If you had a break to be a SAHM and then went back, how far down the scale did you slip?

[niceglasses]

'Cos I've slipped very far. I'm not even in a professional post, and am qualified with lots of experience. Its not really bugging me as other things count (hours, lack of responsibility) but I'd be lying if I said it doesn't bother me at all, yet am happy just to be back at work and updating skills which are rustyish it has to be said. Just interested as to others experience and how you may have dealt with it??????

I do feel guilty for moaning before you flame me.!!

I have been very lucky to be starting back at work next week in virtually my old job, after six/seven years away. Like you I am delighted to be back at work and am practising my super-confident manner to cover up any rust

Oh yes, all this aside, being back at work is very nice......

Ahhhhhhhh, its just me then.

Still, its Monday tomorrow so my half day. I must say its lovely to have work to look forward to in the week instead of just the children. Don't mean that in an awful sense, just I think I was ready for something else.

I found it tougher than I thought. I had about 3 cases of not even getting an interview because prospective employers wanted someone 'with recent experience' or 'could hit the ground running'. I got this fedback to me from agencies.

I did find it tough in terms of confidence and interview skills - takes a few to get your swing back!

However, I didn't go for too many interviews before getting a job - maybe 4 or so, but the problem is probably finding one with the hours that suit.

I'm hoping I can climb back up soon enough too.

No, they didn't really grill me about the 4 or so years off - I think its plain what we've been doing (I have 3 under 6).

Hello. I slipped loads and feel fairly confident that had I NOT had 3 years as a sahm I'd be much more senior than I am now (I'm not at all senior now really) and would be earning quite a bit more.

However, in 2003 when dh and I moved from Devon to Bristol in search of work (I hadn't worked oth since 1999) he said "are you sure you'll be able to earn what you did before?" and I'd proved that I could within 4 months. Then I had a hairy 8months with no work (dh was a sahd, it wasn't good) and we came to the conclusion that we needed both of us to work as it was too scary being dependent on my pay. Now, 4 years later I've increased my market rate by a good 50% again from back then due to some bloody hard work and commuting etc. So it can be done. But after that 8 months out of work I took a six month job that involved being away during the week, which was horrible. It was all worth it though when I was offered a perm job and we relocated to the SE. I recently left that job and am now contracting in London, which has increased my pay (and therefore my market value) again but is bloody hard work. But we always knew this move was the right thing even if I didn't stay in the job because it meant I could work in London and because it's nearer ex dh, who sees ds every other weekend.

Can you tell us more about your skills? Can you update them?

I'm a qualfied librarian with an MSc in computing so I've always worked on the systems side of libraries or at least IT.

This role is an unqualifed IT/library role. I know my IT skills are well rusty and I can address this and intend to, I suppose I am just letting off steam when really I'm just appreciative of being back at work in any form.

I'm also doing an OU degree in Eng Lit which I love and if I was honest I'd rather spend my spare time on that rather than the IT stuff, so you can't have it all ways.

For now, I'm content(ish). I just wondered if it had happened to others and maybe how quickly they reclaimed that space.

The other aspect is probably that where I live (north east) there is just not the turn over of jobs. I think if I was in SE there would be more opporutnity for a quicker turnover.

hello. I am just contemplating the opposite - leaving my job to be a SAHM for a year or two while my son is still pre school. I have no quals and am a senior administrator and have just been given shedloads of responsbility I didn't particularly want. Have tried embracing it but I'm not a people manager and never will be, and feel that managing my son will be far mre fun and worth my effort, so for me its a positive step to becoming a SAHM. But, every day I still go o work thinking 'Today, I'm going to tell them I'm leaving' and can't quite bring myself to say it yet because every so often I think - arggggh, what if I leave then change my mind and end up working as a junior or somehting in a crappy job when I could've been even more senior than I am now??? But what if what if what if - how many times do you say that in your lifetime? So well done with going back to work - I think you've made a big decision and am sure it will work out how you want it to - just give yourself time to settle back into your new routine.

I can't help feeling sure that with most people, if you're good at your job and you've got some self-confidence - even if its your confidence in yourself at having been a SAHM for a few years - you will still get on in your job and do well, and if not in the one you're in now then in a better one where you'll be recognised for your strengths.

Phew!! better get back to work now