experiences of getting back to work after a break?

red_devil

I wonder what peoples experience was of getting back to work after a career break was? Did you take a break to bring up children or similar how easy or hard did you find it to get back into work?

Do you think the workplace is geared up for people who dont take a break aand employers prefer people who have continued in work?

Hammyman

Do a skills based CV rather than a chronological one.

santacruz_2

red_devil wrote: »

Do you think the workplace is geared up for people who dont take a break aand employers prefer people who have continued in work?

Do you mean in general or specifically your chosen career? I think retail would be different to a career in marketing for example.

BusyLizzie_3

I work in publishing but took a break for around 5 years to look after my three small children, now 7, 7 and 5. I did work freelance for the last 2 of those years, and built up my hours slowly from around 10 a week to 30, increasing as my youngest spent longer at playgroup and nursery. I applied for 2 jobs in January this year, and was offered one of them at 31 hours a week. I didn't use a skills-based CV, I kept to the chronological format that I'd used previously, but did emphasise the skills I picked up while I was freelancing and doing voluntary work. I don't know, of course, but I suspect that employers' attitudes to returners depends on the industry you work in and your reasons for taking a break in the first place. As long as you can provide evidence of having developed your existing skills or acquired new ones, you shouldn't be at a disadvantage. I'm really pleased to be back at work, albeit it on a much lower salary than I was on 5 years ago!

heretolearn_2

I got a job within 3 weeks when I started looking for work after being at home with my son BUT what got me the job was:

I'd done voluntary work during that time (only on the playgroup committe as Secretary, but hey, just saying 'served as Secretary on the committee of local charity' on CV helped no doubt.

I'd studied both an A level and a year's OU during my time out

I'd spent the last 9 months on a two day a week (full time 9-5 hours) course on IT and office working, coming out with a clutch of C&Guilds qualifications and a lot of excellent skills (I'm still usually the best non-specialist when it comes to office computers).

I went to one interview and got the job - of course partly because of the previous experience I'd got before I had my son even though that had been 9 years previously - but also because they could see I had been updating my skills and taking an interest in something other than nappies! They were impressed by my continuing to train off my own back.

Oldernotwiser

I found it quite easy to get back into employment after taking early retirement on health grounds but you need to have used your time productively and have the sort of qualifications and experience that are in demend.