Career Returners

🎙️ 🎧 Careers Can Change, whatever your age! Our mini-series of our Career Returners Podcast on career change, in partnership with longer lives think tank Phoenix Insights, wraps up with the inspiring story of Ajay Sahota who changed role and sector on her return to work. Determined to channel the wealth of experience developed during her career break, Ajay successfully moved from tech roles within the food sector to business management with Leidos, a technology innovation company.  Hard work, perseverance, tenacity, and maintaining hope played a large part in her successful career change, together with the supportive pathway of the Leidos Create Returner Programme. As this podcast mini-series comes to an end, we celebrate our fantastic guests Charlotte Hills, Deirdre Carswell and Ajay S. who joined our coaches Karen Danker and Liz Mearns to share their stories of changing track after a career break. Listen in to hear about the highs and lows they encountered along the way, as well as their practical tips for others contemplating doing something different on their return to work. Here are Karen and Liz's top five takeaways from this mini-series: ✅ Don’t underestimate just how many skills and strengths developed over the course of your career and career break will transfer across into whatever you choose to do next  ✅ Keep front of mind your vision of what you want to do next, and why, to help to keep you on track and stay motivated in the face of setbacks ✅ Consider pro bono or voluntary work to build network contacts, together with your understanding and experience of a new role or sector ✅ In job applications, highlight how your skills and experience translate across to your new role or field, so that a recruiter can clearly see the value you bring  ✅ Embrace growth, step outside of your comfort zone and continue taking action every day to move forward towards this exciting new career chapter!   You can catch up on all three episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or our website: 🎧 Episode 3: ‘Move Forward and Embrace Growth’ with Ajay Sahota https://lnkd.in/eWQ-z_md 🎧 Episode 2: ‘Flying High with Skylarks’ with Deirdre Carswell https://lnkd.in/eAKaie23 🎧 Episode 1: ‘From TV Production to Rail Innovation’ with Charlotte Hills https://lnkd.in/epYnSUE8 A big thank you to Phoenix Insights (part of Phoenix Group) for sponsoring this mini-series of our podcast and their ongoing support for the Careers can Change campaign, of which we're a proud member! #careerscanchange #careerreturners #returntowork #podcast #careerchangeadvice #midlife Catherine Sermon Abigail Shervington Catherine Foot

🌟 🗨️ 🌟 Seldom in corporate life do you do something positive on every level! This comment from a panellist at our online Employer Event on Returner Programmes in Practice yesterday perfectly summed up the experiences of running successful returner programmes, shared by our forward-thinking employer partners EDF (UK), BT Group and Gallagher Re. With a wonderful collaborative spirit, it was fantastic to bring together over 50 members of our Career Returners Employer Network, from across the UK, Ireland, France, India and the Middle East. Our brilliant panel included a programme manager, a recruiter, a line manager and a returner, giving a full range of perspectives. We then met together in smaller discussion groups, connecting experienced and new returner employers. Here's a flavour of the conversation and tips shared: 🗨️ 🌟 The calibre of returners applying was fantastic – if they’d not had a career break, we may have struggled to attract them   🗨️ 🌟 Our returners have brought talent, motivation, loyalty and a huge passion to be back at work. Their diversity is an added bonus 🗨️ 🌟 After our first programme, the calibre of the returners themselves sell it!   🗨️ 🌟 We look for relevant previous experience, then assess based on skills and behaviour rather than recent knowledge. Topics you can quickly learn, but the way to do business is harder to teach 🗨️ 🌟 You need to provide wraparound support to returners. The coaching provided by Career Returners is a very important part of the programme, alongside internal mentors and buddies 🗨️ 🌟 Have your line managers and hiring team trained to set them up for success 🗨️ 🌟 If you can have a cohort starting together, then do - it provides amazing peer support 🗨️ 🌟 It’s a constant learning process – be open minded and take learnings from one programme and tweak to improve the next one 🗨️ 🌟 Ongoing internal communication is critical, keep talking about the programme and, the positive impact your returners have on the business 🗨️ 🌟 If you're thinking about a returner programme, just do it! Huge thanks to our fantastic panellists: Michelle Baggs, Head of HR, EDF (UK) Geoff Thorpe, Recruitment Manager, EDF Freddie Scarratt, Global Deputy Head InsurTech, Gallagher Re Pallavi Kejriwal, Returner Programme Participant, BT Group and facilitator Hazel Little our Deputy CEO If you're an employer and would like to see a recording of the main event, email Rebecca Collis Associate CIPD our Head of Employer Partnerships on [email protected] To hear about our 2025 employer events, sign up to our free Employer Network: https://lnkd.in/e_RenyTB #careerreturners #inclusivehiring #returnship

