Returner Employer Q&A - Stephanie Marshall, Fidelity International

Julianne from Women Returners interviews Stephanie Marshall, Fidelity International UK & Ireland Talent Acquisition Lead and Programme Manager on Fidelity New Horizons Returner Programme. 

Q. What was Fidelity’s motivation for setting up the New Horizons programme?

A. There are a couple of motivators. We saw the huge value and business benefit that a company like Fidelity could get from a returner programme. I also felt quite passionately about it from a personal point of view.  I have been a return to work mother, and been in a position where I’ve been out of work myself and looking to make a slight career change.  It was very difficult for me to break back into the sector, until I approached an old client of mine who was willing to help me.

Q. What do you see as the business benefits?

A. There are several big business benefits. Firstly, to improve gender diversity. Financial Services can sometimes have a reputation of being a male-dominated environment. We chose the technology area as a pilot for our returnship programme, because sometimes we find it challenging to recruit women into those roles. Fidelity International has signed up to the Women in Finance Charter, which is a UK Government initiative to encourage more companies to report on their gender balance at a senior level. The returner programme is one of the initiatives that will help us reach our goals.

From a more specific recruitment perspective, Fidelity International has some offices outside of London, and it can sometimes be a challenge to find candidates with niche skills that are local to us. However, we've found this can also be a massive selling point for returners. Lots of people had a career entirely in the City but don’t want to do that anymore. They want a job closer to home that offers more flexibility, but still offers an interesting and challenging place to work. 

Finally, we operate in a very competitive environment, and the experienced hire candidates we interview can sometimes be interviewing with other firms. We always want to explore any avenue to open up new pipelines of candidates for us.

Q. What are the challenges for Fidelity as a business to recruit returners directly? Why did you feel you needed a returnship?

A. If you look at the demographics of a lot of organisations, there can be an increased outflow of women compared to men. This can be for various reasons but many leave to start a family. It's a group that is then hard to reconnect with, who may feel that they are unable to come back. We wanted to promote that Fidelity is a company that supports people returning to work, and a returnship programme is a good way to do that.

Q. What were your impressions when you first received the applications for the New Horizons Technology Programme?

A. We were really, really encouraged, not just by the volume of applications we received, but by the quality. Lots of candidates who applied to us had a background in financial services.  Many also had a background in Technology although we didn’t say it was essential. There were relevant candidates that were local to our offices and we may have missed those in an ordinary recruitment cycle. This first impression was further corroborated on the assessment day when the hiring managers were blown away by the quality of the applicants that they saw. It was a really positive experience.

Q. How many people did you bring into the organisation on the Technology Programme?

A. We brought three people in. One went into an IT support role, another into risk, and the third into project management.

Q. What was the experience like for you as an organisation throughout and at the end of the programme?

A. It was a new programme for us and we were very honest about that from the beginning. I think the candidates appreciated our honesty because it was new for them too. The partnership with Women Returners was very helpful from the beginning as it enabled us to really think about the returners' on-boarding experience. We tried to connect them with as many peers and senior people within the organisation as we could, so that they got to understand who we were as a firm, what businesses we operated in and how we worked internally.  

We aimed to give the returners as much exposure, investment and help as we could. To help them feel supported, we had a review point midway through the programme, we had lunches and we encouraged them to attend a variety of talks. They were each assigned a mentor who provided support outside of their day to day team. We asked for their feedback at the end of the programme and were encouraged to hear that it was a great experience for them.

Q. How did the support from Women Returners fit in with the overall support programme?

A. Women Returners in my opinion offers a very high level of support from beginning to end, which complemented the support we also gave throughout the programme. Their coach gave a face to face briefing with the people who were going to be managing the returners. This was a really worthwhile exercise as they got to understand exactly how the programme was being setup and what their responsibilities were. Women Returners was also involved in the assessment day, where they led a workshop to make the candidates feel more at ease and confident in preparation for the interviews in the afternoon. They then hosted a series of workshops throughout the 20 weeks where they would come down to the offices and work through various training modules with the returners to provide a safe space to express any concerns they had. They acted very effectively as a conduit between ourselves as the employer and the returners as the employees.

Q. What have been the main challenges for you running a returnship programme?

A. That’s a tough one, no major challenges. The business was receptive to it and were very willing to get on board, so we didn’t have to win over anybody’s hearts and minds -  they were there from the beginning. 

