of positive talk to yourself in front of the mirror before you go into the interview."

"We have to understand that we have skills - they don’t go away - they might be slightly rusty but I can reassure you that within a week you’ll be back in the swing of things and within three months you’ll feel you’ve never been away."

“You’ve had a break, you’ve developed lots of positive behaviours and that’s what you’ve got to offer a new employer."

“One of the women on my returner programme had been out of the workplace for 20 years and came back in and did the programme and got herself a job that she was absolutely thrilled to get and loves and is forging another career."

Sign up to our free network for more advice, support and job opportunities. You’ll find much more help and advice on our website.

I've been on a career break for over 10 years – is it possible for me to return to work?

So, you’ve had a long career break and now want to return to meaningful work that builds on your skills and experience. It’s only human to feel daunted by this and we won’t pretend your route back to work will be a stroll in the park. But do believe in yourself – it is possible and there’s lots of help out there. You’re still the same capable person you were before your break – just a little out of practice.

First of all, check out the advice hub on our website - this will help you throughout your return to work journey. And for inspiration, and to show it’s possible, here are some real-life examples of women who have returned to work after a break of 10 or more years. Enjoy reading their stories – they have some great advice and tips!

 
M - Software Developer (14 year break)

M, who worked as an IT contractor, had a 14-year career break on and off. During her time away from the world of IT she did some teaching of basic IT skills and ran a business with mixed results. She decided to return to work as a software developer using recruitment companies. She is now a full-time PeopleSoft software developer.

Here are M’s top tips: 

• The best advice I have is to just go for it 

• Be determined if you have made up your mind that you definitely want to go back to work 
• Even after I received the standard rejection emails from the recruitment agents, I still phoned them to ‘check whether they had received my email’ and tried to show some personality, drive and ambition in a two minute phone call! It worked and the agent who sent me for the job interview had initially rejected my CV
  

Sarah-Jane – Portfolio Manager (15 year break)

Sarah Jane worked in asset management for 17 years before taking voluntary redundancy in 2002. During her 15 year career break she trained as a homeopath and worked for a small printing company. A change in family circumstances in 2017 prompted her to re-establish her career in asset management. She returned via the Fidelity New Horizons Programme.

Here are Sarah-Jane’s top tips:

• First and foremost, believe it is possible! 
• Be organised, do your research, brush up on skills that will be needed once you are working 
• Contact old colleagues and ask for advice – they will be happy to give it 
• Receiving rejections is hard, but learn from each interview and treat each setback as a chance to consolidate and assess your next move 
• It may take time to find the right role in the right company but it will have been worth the effort when you do
  

Jill – In-house Lawyer (12 year break including career change)

Jill worked for 8 years as an in-house lawyer. After a 7 year career break following the birth of her third child she re-trained as a family mediator. Although she enjoyed her new career, she didn’t like working from home and realised how suited she was to being an in-house lawyer and how much she enjoyed it. She began with a returner course for solicitors and after plenty of setbacks and dead ends, six months later she was offered her first interim in-house role.

Here are Jill's top tips:

• Be determined in pursuing what you want and don’t be afraid of trying new areas, even if it is not exactly what you think you are looking for 
• No experience is wasted and you will learn a lot along the way 
• A very practical point: take the earliest interview date possible. In one case the company stopped interviewing after they saw me 
• Returners are often more positive, motivated and enthusiastic than other people, which is great for any business
  

Sara – Software Developer (13 year break)

Sara graduated with a BSc in Computing and pursued a career as a software developer. She became a full-time mum when her first child was born. Sara returned to work 13 years later via the Capgemini Returners Programme.

Sara says: “Software development has changed immeasurably, but the problem-solving mindset remains the same and it is this ability to problem solve that makes a software engineer. I’ve learnt that I can go back to work, and my family won’t fall apart. My children can survive.”

Sara’s advice is: “Go for it! You know more than you think you do and the maturity and diversity that you bring to a team is immeasurable in adding to its success.”


Nina – Mobile Technology Specialist (11 year break)

Nina worked for a variety of multi-national mobile technology firms before her 11 year career break during which she retrained as a secondary school maths teacher. She returned to the mobile phone industry via Vodafone’s six-month Return to Technology programme.

