Please can we get your practical tips on getting back into work

[GeraldineMumsnet]

Hello,

We're going to be adding some new stuff soon about work, childcare and the like. Please can we pick your brains about a few aspects...

1. What advice would you give someone who wants or needs to go back to work after having children, if that someone is feeling out of the loop workwise (ie hasn't has an interview for ages, CV has cobwebs on and the whole job-hunting world seems to have moved online)?

What's the best way to go about dusting off your CV, brushing up your interview skills and generally getting yourself back into job-hunting mode after a break?

1. And if you, personally, went back to your old job after maternity leave, what advice would you give someone about to return to work who might be feeling distinctly anxious about managing the whole parenting-plus-work scenario. What's the crucial stuff to get sorted?

Thanks for reading and thanks in advance for your pearls of wisdom. :)

I'm guessing that you actually mean:

Please can we get your practical tips on getting back into [PAID] work.

Shouldn't have to be a guess though.

THe Daphne Jackson Trust was posted on the feminist topic by AnnieLobeseder

it's is aimed at getting science, engineering and technology professionals back to work after a career break.

This is the blurb from their web page.
The Daphne Jackson Trust runs a returners scheme to help scientists, engineers and technologists who have been disadvantaged by having a career break.

These people have had a huge amount of investment spent in their education and training as SET professionals. Work life balance is a key issue in our society and many more people are taking career breaks than previously, for reasons of family and bringing up children, relocating with a partner, illness, looking after elderly relatives, disabled family members, etc. The problem for highly qualified SET professionals is that their field has rapidly moved on and they need to update skills or retrain to return at the appropriate level. Thus, without our help, their talents, plus the money, time and effort spent in their training is completely wasted.
If we keep losing SET professionals there will be huge gaps in the skills base and UK industry will not be competitive with the rest of the world. The Daphne Jackson Trust is continually working to address the problem and make everyone aware of the importance of returning SET professionals to their full potential in research careers.

What a wonderful resource for SET women returning to work!

However, the DJ trust are only interested in researchers in SET, mainly in academical settings. So for those of us who are highly qualified in SET, but work in the applied setting, are not eligble for any help. But then I know that scientists who work in industry are the invisible majority

If you have to do psychometric personality tests as part of a job application process, the best way to approach completing them is to think about what you're like on a really good day. There are questions designed to spot if you're trying to create an overly favourable impression, so you need to feel like your response is the truth at least some of the time.

Thanks very much to everyone who has posted. Brilliant advice, as ever. :)

And earwicga, yes it should, sorry, had obviously taken it as read in my own head, but that's not much use!

Hi there - went back full time last May.

1. I kept up my skills while on mat leave - am freelance journalist (or was freelance) by doing the odd article and went on a training course run by my union - was a good day out and got to network/feel human.

I did the odd stint on a news channel - which kept me in the loop. Was one evening a month.

1. I joined the gym at my new work (am full time but staff journo now) - on £35 a month and boy has been a sanity lifesaver. I do yoga in my lunch hour once a week, go spinning another day and do my own thing when I get the chance. Have also been known to fit in a quick shower and steam after leaving work. My employer is very much into health so that helps.

I think having a plan B/C/D with childcare. I have childminder (plan A) if she/DD is ill then my previous childminder who doesn't work any more can look after DD. Then my mum of course! When DD was ill and only mummy would do, I offered to take annual leave rather than sick leave; I work in an office where am the only parent so didn't want any special favours. My boss would not sign it off as holiday and let me take it as sick leave - but it showed I was willing.

Get a flexible job and take advantage of training- the lady suggesting sales had the idea - I am based online and sometimes am up at 5am writing stories for our website so I can leave work earlier that day. I also work from home one day a week.
Grin and bear it- if I keep my skills set up then in a couple of years I can go back to freelancing again. In the meantime I am working for a wonderful employer (and have been headhunted by another) and taking advantage of all the training possible.
By time DD is at school I will be freelance again and able to work 7 hours a day from home and be there for her - when she will probably need me more (emotionally!).

If you re fortunate enough to havehad a professional job prior to having children, consider becoming freelance. I did it. I now dictate my hours around the kids and now both kids are at school I am able to do drop off and pick up. Earning is at a higher hourly rate for generally less hours. In this climate as well, employers are more likely to go to contract staff when workmdoes pick up than risk taking on FT employees.

I recently got a job at a company I used to work for a few years ago and so far I really love it! I kept my CV up to date by doing some voluntary work and also took advantage of all the free courses on offer (I was getting JSA for 6 months). I did a start your own business programme and also attended courses and workshops aimed at women trying to get back into work. I realised that working for myself wouldn't pay the bills so spent ages applying for jobs.
Now that I'm back at work, I find I have to be more organised, and try and cook meals in advance and get everything ready the night before.I was lucky enough to find an excellent childminder and so I can enjoy my time at work without worrying about my DS.

week end batch cooking. meal planning. USE YOUR FREEZER
you can even make and freeze sandwhiches for during the week ( hommous and ham has worked really well for me in the past ).freeze chocolate cake for emergency dessert!

be wary of being flexible about things at work that you can't afford to be ie nursery pick up times. once you have done it once it is slippery slope to doing it again and again. but have something to offer that evidences flexiblity when you can ie, working lunch breaks and sharing pick up time with other half if you can and being flexible then. This helps if you can be clear and planned in advance about your avaliblity, don't ask, inform ( nicely ).

IT is really hard to keep in touch with friends because you are always chasing your tail and don't get a chance to do much and when you do you are either tired or want to hang with you partner or/and wee ones. Warn your friends not to take it personal and do what you can even if it is just having 5 min power chats or text to check in.

