Question for accountants

[BeckieMc]

I work as a management accountant and I am due to go on mat leave with dd2, there will be 22 months between them. I am considering becoming a SAHM until dd2 is 2 and possibly having another child and taking 2 years off with them too having 4 years off in total if we are insane enough to have a 3rd! Our family would be then complete and it consolidates the time I'm away from my career

My question is how damaging will this be for my career? 2 years I don't think it would but 4 I'm not too sure. My husband has a good salary and we are comfortable financially, he is more than happy for me to stay at home. I will do a bit of self employed work while I'm off to have something on my cv

Do you have your own limited company set up? Very quick and easy to do. I've had about four years largely working freelance, not SAHM or anything, and I have the company name and "freelance" on my CV which is easy enough for employers to check, plus a couple of clients who give me references during that period if required. I'm a chartered accountant, qualified 1993. I'm always asked why I made the decision and what exactly I've been doing plus why I want to return to full time employment but it's not been an issue getting jobs.

My husband is limited and I do his books therefore when I'm off I'll be on his payroll. I do a few of his friends accounts as well.

Therefore I will still have book-keeping and filling and tax return experience on my CV I'll just have no management accountant experience or any experience in working in a large corporate environment for say 4 years which I think will put employers off as those are the jobs I'll be applying for when I'm back. But perhaps not as much by what your saying

Obviously I can't say for definite but I really haven't had any problems with it. I've been out of practice since 1996 and was offered a job back in practice last year ..... I did a few weeks' work for them, even though my experience from 1996 to 2015 was purely financial controller type roles in large corporates. And if you're going to continue doing "accounts" - I'd call that management accounting. If it includes P&L, balance sheet, cash flow etc then definitely. I'm really out of touch with VAT returns and corporation tax but it's easy to pick up again.

Thanks @Lobsterquadrille2 you've put my mind at ease. If I do decide to spend more time at home hopefully it won't be an issue in the future as long as I keep doing the freelance work as you suggested. Much appreciated for your replies I'll take your advice thanks