I had two kids in 5 years and work in quite a cut throat industry, where essentially you start from scratch when you come back from maternity leave.
it’s business development with huge targets etc.
so in any case, I always thought it was important to have no breaks and stay employed. I struggled ( like everyone else ) with small babies and going back to work.
but when I came back from my first mat leave, I returned to a completely different role and territory. I tried my hardest to make it work, but around 8 months after, I got another offer and moved company.
I had been at the company I took my first mat leave for around 3 years at that point.
I went to the next company, got pregnant soon after and had another baby. When I returned, I could sense that things weren’t going well for the company at all. I got another offer and left after 2 and a half years at that company. Lo and behold, the next month, everyone was made redundant anyway.
I was then at the next company for a year on a contract role ( 1 year contract ). I thought it would be good to go back into work and being busy as soon as possible and if I liked it, we could always talk about extending. After a year, the contract ended and I wasn’t wanting to renew as they’d asked me to travel a lot more if we extended the contract and I just wasn’t able to.
then I got my next role and unfortunately was made redundant after 9 months. I really was heartbroken.
now I’m struggling and companies are giving me a hard time, even when I explain my moves. I never bring the fact that I had two kids in 5 years into the discussion, but having had a kid- was definitely the reason I left the first company, as my role was nothing like what I had left and I came back go just a bunch of rubbish.
the second company was just going down. And the third was obviously a 1 year contract. The one after that was not on my terms at all.
when I talk about the reasons, I always frame it positively etc and I have done a lot.
but I’m starting to feel like, maybe I’ll have more luck if I said I just had a one or two year break?
I feel so defeated / deflated. I’ve worked harder than ever and keep starting over and proving myself. It’s literally been hell.
any advice ? Has anyone been in a similar situation ? Thank you, please be kind.