Get a female boss who is a mum.

Mine's kids are in their late teens and early twenties, so school days not that long ago.

For Q2...Try using your KIT (keep in touch days) before returning to work. This will help you get better prepared for the days to come.

These are 10days you are allowed to keep in touch with work, without breaking your maternity pay rights.

I return to work after 6 months and start mine KIT days next Thursday and using it for 2 days per week in the run upto my official full time return to work in 5 weeks time.Hopefully should help.

All the best to one and all and bravo we all deserve it for juggling with our busy lives as mum and employee.

I'm due back in March after 7 months off

So far i have -
Booked ds' settling in days at nursery for the week before
Started practising slow cooker recipes
Started having a massive clear out, if we have no stuff, the house can't get messy!
I plan to -
Do trial runs from a few weeks before, meaning everyone has to be dressed with bags packed, and i have to be dressed for work and made-up.
Start making my lunch the night before a week or so before i start, so i have a rough idea of the kind of things i need to buy.
Probably start doing online food shopping again, although i don't really like it.
Good luck to everyone, one thing that i know will help me is that ds will be at the same nursery dd is at, although in different rooms. The nursery encourage them to visit, so i know he won't be totally alone

some great replies so far!

I have just returned to my career after 5 years of being a SAHM I also have 6 DC aged 12,11,8,6,5 and 2. Currently I am working 3 days/week, but have just got the permenant contract for 4 day/week job.

If you havent worked for a while, and are unsure about how to get back (like I was) try contacting past bosses/colleagues that you got on with and asking for advice on ways back in. I emailed an old boss of mine, to ask if we could meet to discuss good ways for me to get back into the profession, and she emailed back almost immediately to say they were desperately looking for someone and when could I start!!

Finding the right childcare, as mentioned, is vital. Initially we went for a combination of nursery for ds2, and after school clubs for older dc...alll turned out a bit of a nightmare, but have now hired a Nanny. Total monthly cost is approx 2X what we were paying, but benefits make it worthwhile. We are seeing it as long term invstment. Once ds2 is at school our childcare costs will be less, and it will therefor seem more worthwhile me working, but for now we are hoping a Nanny will save my sanity!
You do definitely need to think about plans for when DC are ill. This was a major pain for us, as with 6 of them there is often one or other ill, and we have NO family nearby...

Talk lots to DP/DH if you have one. There will be lots that needs to be shared , not just the obvious. EG my DH has accepted he needs to put the dishwasher on more often, or even put a load of washing on once in a while but I still find the majority of the thinking/planning/organising for dc is down to me, eg attending meetings for dd3 at school(special needs), sorting out any niggles with the nanny, arranging bday presents and parties etc...so all these things need to be shared out....

If funds allow definitely get a cleaner. You dont want to spend days off paid work cleaning!

Be prepared for DC to take time to adjust , and try not to go down the whole guilt route when they make comments like "I wish you could still pick us up from school Mummy...sob..." If they are old enough try explaining to them the benefits of you going to work...

Try to plan nice things to do at weekends/days off paid work, that way it avoids the feeling that the weekends just dissappear and your back to the girnd of Mondays...

Be kind to yourself, let your standards slip
(even more in my case!) Try to let go of your need for perfection (speaking personally again LOL)

Treat yourself to some new work clothes - they will halp you feel confident even if your not!

....may be back with more...and in the meantime I will try and take my own advice as I am having a major wobble this week about going to 4 days LOL

Er, don't do what I did this week and assume that because you weight near enough the same, you will be able to get into your old interview suit. Check it out WELL in advance. It was a very uncomfortable two and a half hours, not being able to breath out!

Agree with the recent posts about new clothes.

Get at least one or 2 smart pieces that will put you in good stead for the first day. Get a nice hair cut. Some make up, if you wear it.

One pair of good shoes. If you have never worked as a mother, I found the main difference between pre-dc shoes and post-dc shoes is I don't faff around with high heels on the train commute. Many times, I have to run to get to catch a train or tube to make a pick up etc. I keep my high heels at work and change into them when I get in.

Once you have started, have a look at what the other women are wearing (smart casual, dresses, trousers, suits?) and then buy more work clothes.

Also, once you have got that job, get all your mummy chores out the way eg clearout (as Junglegyms says), doctors/dentist appointments, haircuts, photo albums, house admin, furniture/clothes/uniform buying ... anything that you can do now which will be difficult to arrange once you are at work. This may be the last time you will be able to do it without some inconvenience.

1. Do voluntary work, preferably in the area/role you wish to work in. Get someone else to look at your CV or use someone else's as a model - they are very difficult to write well. If you don't have much experience, focus on your skills instead. Brush up on competency-based interviews ("Can you give an example of a situation where...") as this is how most interviews are conducted nowadays. Be very upbeat in the interviews, don't criticise anything or anyone, turn anything negative into a learning experience - smiley, positive people come over best in interviews.

1. Crucial stuff - if possible arrange for yoru partner to do all the emergency cover for the first few weeks. If your child is going into nursery, expect them to be ill a lot at first so have good back-up plans or start them at least a month early.

Going back to work will feel weird to you but for your colleagues it will feel like you've barely been away so don't make too big a deal of it.

Just bumping this up again as I am very interested in this topic at the moment. I think it is worth splitting the second section in two - one for parents returning with small babies & one for those returning after a break with school-age children.

There can be lots of different issues around leaving older children - eg if they are teens, at what age is it ok to leave them at home during the holidays if you are working. In some ways my teenager is the one I feel most guilty about leaving. The younger ones will be well entertained at holiday club but she will be left to her own devices, has few local friends, etc. Is it better to take whole weeks off during the holidays or a couple of days each week?