Here are Nina’s top tips for technology returnships: 

• When selling yourself, focus on your skills, not your knowledge 
• There are loads of technology jobs out there, someone is looking for your skills set. Don’t worry about having been out of the industry for some years, they are looking at what you can do for them 
• Don’t wait for the perfect job that matches your long-term ambition. Get your foot through the door and you can look around once inside
• Get yourself a LinkedIn account and get back in touch with old colleagues. Someone is most likely looking for help on some project or other so you can get some recent experience under your belt

You can check out all our return-to-work success stories here.

And why not sign up to our free network for advice, support and job opportunities.

Tackling Fears about Returning to Work after a Career Break

We are witnessing a very real change in the employment landscape for women returning to work after a career break. Employers are coming up with innovative ideas to attract and retain women, and showing willingness to implement the changes needed to entice returners. All in all, there’s never been a better time to return to work, so what’s stopping more women from taking advantage of these opportunities?

Elaine Russell, who heads up Women Returners in Ireland, and Karin Lanigan, Manager of Career Development and Recruitment Services for Chartered Accountants Ireland, talked to The Irish Times Women in Business Podcast about the common fears and challenges faced by women who are considering a return to the workplace. Below we have pulled out some of the key points and you can also listen to the full podcast episode here.

I’ve been out of the workplace for too long
You mustn’t let the length of time you’ve been out of work stop you from going back. We have worked with returners who have been out for 15 years or more and have successfully returned to professional-level work through returner programmes or through their networks. Remember that the length of your break doesn’t change your strengths, which are an integral part of who you are, and doesn't wipe out the career experience you had beforehand.

Also, you don’t need to talk about the length of your career break when introducing yourself to prospective employers. Do reference it - don't apologise or defend it - however, focus predominantly on your previous experience and what you want to do going forward.

I’m too old
Diversity is a hot topic right now, with many companies actively looking at ways of attracting older people. We’re seeing more and more women in their 50’s returning to the workplace, where they’re appreciated for their maturity, experience, perspective and stability.

I can’t get to grips with new technology
Technology moves quickly and some returners fear they’ll never catch up. However, it’s worth remembering that this rapidity of change means that everyone has to work hard to keep abreast of developments, even those people who have never had a career break. If you take some time to get yourself up to speed, you may actually be in a stronger position than others who haven’t had that time. It’s also worth bearing in mind that technology in the workplace is not so different to the technology we use at home these days, and so you might well find that you’re not as out of the loop as you may think!

I’ve lost my confidence
We know that women typically have less confidence when valuing their professional worth. Combine this with an extended career break, and professional confidence can truly plummet. It’s important to work on building your self-confidence so that you’re ready to go back into work with a positive mindset. Reconnect with your professional self and remember the value of your past qualifications and experience, and also of the skills you have gained outside of the workplace.

I can’t compete with applicants who haven’t take time out
Companies are actively looking for people like you, i.e. people who have taken time out and are coming back to the workplace with renewed energy. Remember that your time off is an asset in itself, and that during that time you gained a breadth of perspective and many new skills which you can feel proud of.

I’m scared of networking
While we often think of ‘networking’ as a process of selling ourselves, which can be a scary prospect, it’s more about meeting and chatting to people, which is what we do all the time. Networking can be enjoyable! You're not asking for a job - you're letting people know  about your previous work experience and what you'd like to do now, to see if you can get advice and information. Remember that most people want to help and are generous with their time.

I don’t have recent experience
Experience doesn't have to be recent to give you credibility. Think back on the successes from your career: make a list and remind yourself of your achievements, perhaps even contacting former colleagues who can jog your memory. It doesn’t matter how long ago it was, it still counts.

If you want even more inspiration, take a look at the returner success stories on our website, and read about how those women and men overcame their own personal challenges to successfully return to work after an extended break.

Read more on Tackling Return-to-Work Fears and Doubts here.

Posted by Elaine

10 Tips to Get Back to Work after a Career Break

"If you had spoken to me this time last year, I never would have believed I would be in the position I am in now." - Charlotte 

Whether you've been out of the workplace for one year or many years, the thought of restarting your career can be daunting. The following 10 tips are directly inspired by our library of success stories of people like you who have taken time out from work only to return stronger than ever. Read on and you never know where you might be this time next year.