📢 We are excited to share that the Evaluation Report for our Government-funded STEM ReCharge Project has been published today by the Office for Equality and Opportunity and highlights the success of the 2023-4 project. STEM ReCharge provided free support from Career Returners and STEM Returners to 90 returners and 41 employers to enable experienced professionals with tech and engineering backgrounds, in the Midlands and North of England, to return to their careers after caring-related career breaks of a year or more.   ⭐ The OEO recommended that “other organisations could use learning from the evaluation of STEM ReCharge to inform the design of their own return to work support programmes across the UK, focussing on sectors facing skills shortages”. They found high engagement and satisfaction levels from employers. 97% reported they were satisfied or very satisfied with the online training sessions, with comments including: ⭐ This training is essential for any business looking to introduce or improve a return-to-work programme ⭐ The STEM ReCharge Programme is a much-needed programme The vast majority of returners reported that STEM ReCharge had helped them in their return-to-work journey, feeling more prepared and confident to re-enter the workforce. Participants said: ⭐ Attending the training, the coaching workshops and the skills training was all very relevant and it helped me to set goals and then work towards them  ⭐ I loved the practical support from the coaching workshops which really helped to build my confidence. My mentor was also excellent  ⭐ The coaching support helped me to build my self-belief and see that it’s OK to be in this position ⭐ I would recommend the STEM ReCharge programme to anyone who is struggling to get back to work. There is still a huge amount of work that needs to be done, both in supporting returners on their journey back to work and getting employers ready to hire and welcome returners back. A lack of suitable roles remained a persistent barrier to returning for many of our participants (we’re working on this!). However, this programme evaluation clearly evidences the successful impact of coaching and training programmes for all parties. In terms of the second recommendation, to share good practice within employer networks, we are already strengthening our own employer network, starting with a fantastic event today (more on that soon!). Credit for the success of the programme goes to our projects leads Hazel Little and Alicia Paxman and to our partners at the OED Anna Lawton Barbara Collins Matthew Croker Jennifer Higgins and Amanda Clark   Full details of the report can be found here: https://lnkd.in/eXk9HDyK To read more about STEM ReCharge see here: https://lnkd.in/eQWS8r9v #CareerReturners #Returntowork #DiversityandInclusion

If you’re looking to access and support the pool of highly-qualified, diverse returner talent, please join us at our next Career Returners Employer Insight and Networking Event. At this free-of-charge online event on 28 November, we’ll be talking about Returner Programmes in Practice. #CareerReturners #CareerBreak #diversity #returners

A striking recent survey by the Recruitment & Employment Confederation found that 'recent experience' was rated as a top priority by 25% of UK recruiters screening candidates, second only to 'relevant experience' and ahead of 'length of experience' or 'skills listed in the job description'. Recruiters in the Midlands and London, and smaller firms, were more likely to rank recent experience as the number one priority. This upfront filter puts high-skilled and experienced returners at a huge disadvantage from the outset in the job market. We all need to join together to tackle this career break penalty. So we're thrilled to be working with the REC on essential new Career Returners Guidance for recruiters, aiming to lower these recruitment barriers for returning professionals. Using the survey findings, we're working together to challenge the perceptions and concerns raised by a 'CV gap', and to provide practical action steps for recruiters to access and support this highly-skilled hidden talent pool. The guidance launches in early 2025. You can find a preview the key findings, and read an interview with our CEO Julianne Miles MBE, in the November-December issue of Recruitment Matters Magazine: https://lnkd.in/dR_bxPP8 #EndTheCareerBreakPenalty #careerreturners

I'm really excited to feature in The Times today. It's fantastic to have the opportunity to highlight why hiring and supporting career returners is both good business sense AND the right thing for responsible employers to do. Why is it good business sense? Returning professionals are such a skilled, motivated and diverse talent pool. The article features a great example: Sharada Vijay who joined Convex Insurance on our partner returnship and who is now their Head of Data Engagement. If this sparks your interest, you can read over 140 more stories of returners Career Returners has supported back to fulfilling work here: https://lnkd.in/eBBvW-Mf Why do we need to get more employers involved? 10 years into our mission of making career breaks a valued part of a lifetime career, returners still have to struggle way too hard to get their careers back on track. As Sharada says: "currently there are not enough opportunities for people who have taken a career break to return, especially in roles that give them a real chance to reintegrate." We need more employers to work alongside us to create a fairer and more inclusive working world for returners. #EndTheCareerBreakPenalty #careerbreak #returnship #careerreturners

Don't think it's ever too late to change career! A mid-career change can lead you to your best job ever, like our latest Career Returners podcast guest. In this inspiring episode, Deirdre Carswell talks to our coaches Karen Danker and Liz Mearns about successfully switching to a career in the charity sector, after 25 years in the corporate and medical sector. Of course, the transition wasn't always smooth sailing. The pandemic threw Dee off course, as she took a career break to care for various family members, including her two daughters who have additional needs. Through a ‘stars align’ moment, she found our friends at Charity Interns (now The Well Placed), who offer six month placements in the charity sector for people with private sector experience. After a placement at the Alzheimer's Society, a fantastic learning experience and networking opportunity, Dee secured a role as Head of Fundraising at Skylarks Charity. Skylarks is a charity very close to her heart, which supports children with additional needs and their families. Listen to Dee's story on our website, on Apple Podcasts or on Spotify : https://lnkd.in/eAKaie23 A big thank you to Phoenix Insights (Phoenix Group) for sponsoring this mini-series of our podcast and their ongoing support for the Careers can Change campaign. #careerscanchange #careerreturners #returntowork #podcast

📢 We're on a mission to make career breaks a valued part of a lifetime career! In our new video, find out more about who we are, what we do and our impact #CareerBreakValue #EndTheCareerBreakPenalty #CareerReturners #SocialImpact

It's great to be featured in the Mediaplanet Empowering Women at Work Campaign, within the Irish Independent and online today. As part of an exploration of key trends for women in the workplace, our CEO Julianne Miles MBE talks about the importance of providing a supportive pathway back to work for women who have taken career breaks. She explains how Career Returners Coaching helps returners "to value the unique strengths and skills they developed before and during their career break — seeing the break as a bonus rather than a setback." You can read our article here: https://lnkd.in/etqKEpZ5 The full campaign is online here:  https://lnkd.in/e6CV3MVv #EmpoweringWomenAtWork #careerbreakvalue #careerreturners