Returning back to work after raising family

[Petitegirl]

Hi all, after a 4 year career break ( raising family, supporting husband with his work) I am planning to return back to work. During this time, I have studied and finished my qualification. I have updated my CV made sure is solid and professional, had 2 people reviewing it to make sure it reflects my skills, achievements and experience. I have been applying for numerous jobs, contacted recruitment agencies and no luck at all (been doing for 2 months) not even an interview. As soon as I mention to recruiters 4 years break they all go a little bit silent over the phone and promising would come back (and never do) It really knocked over my confidence and starting to wonder if I should apply for a job in supermarket.
With my previous 2 jobs it only took 1 month from application to job offer, as soon as I would upload my CV on CV- library, Indeed, Reed I would receive numerous calls from agencies. Now absolute silence.

Ladies, who returned back to work after a big career break how did you do and how long it took you? Any words of advice or suggestions would be welcome 🙏

I applied for a frontline insurance sales position on the lowest starting salary, took a pay drop to do so. But they do a lot of their recruitment internally and I have had several promotions in the last few years based on my previous qualifications and experience and am now at a much higher level.

I have also referred someone for the same type position which meant she skipped the recruitment company part of the process and went straight to being interviews internally. She is a migrant from a non English speaking country and was struggling getting any position (other than care work) in Australia but will now be able to use her professional qualifications to get internal promotions.

So be willing to start lower in large companies that openly use this pool of employees for internal promotions.

What did you do before your career break, and what sorts of jobs are you applying for now?

I did a couple of voluntary jobs for a while. This got recent work experience on my cv and gave me 2 recent employers to give me references. Then moved to paid work.

I went into care and support work and noone batted an eyelid at my career break. Most of them are women and many people do this. I love it. So rewarding

Yes, this really. There's probably a mismatch somewhere. I doubt you need to get a job in a supermarket but you may need to accept a lower level job that you were on previously or perhaps some temp work to get you back into current employment?

Depends what you're applying for.

I'd recommend public sector though if you're just looking for "a job" rather than breaking back into "a career" because in my experience (5 year break) I got the 2nd job I applied for.

I've never once had a job via an agency so I'd never even think to look via them. I would always apply direct.

Accountancy and I have qualified as a Chartered Accountant. Looking for a similar job. Applied for a lower salary to get back on track and no much success.

With my previous 2 jobs it only took 1 month from application to job offer, as soon as I would upload my CV on CV- library, Indeed, Reed I would receive numerous calls from agencies. Now absolute silence.

Please don't take this to heart to much, I fondly remember the good old days of the power of Reed's immediately available option, I've found more recently less and less recruiters contact you when you make CV public on most major job boards / select Reed's immediately available option if it still is a thing! etc.

Only 1 recruitment agency who I registered with years ago has had the power to get me some sort of (office temping) work from the many others I've spoken to after applying to their postings. It might pay to register with one local recruitment agency who seems busy and has a good long-term reputation.

Never had any direct employer contact after finding my CV type situations nowadays. I think it kind of has something to do with GDPR, Reed offices decreasing (well in my area) and the increased publicity of job boards to more using linkedin.

Have you looked at accountancy returners programmes?

https://www.icaew.com/membership/support-throughout-your-career/career-break-and-getting-back-to-work

https://jobs.mazars.co.uk/jobs/returners-programme/

Thank you so much for suggestion. I did had a look at their returners programme and unfortunately, they are looking at manager and above positions :(

I applied for an associate position ( entry level) and incidentally today I recieved an email saying that they won’ proceed further with my application:(((

What level were you working at before?

Why are you applying for entry level/trainee positions when you're qualified?

It was a job in area I would really like to get into ( one of the requirement was fully qualified)

Latest position was part qualified.

Have you looked at the NHS job pages ?

It is tough out there at the moment. Even without a career break it has taken me 9 months to find a new job whereas when I was last looking 7 years ago it took less than 1 month.

How far from qualified? Which qualification?

If you're part qualified applying for qualified positions, that's why you're being rejected. Not because of the break.

If you tell us which qualification, how far away from qualifying, experience to date etc then people will be able to give you clearer and more specific advice for your situation.

You said previously that you'd finished your qualification but now that you're only part qualified? Those are quite different.

You might need a strategy to finish your qualification before you start looking at areas of specialism/interest.

Sorry it was wrong explanation from my side. Before career break my jobs were part qualified accounting. During my career break I self studied and became a qualified accountant. Now I am looking for qualified position but equally happy to take entry level for forensic accounting roles. Hopefully this makes more sense. I was clear to recruiters that I am willing to compromise on salary or title just to get back into field. Sorry trying to type whilst dealing with little one :))

I am in a forensic stream. In one of the biggest outside the big 4 and we are not recruiting. We are taking grads for next September but we don't need any more juniors.

At your level in forensic you are up against all the qualified auditors who are looking to move into the specialism.

It is going to be very tough. What kind of things are you applying to?

Have you considered going self employed, to start with? Appreciate its not rocket science for a chartered accountant, but bookkeeping for small businesses would produce income and be fully flexible around family life.

Sounds like you'll be competing with newly qualified Chartered Accountants who will have more recent work experience.

Would you perhaps consider going in-house rather than in practice? You could easily get a standard Management Accountant role earning £50k (London), and you don't even have to be qualified!

I have noticed that there are lots of experienced forensic accounting jobs and very few entry level which most are graduate programme anyway. It is almost virtually impossible for me to get into the field, but I am very determined and I will keep applying for those jobs :))) hopefully my language skills will help a bit.
I have applied for lots of associate forensic & valuations jobs for which I was meeting some of the criteria.
I might consider to join a graduate programme just need to check if I am qualifying for one.

It is great idea but I have been advised that I need good few years of post qualification experience.

Absolutely, I am competing with all the newly qualified accountant who are currently employed and with all the graduates.
I feel like an old rusty car that nobody wants :)