1. Prepare to step out of your comfort zone
No-one can deny that rejoining the workplace after an extended leave is a scary prospect, but it's also an exciting one. Push yourself out of your comfort zone and you never know what might happen. What have you got to lose? Read Natalie's story

2. Shape the narrative of your career break
There are as many career break stories as there are returners, and you are the only person who can tell yours. Think about all of the skills you have built up in your time off work, and how they could benefit an employer. You don't need to make excuses for your career break or try to hide it; it could actually end up being your biggest asset! Read Fiona's story

3. Work out what YOU need
Take time to have a serious think about what you want from a job, and consider how much flexibility and support you would need. It’s important to have those conversations with potential employers upfront to avoid conflict and frustration further down the line. Don’t forget that you’re assessing companies for their suitability just as much as they’re assessing you. Read Clare's story

4. Develop a new specialism
It’s never too late to learn something new. Whether you want to update your existing knowledge or head off in a different direction, there are more study options now than ever, including short courses, distance learning and on-the-job training. It's worth taking the time to do your research, such as looking at job adverts to find out which qualifications potential employers are looking for. Read Carolyne's story

5. Reach out to your network
If you feel like you've got a gap in your knowledge, then another option is to find someone to bring you up to speed. You're bound to have a contact in your industry who could help, either from a previous job or your studies. Don't be afraid to reach out, e.g. on LinkedIn, and tell people what you need without worrying about what you can offer in return. These same networks can also point you in the direction of opportunities and could even open a door for you somewhere along the line. Read Carolien's story

6. Apply your skills in a new field
Taking time out from work can provide you with the distance you need to come back with a fresh pair of eyes and reassess your career plan. This could be the perfect opportunity for you to move across to a new area. Take some time to look around, talk to people, and see what's available. Read Maria's story

7. Find your tribe

A good support network can make all the difference in ensuring a smooth transition back into the workplace. You can set up your own group with people you already know, face-to-face or on WhatsApp, or join our Women Returners group (for network members) on LinkedIn. Read Clare's story

8. Consider coaching
If you're unsure about how to explain your career gap, worried about the practicalities of juggling family commitments with a new job, or suffering from a lack of confidence or direction, you could benefit from some career coaching. (find out about Women Returners coaching here). Read Kate's story

9. Look for volunteering roles in your sector
If you’ve been out of the workplace for a long period, a volunteering role in your sector will bolster your CV with recent and relevant experience, bring you up to speed with new developments and provide you with references and new contacts in your industry. Some roles provide training too. Read Antje's story

10. And finally, don't give up! 
It's all too easy to lose confidence and feel demoralised when looking for a job using traditional recruitment routes if you have a non-traditional career path, but with more and more companies in the UK coming around to the benefits of offering returner programmes and/or flexible working, there are new opportunities available all the time. And one of them may well have your name on it! Read Anna's story

If you have decided to make the move back into the workplace this year, or you're simply considering your options at the moment, make sure you've signed up to our network (sign up here) to get return-to-work advice, support, information and opportunities.

Posted by Elaine

Three Top Tips from Successful Returners

Over the past few years, we’ve been delighted to hear so many inspiring stories from women who have successfully returned to work. Here are three of their top tips.

Keep up your professional skills & knowledge

We all know that a career break is not a break from life and is typically taken for either reasons of caring, illness or re-training – none of which leave a lot of spare time. However, many returners felt that their efforts to keep up their skills and knowledge paid off when it came to returning to work. Fiona returned to occupational psychology after a 6 year break and advocates maintaining your professional knowledge, “I also always kept up with my profession in that I receive journals and took an interest in developments in my field.” Adrianna, who returned to Investment Banking after a 9 year break agrees, “Read as much as you can – from every available source – on topics related or potentially related to your business and the market as a whole”.

Rachel took a 9 year career break and during that time recognised some study areas she could pursue to help keep her skills recent and relevant, “As I didn’t have any recent professional qualifications I starting working my way through a project management course.”

Many returners also found they honed skills while undertaking ‘strategic volunteering’ – unpaid work that develops your skills and knowledge. Carmen, who took a 7 year break before returning as a Macro-Economist believes this approach helped her, “I became a governor at a local primary school, which I feel helped me to hone my negotiation skills and deal with difficult situations.”

Networking is vital – you never know where a lead will come from

When you’ve been on a career break the typical routes of finding work through online job boards and recruitment agencies often prove more disheartening than helpful. We hear so many stories of role opportunities that come up instead from networking conversations and contacts. Julia, who is now a Finance Director after taking a 2.5 year break would concur, “A more effective strategy was telling all my friends and mums at school gates what I was looking for – most opportunities I received came from these contacts.” Rachel, who returned to a role in Investment Management after an 8 year career break set about talking to everyone she could think of about what she was looking for. “Although there were times when I wondered if the endless meetings I was going to were a waste of time, I persevered and was ultimately successful in landing my ideal role.  I had also applied for numerous jobs online and via headhunters but got nowhere – networking really was the only useful route – the effort will pay off”.

