Not sure how 'frank' to be in this job applications?

[cloudsinlatte]

I've been working freelance in a creative role for several years which has worked perfectly for me with kids being young etc. It's been a long time since I worked full-time for one particular employer.

It's a very challenging time for my industry - lack of work, people being laid off etc - and I am beginning to miss working full-time within a company, not to mention the stability of income that goes with it!

I've just seen a great fulltime job come up that I am very well qualified for - it is a one year maternity contract. This would be ideal for me as I'd essentially be 'riding out' the lack of freelance work right now. Obviously I wouldn't put it quite like that in my application, but how frank should I be?!

If I suggest that I'm ditching my freelance career entirely in order to do this other role, I think the employer would find that a bit questionable - so I don't know if it's better to be totally transparent? x

Could you word it as feeling like you have missed working for a company and want to trial going back to it so a 1 year contract works perfectly?

Its completely normal for people to say that they want to return to working for an employer.

"I miss working full-time within a company" would be perfect.

I wouldn't have any concerns at that (as a recruiting manager)

@Cuwins and @MinervaMcGonagallsCat - thanks, really helpful. I'd definitely be intending to say that.

I suppose I'm worried that the recruiter might think 'but why are doing a swerve with your freelance career?' and that would be offputting?

My CV suggests the freelance work is pretty successful - which it has been, but it's a very hard time and my financial pressures have increased. I worry they'll suspect I'd have half my eye on freelance work and wouldn't be focused...

It's a fixed term contract- is it very different from taking on a freelance one year contract, apart from being an employee rather than a contractor?

@EBearhug - it's not really that different, and it's an industry where people can and do freelance work on the side (think a journalist who works for a newspaper but also writes books, for example).

However, I'm never quite sure with maternity contracts if recruiters have the expectation/hope that the person they hire could ideally stay within the company if the mother on mat leave decides not to return, or take a longer period off?

I think you're over thinking this - IME people don't hire maternity cover based on the likelihood of the person wanting stay on should the post holder not want to return. A lot can happen in that time period for everyone!

You can just say that being in employment brings you greater security and certainty, and that you miss a team environment.

I regularly hire freelancers and people on FTCs for mat cover and tbh I don’t really consider them much different (I’m not HR so legalities aside). I don’t recruit for mat cover hoping the candidate will become perm. That’s not how it works - the role I’m hiring for is specific and time-based, as with a 1-month freelance role. You’re over thinking this.

Ok thanks, perhaps I am overthinking here. It's just been a while since I've been fulltime anywhere and I don't want to put them off!

I've just done this for similar reasons, freelance has become so stressful and chaotic. I had an answer prepared (which is true!) about wanting to feel ownership of something rather than dipping in and out as well as wanting to work more in a team. It was fine, I got the job!