Q. What have been the benefits for you as an organisation?

A. We have hired some exceptionally talented, committed returners who I know have had a really rewarding experience, and who have all been offered permanent roles.  We have increased the quality of our workforce by hiring these women, and that’s probably the biggest benefit to us, because any organisation is only as good as the people within it. Our talent is our most valuable commodity. 

There has also been a lot of positive external and internal PR around the programme. Returnships are very much in the media at the moment, talking about how hiring returners is good for the economy and everyone involved. It’s great to be a part of that and to show our employees that we are participating in these programmes.

Q. What has the reception been more broadly within the business?

A. It’s been very good. One of the testaments of that is that the programme has spread into other business areas. We started in Technology and we are now doing a programme within the Investments space. We are looking to scope out a programme in different business areas too. Alongside the successful permanent hires, the main success is that we have expanded the programme beyond its original pilot.

Q. What advice would you have for any other companies thinking of running at returnship programme?

A. Getting key senior level business sponsorship is really important. 

Understanding the type of roles that you want to bring people into is also key. Having a well-defined job description, and knowing what the final destination might be for the returner helps everybody have much more clarity around the programme. 

Making sure that everyone is on the same page, that’s not just an issue for these kind of programmes, it’s an issue for all kind of organisations. Get the right people in the room and get them agreeing on the same things and everyone can move forward with the same understanding.

Q. Are you planning to run future programmes, do you think this will become part of your annual recruitment?

A. I very much hope so. We have completed one programme and we are now into our second. It’s something we hope to continue with going forward. I thoroughly enjoyed working on it from a personal and professional point of view. It’s good to find something in your work that you are passionate about. It’s been a positive experience for me to be on this project, to drive it and to deliver it. 

Posted by Julianne 

Updating your Wardrobe for your Return to Work

As well as updating your professional knowledge and networks to prepare for your return to work, think about spending a bit of time organising and updating your work wardrobe. Feeling good in what you're wearing can help to boost your confidence and to shift your identity back to your professional self. If you've had a very long career break, workwear/styles may well have moved on and we sometimes change shape too!

Organising your Work Wardrobe

1. Consider the culture of the organisation/industry you will be, or hope to be, working in. How formal/informal is it? What type of clothes would be most appropriate? Dress codes may have changed since you left - many sectors are less formal now - so do some research to update your knowledge. 
2. Think about how you want to be perceived and choose a few key words to sum this up, eg professional, competent, approachable.
3. Take all your potential work clothes and shoes out of your wardrobe. If you have a rail you can use/borrow, even better.
4. Select all the clothes that meet the first 2 criteria.
5. Try them on to check they still fit you well and that you feel good in them. If not, sort them into piles for giving away, altering or storing.
6. Group the remaining clothes into potential outfits. Make a note of any gaps, eg shoes, tops, and what colour would be a good match. Turn this into your shopping list and prioritise what’s most important.
7. If you have space to store some of your clothes, such as under the bed or in a spare wardrobe, put away anything that’s not suitable for the current season. The fewer items you have to choose from, the quicker the process!
8. I’m not a fan of selfies, but this is the exception: take photos of whole outfits (preferably with you in them) so that you can either print out a sheet of outfits or flick through your phone the night before work or an interview for inspiration and time-saving.
9. Draw up a table (if this appeals – it may not!) and list outfit ideas on each row, eg:  

Updating your Work Wardrobe

Once you have your shopping list, bear in mind the following points:

Colour: try to avoid falling into the ‘black trap’.  Black really only suits people who have ‘deep, cool and bright’ colouring, otherwise, it can be very draining, especially close to the face. Grey, for example, is a good alternative, there are many shades to suit different people and, when it comes to more expensive items like coats or bags, it will go well with many other colours.

Materials: I have a personal preference for natural fibres and avoid anything made from fabrics like polyester. Although these fabrics are often cheaper and wash easily, they can cling and feel unpleasant when it’s warm. Also, if you’re heading towards, or already in, hot flush territory, synthetic fabrics are not your friend! You might also want to avoid structured dresses with sleeves which you will feel trapped in during a hot flush unlike a jacket/top where you can quickly remove a layer if you need to. For those of you who are fortunate enough not to have reached, or been affected by, this stage, enjoy the freedom of choice!