Directly approach the firms that you are interested in

In addition to networking, many successful returners made the decision to bypass recruitment agencies and directly approach firms that they’d like to work for. Amy, who returned to Law after a 2 year break, took this direct approach, “I phoned a few recruitment agents about part-time legal work. They uniformly told me that the law firms would not be interested and refused to put forward my CV for any roles. I short-circuited the agencies by applying direct to a firm. Bypass the agencies and speak straight to the firms you are interested in.”

Grazyna returned to work as an architect and advises that “a direct approach is generally welcome as firms often have flexible needs for skilled staff who are hard to find by the standard recruitment routes.” Fiona found the same was true, especially of smaller firms. “I picked up the phone to call a local solicitor who I knew slightly. That was the best step I took! I asked for work experience and was surprised that he agreed to me coming in a few mornings a week. I ended up being there 5½ years, thanks to making that one phone call.”

Hopefully these top tips have inspired you, and if you have any suggestions of your own we’d love to hear them.

Posted by Anna Johnson, Lead Career Coach, Women Returners

Return to Work Tips

please click this link to watch if viewing via email

We've put together a short video of practical and inspiring return to work tips from our Conference speakers:

• Jane Garvey, Presenter of Woman's Hour

• Tiffany Grimwade, Project Manager, Skanska

• Samina Malik, Supply Manager, O2

• Ingrid Waterfield, Director, KPMG

• Maggie Stilwell, Managing Partner, EY

• Tina Sharp, Portfolio Analyst, MV Credit

• Brenda Trenowden, Global Chair 30% Club

Posted by Donna

Top 5 Conference Return to Work Tips

We've just about recovered from our Women Returners Conference last week ... the pre-organisation, the excitement of the day and the post-event exhaustion! It was fantastic to see the enthusiasm and energy of our 175 attendees and very rewarding for us to read the positive feedback we received after the event (see here for Conference photos and comments).

For those of you who weren't able to join us, I wanted to share some advice from our speakers and from our panelists of successful returners and returner employers. 

Top 5 Return to Work Tips

1. Don't underestimate yourself.  This was a consistent theme, starting with our first keynote speaker Jane Garvey's observation that women too easily doubt our own abilities and that we need to recognise that we bring so much more to the table than we think.

2. Think maturity not age. Our ICAEW employer panel talked about the value to companies both of life maturity and of the amazing array of skills and experience that returners can offer in comparison with a young graduate and even compared with people who have risen up through the ranks.

3. Appreciate your 'Cognitive Diversity'. Brenda Trenowden, Chair of 30% Club, highlighted the push from UK business to increase diversity. Alongside diversity of gender, age and ethnicity the new goal is a team with 'cognitive diversity'.  Basically, companies are valuing people who think differently. From my experience, seeing the world in a different way comes easily to people returning after a career break - you return with a new, and often more balanced, perspective.

4. Be brave and move out of your comfort zone. Many of our panelists, including those with very impressive CVs, talked about the self-doubt and anxiety they had faced on their return to work. However, all of them said that the pain was worth it in the end!

5. Move to action. This was my main takeout from the stories we heard. Don't procrastinate endlessly, looking for the perfect next step. One of our panelists retrained as a mediator, before deciding that wasn't the right path for her; she's now working in a legal role she loves after taking a set of interim legal roles along the way. It may be a windy road back, but you'll learn more by doing than by thinking.

More advice
We're working on some advice video clips from Conference speakers and panelists and hope to share these with you over the next month or so. In the meantime, see our website for other returner stories and advice.


Posted by Julianne

12 Tips for Women Returners from Mumsnet Workfest

For those of you who were not able to join us at the inspiring Mumsnet Workfest event last Saturday, these are some advice highlights from the keynote panel for women returners.

