Career after mat leave

[SlB09]

I love my job but want to progress, im due to go on mat leave soon and wondered how you all felt when you went back? Did your drive to progress reduce or diminish or were you happy to study and move on? My current place of work is very child friendly and flexible and generally lovely - its whether this is enough?!

I didn't go back!
Mine weren't child friendly or flexible at all. I think you'll have to wait and see how you feel x

Yeah I know I'm probably trying to predict the future which nobody can, its just something I'm struggling with as always been career focused.

Yes I still wanted a career after mat leave and applied for a promotion within 6 months of returning. I didn't get it.

I'm interested in this too. I was fairly driven before going on maternity leave. I'm now 8 months in to my 12 months off and at the moment I couldn't care less about work . Where I work you are expected to demonstrate how you want to progress each year and plan how to do it. I hope I get some drive back when I'm back amongst it.

I interviewed and got promoted whilst on mat leave. I have a slightly different perspective now e.g. they would have to let me work part time or I wouldn't take the job, but essentially it hasn't changed my view. I do work in NHS though, so it is fairly family friendly.

Forgot to say that feeling like this has been a bit of a surprised. But I worked so hard to get to where I was that i know I will go back.

NHS too but ive found different areas have different views on 'family friendly' or 'flexible'! I just hope a. It doesnt affect how im viewed/less opportunities part time and b. I still have that part of me

There are definitely fewer opportunities part time.

For me, had my employer been willing to be flexible with my hours, I would have continued to work hard for my next promotion however I left as we couldn't agree on a flexible working arrangement.

However, I have plenty of friends who have come back to work after having a baby and are excelling massively in their careers.

If you want it, you can do it!

I felt awful leaving my LO at nursery but needed to get out and do something for myself! I don't think you will ever get over the Mummy guilt but I just had to push through it, knowing that it would benefit her in the future.

If it helps I used this jobsite called DYWAJ to find my current job - they were really helpful and understanding when it came to going back to work after maternity leave.

Good luck with whatever you choose!

Great info thanks . Think of all that wonderful talent and commitment thats lost through inflexible arrangements, these people could be such an assett!!

I went back FT after 10 mo mat leave then went on mat leave again 12 months after coming back.

I'm no less driven. I've had 2 promotions in that time and I'm as senior as I can get at my current job. I have flexible working (flexed hours and WFH 1 dpw). My career is probably less of a single-minded priority (as I have others in my DCs) but it's important to the family (as I'm the main/sole earner).

I've been supported by an awesome DP who took time out to be a SAHD and a work environment that has flexed around me and a boss who has a young family too, so gets the balancing act. It definitely helps if you aren't bearing the whole domestic load...