Brands: 

• Any good department store will cater well for different shapes, styles and budgets. 
• For more formal/reasonable quality workwear, look at these high street brands: Cos, Hobbs, Jigsaw, Massimo Dutti, Zara, Reiss, Gerard Darel, Jaeger, M&S, Boss. A few good smaller brands, mostly online, are The Fold, Pinstripe and Pearls, Libby London and Rose & Willard. 
• For less formal/more contemporary workwear, consider Whistles, Top Shop, Finery, Baujken, Me+Em, Uterque, Joseph. For shoes, try websites such as Zalando or Sarenza.  
• If you’re on a tight budget, keep an eye on the sales (you can set Sale Alerts for items if you use websites such as Shop Style), look at shops such as H&M and Uniqlo and browse the charity shops in upmarket areas. If you are from a low income household, you may be able to get a referral to the charity SmartWorks which provides free interview clothing.

Prioritising: Good quality workwear is usually quite pricey but I encourage you, if possible, to buy fewer, better quality items to get a good ‘cost per wear’ ratio. Buy the key items (dresses, skirts, trousers, jackets, suits) in fairly neutral tones (eg black, grey, blue, taupe, burgundy), so you can easily change the look with more affordable tops, accessories and different colours. For inspiration on reducing the amount of clothes we tend to own, have a look at this TEDx Talk by Jennifer L Scott.

Help! If the thought of refreshing your wardrobe for work feels daunting ask for help from a friend whose advice you trust and style you admire, or take advantage of the ‘Image and Impact’ coaching session we offer at Women Returners.

For more ideas about what to wear for work, have a look at this earlier blog post: What to wear to interviews.

Posted by Natalie Hunter, one of the Women Returners Coaching Team and a trained Colour/Style Consultant. She offers these services separately, or together, for clients. Please contact coach@womenreturners.com if you’d like to find out more.

Returnships aren't just for mothers

Do you think that returnships are just for mothers who've taken a break to look after their young children? Think again! Women and men take long career breaks for many other reasons, such as caring for elderly relatives, personal illness, and relocation.

Andrew Bomford from the Radio 4 PM programme came along to the first Balfour Beatty Career Returner workshop and spoke to the returner group, as well as to Anna from Women Returners. He also interviewed Clare who's now back in full-time work as a Senior Manager at O2. Listen to the clip below for a snapshot of the wonderful diversity of the returner community, as well as an illustration of how returner programmes can work for the individual as well as the organisation (click on the image below). 

Posted by Julianne

How to Map your Network

I get that networking is important but I have no idea where to start? 

Most returners in this contemporary job market get the fact that networking is important. They realise that in this day and age, the majority of roles are filled directly from people’s networks and not from recruiters or adverts.  

But for many of you there may still be a mental block when it comes to approaching your network - or even recognising that you have a network! Particularly when you throw a career break into the mix, adding to the overall effect by magnifying fears and worries about who and how to use contacts to help. 

So let’s challenge some of the common assumptions that may be holding you back from thinking about how your network can help with your return to work.  

I don’t have a network anymore. 

I hear this a lot from women who have had a career break. In fact, we all have a network. It may be a different network than the one you had before your break, it may be a combination of old and new contacts and it might even be a better one than you had before! You might just not be thinking of it as a professional network or be assuming that those you spend time with now won’t have any useful professional contacts. 

I can’t ask people I know socially to help me with my job search. 

Would you help your friends if they asked you? We like helping other people. Remember you are not asking your friends for a job but simply for information or an introduction to someone in an area/organisation that interests you. It’s also a good way to begin practising your work story and re-engaging with the ‘professional’ you. A lot of leverage can come from a personal network, particularly after a career break. 

Remember “Six degrees of separation”? The trick with networking is tapping into your wider network – most opportunities come this way. This means multiplying your contacts and reach by accessing your network’s network. 

My current contacts won’t know anyone in my field of interest.

This is a common assumption, but you can't have total awareness of your network’s network. One returner's neighbour's brother turned out to be very senior in the sector she wanted to get into and was able to make an introduction. You don’t know who might know who ..

We often meet women who have known potentially-helpful contacts for years but yet never had a conversation about their professional selves. You could be sitting on dynamite contacts right in front of your nose!

How to Map your Network

Mapping your network helps you to think about who you know and to prioritise who to approach.