Clarify your boundaries

1. When you return to work, be clear about where the line in the sand is for you to make it work. Sara Bennison, Marketing Director, Barclays

Make work, work for you

2. Disentangle being present [in the office] from being effective. Sara Bennison, Marketing Director, Barclays

3. Be clear about your red lines and explain how you will still do your job. Work out what are the things you need to do, to do it differently. Jo Swinson, former MP and Business and Equalities Minister

4. Success at work is about productivity, not bums on seats. Karen Blackett, CEO MediaComUK

Network & target employers

5. Your network counts, it really is [often] who you know, not what you know. Sara Bennison, Marketing Director, Barclays

6. Make a personal connection when you're applying to a company [to avoid sending your CV into the wilderness]. Shami Chakrabarti, Director Liberty

7. It's a better use of your time to send 3 well-researched letters to a company [than scattergun job applications]. Jo Swinson, former MP and Business and Equalities Minister

Prioritise

8. Pick the bits that matter to you [at home & work] and drop or delegate the others. Gaby Hinsliff, Journalist & author of Half a Wife

Be yourself

9. Be authentic in what you do. Authenticity is the key to success. Karen Blackett, CEO MediaComUK

Be confident

10. Having a child is the most difficult and important thing you do. If you can look after a child you can do anything. Shami Chakrabarti, Director Liberty

11. It does come back, it is still there in your brain. It will be fine, it will come flooding back to you. Jo Swinson, former MP and Business and Equalities Minister

Get support

12. Ask for help from other mums to make it work. Find cheerleaders in your organisation to help you with flexibility. Karen Blackett, CEO MediaComUK


If you're London-based & regret missing our Workfest session on kick-starting your return to work, do look at the other return-to-work events we have coming up this month: wrpn.womenreturners.com/events/ 

Posted by Katerina

How to Shine in Telephone Interviews

One of the innovations in recruitment practice in recent years is the increasing use of telephone interviews. In addition to their use in standard job recruitment, many of the return to work programmes we support use them as part of the screening process when deciding who to invite for face-to-face interviews or to selective returner events. This is the case for the Bloomberg Returner Circle which we launched last week as well as for many of the corporate returnship programmes. 

If you've not had an interview for many years, the process may seem daunting, particularly if a telephone interview is a totally new experience for you. We are often asked for advice about how to handle them; in particular, the lack of personal contact can be seen as a barrier. Although telephone interviews throw up different challenges from the traditional format, with the right preparation and approach, you will be able to put yourself across well.

What's different about a telephone interview?

• Lack of visual clues: clearly, you are not able to see your interviewer (or vice versa). This means you'll miss out on the normal conversational cues about whether you have the interviewer's interest or are answering in the way they expect. Similarly, the interviewer won't have any visual cues about your engagement or enthusiasm for the role. This means you have to use other methods to ensure a good understanding.
• Length and format: telephone interviews are commonly shorter than traditional interviews and the interviewer is often working from a set of highly structured questions, with less introductory 'small talk' so it may be harder to build rapport.
• Nature of interviewer: as the telephone interview is part of an initial suitability screen, the interviewer could be a recruitment generalist who might not have detailed knowledge of the company or the role for which you are applying.

Preparation is key

As with all interviews, your preparation will be vital and all the advice we give in our other posts is relevant (see links below). In addition, you can do the following:

• Ask in advance about the interview format, length, types of questions and what the interviewer will be assessing (for example this might be a CV-based check on your match with the profile, an assessment of your motivations, or an competency-based interview).
• Think about your answers to common interview questions and make some notes, but don't write out a script as you will sound wooden if you read from it, rather than speaking naturally.
• Make arrangements to ensure that you will be uninterrupted (especially by children!)
• Give yourself time just before the interview to prepare mentally and physically. Have a pen & paper and a copy of your CV and cover letter in front of you to refer to. 
• Dress in business wear if it helps you to feel confident that you will project the right image.

During the interview ...

• Behave as you would in a face-to-face interview, with the same degree of formality. 
• Don't worry about silence, the interviewer is probably writing.
• You can check on your performance by asking if you have answered the question fully or if more detail is needed.
• Smile - you'll sound more enthusiastic and confident.
• Speak clearly and not too quickly.
• Sit up straight or speak standing up if this allows you to talk with more power and energy

... and make this your opportunity to stand out

To show your enthusiasm and commitment in a limited time:

• Provide clear, succinct and focused responses to the questions you are asked. Avoid rambling!  
• Keep your voice upbeat and fully of energy.
• Project yourself as the professional person you would like to be seen as, after all, you can't be judged any other way!

After the interview

• Make notes on what you discussed.
• Do send a thank you email as you would for any other interview.

Other useful posts:

Six essential steps for successful interviewing
How to prepare for competency-based interviews
Responding to "You're overqualified for the role"

Posted by Katerina