Starting a new job after 3/4 months mat leave?

[babsie007]

Hi all

I am currently in mat leave although dd isn't due for another few weeks.

I have my annual appraisal in March that I have requested I use a KIT day for. There has been a new structure out into place within my team which comes into play from 2nd January, and I as I am already underpaid for what I do but left having smashed my target, I am hoping to get a very substantial pay rise that will bring me in line with industry standard. I am in north east and they recruit people in London on 14k more than me a year so I know they have the ability to pay more.

I also realize though my employer doesn't pay well in the north and a payrise isn't completely likely so I am preparing to look for something else once my daughter is born and I have for passed those first few weeks with her. I will be speaking to my employer and if there is no scope for a payrise, I intend to let them know I plan to look for something else.

What have your experiences been of you returned to a new job after mat leave? What response did you get from prospective new employers about you having just had a baby?

I am very fortunate that my dh will be working 4 days a week instead of 5 to allow me to return to work full time. Although we have to pay for 4 days childcare, we so have good family support when needed.

Sorry for typos...

That's positive to know! I assume you took the job, hopefully it has all worked out for you.

Thank you. Excited to get her here and also excited to get my cv out there

I'm 3 months into a job I interviewed for while on maternity leave with no 3. I stated the date I was looking to return and the fact I didn't want to work full time and they didn't bat an eyelid. It can work really well.

Woodburnerbabe, how did you feel actually starting back in unfamiliar territory after being off? And how long did you take as Mat leave? A friend suggested to me that my head won't really be in gear properly to start somewhere knew and I should stick where I am! considering she doesn't have any children....

I'm just now getting my head round it. The first week my head was actually spinning at the end of each day! Didn't help that the new company were v v v busy (hence recruiting new staff..) so I was very thrown in at the deep end.

At the end of my first two weeks I bitterly, bitterly regretted leaving my old job and it's taken really until now to feel happy and comfortable - please don't expect it to happen overnight.

And budget for some lovely treats if you can, takeaways and the like to ease the pressure a bit.

I had had 11 months leave, and had had to return to my old job for 5 weeks to work my notice as I didn't manage to get the formal offer through quickly enough to go straight into the new job. That buffer probably helped, but I still wasn't back in proper 'work' mode when I switched jobs.

Hope you are enjoying it thoroughly now!

Thanks for the tip off re takeaway, any excuse :-)

Umm, I still feel a little bit like I'm going to be exposed as a massive fraud sooner or later and completely incompetent and sacked. Not true in the slightest (I hope!) but my old job was a bit of a comfort blanket, which was also one of the reasons I left, if that makes sense?

I am enjoying it though!

Sometimes we need a new challenge to keep us on our toes! I'm sure they have every confidence in you too or they would never have hired you in the first place