1. Create some quiet space and time to brainstorm different areas of your life in which you have contacts who might be able to help you. Be creative and think broadly!
2. Consider contacts in Past and Present, together with ideas on new contacts you could develop in the Future. Here are some groupings to get you started (adapted from the excellent book Back on the Career Track):
1. Past: School, university, professional training, work (colleagues, clients, suppliers, alumni groups)
2. Present: Family, friends, neighbours, sports, hobbies, volunteer contacts, religious and community contacts, professional bodies, school network  
3. Future: Create local alumni network or job search group, volunteer, join an association
3. Include all the people you know in each group. Make a rule not to rule people out. Remember to keep an open mind and approach it with curiosity – wouldn’t it be interesting to find out who people might know? Use LinkedIn to find people from your past and enlist others to remind you of people you may have forgotten about. 
4. Map it out in a way that works for you – it might be a spider diagram, post-it notes on a large piece of paper or a spreadsheet. 
5. Prioritise your 1st level contacts - those you will approach first - by creating relevant criteria such as: “Do they have relevant sector/function/technical knowledge?” “Do I think they will know a lot of other people who could help?” “Do I feel comfortable contacting this person early on?”   
6. Then map out 2^nd and 3^rd level contacts – those you will approach later. John Lees' book Just the Job is helpful in explaining how to work out different levels of contacts. 

I've mapped my network. What now?

1. Your primary goal is to use your network to make useful new contacts. Approach your 1st level contacts - tell them what type of work you're looking for, relating it to your interests, skills and experience before and during your break. Ask them if they know of anyone who might be able to offer you advice or to provide information on your area(s) of interest, and if they would be happy to make an introduction.
2. With each new person you meet, ask at the end of the conversation if they could introduce you to anyone else who would be interesting to speak to.
3. Create a system for tracking your progress and adding to the network as you expand your list of contacts. A spreadsheet works well at this point.  
4. Reward your progress – it’s better to approach several useful contacts per week than to spend hours researching on the internet with no focus. Every time you set up a call, arrange a coffee or gain a new introduction reward yourself in some sort of way that’s meaningful for you – it will take time and effort but will be of great long-term benefit not only for your first role back but in terms of your ongoing career opportunities! 

Posted by Kate Mansfield, Lead Career Coach, Women Returners

What's it REALLY like to return after a career break? Advice from a returner 2 years on

When I was contemplating returning to full-time work after a six-year career break, I cast around on Twitter and among friends for clues and tips and reassurance that I wasn’t Completely Mad for even considering it. There were lots on how to get organised, but very little that told me what it would actually be like. Almost two years in, what would I say to someone asking me the same question?

Be brave

I expected the tiredness and the logistical challenge of combining work and a hectic family life after the luxury of a few years where I only had to consider the latter. What I didn’t realise was how exhausting dredging up the courage to go in, day after day, till I found my feet again would be.

I was terrified on a daily basis, for a long time, in a way that I didn’t recognise from pre-career-break work, and in a way which I no longer experience now. I had a mantra of “don’t look down”: visualising myself on a tight rope, I willed myself to focus on putting one foot in front of the other and refusing to contemplate the horrors lurking should I slip.

Little things I once and now again take for granted: composing an email, approaching someone senior, giving an opinion or advice which I know could come back to bite me should I be wrong, were draining in a way I simply hadn’t expected.

Battling imposter syndrome is nothing special, I know, but it took every ounce of energy I had to fight it down when it was armed with the ammunition of that time away from the office.

Be selfish

I was brought up to believe in service to others, and having been acutely conscious of the additional time I had available while not working, like a lot of people I tried to volunteer where possible and fit in lots of social commitments with friends and family.

Volunteering and working are not mutually exclusive, of course, but it took me almost a year of becoming increasingly unhappy and ill to realise that a break while I reacclimatised to work would have been best all round. It wasn’t the lack of time which was the issue, so much as the need to prioritise family and my own mental well-being with space wherever possible not to be “in demand” from external sources while we all got used to our new normal.

Again, two years in, I now have the energy and headspace to start to be able to fit things into the spare time I have available, but in retrospect, it would have been helpful to have felt I had permission to take a step back. As with the friends point below, it’s natural to feel it important to prove a point – look, I can work and still do everything too! – but those who really care about you won’t be bothered either way.

Losing friends and inconveniencing people

Very much related to the above. Maybe this was just me, but it was hard to realise that to some people I considered friends, I had only every really just been valuable by my presence. A stay at home mum is a useful social acquaintance: able to step in at short notice, lend a hand in groups and generally help move things along by the simple virtue of proximity to home during the hours when others are in the office or on the road.

Not everyone, of course; going back strengthened some lovely friendships by making me realise who was a friend because of who I am rather than what I could do for them, but it wasn’t an easy thing to process in the midst of readjusting back to work when I could have done with a bit of support, and it’s something I wish I’d been prepared for.

