Going back to work - but to what? My "old" career or a new one? What would you do?

[Boobz]

I have a feeling this is going to be long.. sorry!

I am 33 with 3 DC aged 3 and under (so basically been popping them out since 2009). Prior to this I had been working both in the communications planning and marketing sectors for 7 years, and I have a good (science) degree.

Since I stopped working, I feel like my brain has slowly turned to mush and my self confidence is at an all time low. I don't feel like I would be able to walk back into a comms planning job (I last worked for a big media agency in 2006 and a lot has moved on in 6 years, so I am going to be very behind the curve on that one, and there will be much more knowledgeable, younger people applying for the same jobs) and my (limited) marketing experience is in a very niche field which will also have moved on a lot (online poker / betting) and I'm not even sure I want to go back to that particular field. I think I might benefit going into a big FMCG company like Unilever or similar, to get a better training of the basics to set me up in the future, but again think I would struggle given my career gap and being up against fresher, more qualified people.

So maybe I should do something different altogether? My problems are I need to do a job (in London) which pays enough for 2 children in full time care and 1 after school care, so going back into media / marketing seems like the only viable option (I was on £60k before stopping, but would I now even get a £45k+ job, or even a job at all, due to the reasons stated above?)

I have been seriously thinking about doing midwifery (having applied and gained a place but couldn't take it up due to DH's job - we're still living abroad and won't be back in London until January next year and they wouldn't let me defer a year) but even if we had been back in time, I really don't think we would have been able to afford it despite having some savings and the NHS bursary. So that looks like it's not do-able for the forseeable future.

But what other options are there? I want to work with other people, I want to do something which gives me a sense of status or well being (do you know what I mean?) and I want to use my atrophying brain. I have a degree in behavioural science - would it be worth doing some sort of distance Masters? But what would that lead to?

Have others out there taken 3 or 4 year career breaks from media / advertising / marketing and gotten straight back into it no problem? Should I do a CIM qualification to plug the gaps?

Don't know which way to turn... any advice gratefully received!

I'm just impressed you used to earn £60,000! I'm a graduate and earn just over the minimum wage :) Of course you can get a job, with a CV like that! And you could do midwifery with a bit of downsizing, surely? If your DH is on anything like the money you were on you can do it (not moving back to London would help - why not move back to a cheaper and, dare I say it, nicer part of the country?).

Onlike poker paid well. My CV was ok up until I stopped but I feel like I am so behind the curve now, with younger, more experienced people applying for the same jobs who need less money (i.e. don't have to cover child care).

We can downsize but not to the point we would need for me to be a student. With our mortgage and minimum out-goings (i.e. council tax, gas and electric, insurances etc) we would be minus money at the end of the month on DH's salary alone (he is a civil servant and doesn't earn big bucks, and has to be based in London for his job, so we have to return there).

Not trying to be negative, just honest. I think I will just have to get my CV out there and see if anyone will take a punt on someone who has been out of market for as long as I have, with less experience than I probably should have for being 33.... media is such a young industry!

I'm in marketing and worked both in London and abroad
Personally I would go back to the marketing side, get the finances in order, also family settled in a role where you have some background (trust me it will all come back!) and them consider your options. Get your CV out there, contact your old boss and even old agency contacts - they may know of roles/jobs. When I went back after time off it really was a case of who I knew - and play up the abroad card, unfortunately people are more sympathetic to that than SAHM and depending where you were you can use the experience of different cultures etc. on your cv.
I know I'm not staying in this role (lots of other posts on the subject) but its good money and has brought my cv up to date after a couple of maternity leaves and time off abroad.
Good luck!

I will definitely get back in touch with my old bosses (not really possible at the online poker place as a) I was a bit of a pariah for having back to back babies and then leaving them altogether to go abroad, and b) they have been taken over by another bigger company anyway) and see what is out there, but like I say, it was 6 years ago for the agency side so am thinking they will be a bit like "who?"...

...and you say it will "all come back"... but I didn't do a traditional marketing graduate scheme or anything like that, I just winged it in the online betting side of things (am a big poker player which helped me get the job!) so I feel like I need to go and learn the basics to really cover the marketing side. Argh. I think I will head to the Unilever / Diageo websites and see what they have on offer and be frank in any interviews I get about what I am and what I want to achieve and see whether they can help me get there. I kind of wish I had spent the last 3 years consolidating my career before heading off at 29 to have my first baby, but then maybe I should look at it that I am still young(ish) at 33 and have completed my family and won't be taking any more time off...

What are you planning on doing now Havering?

Have a look at the Women Like Us website. As well as running workshops in London to help women get back into work, they have a liaison with Time Wise which advertises jobs aimed at women returners.

Good luck! I have just taken the first tentative steps to return to work as a solicitor after a "career break" of 9 years. Scary stuff, but exciting!

Thanks WoodRose - will have a look! And good luck to you too..

Volunteering is also a very good way to boost your experience, your CV and your confidence. There are lots of opportunities locally from admin. to school governors to name a couple. You could do something you have done before or try something new. Alternatively, you could use your marketing expertise to help not-for-profit organisations in your area. To find out more in Buckinghamshire please visit www.communityimpactbucks.org.uk/pages/get-involved.html for general volunteering and them move onto the Expert Volunteer page if you would like to offer your business skills.
If you live outside that county visit the Volunteer England website to see what's available near you.

I think I remember one of your posts from a while back - you were working for a company abroad too?

I think the question is whether or not you enjoyed marketing per se - if you didn't then it doesn't make much sense to pursue it further. You have so many more years of working life ahead of you, so you should do something you enjoy!

How about doing a CIM or CAM course via distance learning?