How hard is it to get back into work after a break?

[user593]

My maternity leave is due to come to an end shortly and I’ve handed in my notice. I plan on taking another year off, but I’m really worried that after being out of work for 2 years I’ll not only find it difficult to get a job but also to get back into the rhythm of having a job. I also wonder if I’m going to take 2 years off, if I may as well take more (or whether taking more time off would make things even harder). What has been your experience?

I took 6 years out - 2 kids and a period living abroad in a country I had entered on a dependent visa. I left for my first maternity leave from a manager role.

I returned to the UK in Feb, applied for 2 jobs in May, got interviews for them both and was offered them both. They were both part time roles as I still have young kids and have to do school runs etc, and they were both lower level than the job I left 6 years ago, although not entry level by any means.

In the 6 months I’ve been in my current role I’ve been promoted already and I’m at a level I feel really comfortable in - not quite on the same salary I left on but near enough, and similar responsibilities.

I was really worried about getting back into work and a lot of people took pleasure in telling me I’d tanked my career but in my experience if you are bright and prove yourself to be capable you will get ahead.

I also feel like I entered back into the workplace at a time when I was really ready and eager to do so, so it’s been a pleasure to be honest!

I took 10 years out, within the 5 years I have been back into work , starting in an entry level role (so 1 step down from the level I left at)I got promoted several times, and am now a manager covering a large service.

Was a shock going from sahm to full time work, but honestly, I have loved it! It's improved our life so much!!

If you can take time off then do it. You don’t give enough info about your husbands financial circumstances for us to comment.

you can keep up by studying in the background or doing freelance stuff depending on your industry.

more info needed for us to give helpful advice.

@Eskimal There is no need for me to work. DP is a high earner, our mortgage is very nearly paid off, and we have substantial savings between us. Our friends and family were a bit surprised when I returned to work after DC1, but after DC2 I’d like to take a bigger break without abandoning my career entirely.

@ReggaetonLente @MooseAndSquirrelLoveFlannel Thank you for sharing your experiences! After DC1 I was desperate to get back to work and I felt like it benefitted us all but after DC2 I’m just not feeling it 😅I’m exhausted and want a good long break!

I guess everyone’s experience is different and also dependent on area and qualifications, but I got a job within 6 weeks of my dc starting school having been out for just over four years.

I had a little more than two years off after my second. I had planned to go back when my eldest started primary school but she was part time for the first half term so I put off returning until the January, by which time she was nicely settled in.

I didn't have to worry about finding a job because I already had one and had been allowed to take a career break.

However, the organisation I worked for had undergone some big changes while I was away. When I returned it was to a new job in a very different organisation and in a new building. In some ways it was like starting from scratch, but because I was officially returning rather than being a new starter, everyone assumed I knew how things worked, which I didn't!

The other issue was that the IT systems had moved on a lot in my absence (over 20 years ago) and I had a lot of catching up to do in that respect too.

All in all the first couple of months were quite uncomfortable. I only worked three days a week so it probably took me longer to get back into the swing of things than it would have done if I had been full time.

If you have a good financial foundation and don’t “need” to work then I presume you’d like to keep the idea of returning to work in mind because you like the mental stimulation and the feelings of achievement.
I would love to be in this position but I’m not (I’m the high earner and my husband is on zero hours contract / minimum wage) so this is what I would do if I had the opportunity
I personally think you should spend your maternity time working out the best way to form a company that allows you to consult or do work self-employed. Whether this is study, or part-time roles in the peripheral areas of your field, the more strings to your bow, the more you will be able to see your place in your field of work when you are ready to go back.
it sounds exciting and a great opportunity to do something rewarding. I wish you all the best.

@Eskimal It’s more that I like my independence and having my own money. Also DP will take early retirement and I’d like to still have something coming in. I grew up with self employed parents which has always put me off self employment, plus I think I’d miss the social aspects of work, which I need because I’m not a very social person otherwise. But I’m definitely going to try and upskill in my time off. Luckily what I do seems to still be in high demand as I get approached on LinkedIn 2-3 times a week for jobs far more senior than the one I’m leaving.