Be happy

I used to scoff at the idea that having a happy mother was a tangible benefit to children, perhaps because I just didn’t realise that I was bored and rather miserable by the end of my time at home, but it’s been true in our case. I’ve been incredibly lucky in a supportive employer and access to great, affordable childcare, without both of which it possibly would have been a very different story.

Terror notwithstanding, I felt even in my first day that way you do when it’s only on starting to eat that you realise you were famished. Tiredness notwithstanding, I am simply happier with the boost to my confidence and self-esteem which returning to work has given me.

It has been and continues to be, hard. I miss my children, they miss me (and the luxury of not being in wraparound childcare) and I simply don’t have the degree of involvement in their daily lives that we once took for granted. But they are happy, and they continue to thrive, and we’re all more than managing.

If you’re reading this and wondering whether going back to work (or stepping back into a more demanding job after a period of doing something to fit in around family commitments) is for you, I can’t give you an answer. All I can say is that it was the unquestionably the right thing for me.

Oh, and good luck.

This post first appeared on Head in Book - Postcards from Surburbia

Posted by Donna

Plesae note, we will be posting fortnightly going forwards.  To read more from the archives see here. 

Is a returnship right for me?

As I'm sure you know, I'm fairly evangelical about the potential benefits to businesses and individuals of returnships - we have so many great case stories* of women getting back into great jobs this way. However I also recognise that they're not perfect (we've been working through many of the teething issues with organisations over the last 3 years) and that they're not for everyone. So this post is to help those of you wondering ...

Is a returnship right for me?

Answer these 6 questions to find out: 

Q1: Have you had a career break from your professional career for over 2 years?

YES: Go to Q2

NO: For most programmes there's a minimum of a 2 year break (sometimes 18 months). If you're looking for another job after redundancy, statutory maternity leave or a shorter sabbatical, focus on direct hire roles instead as you shouldn't need the support package provided through a returnship. If you're finding it hard to get a permanent role, even with a short break, also consider stepping stone roles such as interim, maternity covers, temp and contract work.

Q2: Are you looking for a complete career change?

NO: If you'd like to use your existing/transferable skills and experience, in the same or a different sector, go to Q3.

YES: A returnship can work for career shifters (into a new sector or using transferable skills) but isn't aimed at complete career changers. Look instead at study routes, strategic volunteering (or 'work experience') in your chosen sector, and at retraining programmes such as those listed here.

Q3: Are you confident that you can get directly into a permanent role via standard recruitment routes?

NO: Go to Q4

YES: If you like the idea of a trial period in a new sector, or a chance to test out whether it's the right time to return, go to Q4. If you would value the support offered on a returnship, look at Supported Hiring returner programmes (into permanent roles) and corporate returner events, or consider funding your own returner coaching. If you don't see any challenges with getting a permanent role, you don't need a returnship!

Q4: Can you be flexible on flexibility of hours/location?

YES: Go to Q5 

NO: If you have strict requirements for how work will work for you (e.g. 2 days a week, completely home-based, short commute), do push yourself a bit to consider where/how you can compromise. If you're completely inflexible you will find it hard to commit to and benefit from even a part-time returnship**; you need to have the opportunity to prove yourself, be visible and upskill and it will be harder to find a suitable-level role at the end. You may want to consider freelancing or other options until you're at the point where you can commit more time to work.

Q5: Can you be flexible on salary for the returnship period?

YES: Go to Q6

NO: Returnship salaries shouldn't be minimum wage. They are typically at an experienced hire level, but may be significantly lower than you were used to. Remember that this is a fixed term (3-6 month) programme rather than a permanent role; make sure to discuss the likely level of salary for roles at the end of the programme to assess whether the cost-benefit of this supported bridge back makes sense for you.

Q6: Are you proactive, positive and able to cope with uncertainty?

NO: Returnships come with their own challenges. In these pilot years participants play a key role in making the programme work and you need to be proactive to make the most of the opportunity. Even though the majority of participants convert into ongoing roles, you will also have to manage a degree of uncertainty during the returnship period. If this feels too stressful and/or you don't recognise the inherent value of refreshing your networks, knowledge and experience, whatever happens at the end of the programme, then a returnship may not be the best option for you. Focus instead on returner programmes which bring you directly into permanent roles.

YES: A returnship sounds like a great fit for you! Look at the open opportunities on our website here.


Notes
* See our returnship success stories here
** Some returnships are full-time, others are open to part-time or other flexible working

Posted by Julianne

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