Women returners

Many professional women will at some stage choose to spend time away from their work to focus on family responsibilities. But time away from the workplace can be disruptive and people re-entering the workforce often feel intimidated by the changes that might have taken place, even over a short period.

Women need to make sure that they still have their confidence when they return to work, and update their knowledge of issues in the workplace as well as updating their skills where necessary.

'Women need to look factually at what they have done. Women who have taken a career break often feel they have no confidence or skills. They need to look at what they have done as a mother or carer at home,' says Jenny Daisley, chief executive of women's training specialist, Springboard Consultancy.

Before you leave work, check your options. Some companies offer internal refresher courses or offer short-term placements and training days during a career break, designed to help staff keep in touch. Whether you intend to return to the same company or not, make sure you know where you stand in terms of company pay and benefits, such as pensions and private medical insurance.

What is the norm for your industry?
Some professions are better than others at helping staff back into work after time away. Often these are either jobs which are traditionally filled by women, or are in industries that face staff shortages. Find out the norm for your industry, and talk to other women who may have experienced similar situations.

Women in science and engineering, for example, felt there was sufficient need for a women's support organisation for those industries, and set up local groups across the country.

'When we first thought about setting up the Association of Women in Science and Engineering (AWiSE), it was given a small mention in New Scientist. There was no contact address, just my name in an article. I got half a dozen calls from women who wanted to set up local groups, who had gone out of their way to track me down,' says Dr Joan Mason who founded the group.

AWiSE, though still small, has helped to influence national policy and to set better standards for women in academia, science and engineering-related professions.

Networking will help
Choosing a network that suits you is important. Many professions run their own groups, in sectors ranging from IT to publishing. Some of these target women wanting to enter the profession, but also provide support and advice on training, organise events and provide mentoring services for women. A number of networks also attempt to influence policy-making at a national or local level.

'Joining a network was an amazing experience for me,' says Hilary Leslie, chair of the London branch of Network, a national organisation. 'Network serves many purposes. It supports women returners, mothers and those who have been made redundant, a very diverse group of people.'

Sector-specific networks:

• Association of Women in Science and Engineering 01647 221316
• NASUWT - Women in Teaching 0121 453 6150
• Women's IT Network

Some city and county councils run local networking groups, open to women from any professional background. Contact your local council for details.

Prominent national networks:

• Women Returners Network can be contacted on 01245 263 796. It provides help, advice and contacts for women returning to work after a career break.
• Network is a national group which has regular meetings. The London group has organised talks by Germaine Greer and Baroness Christine Crawley, chair of the National Women's Commission. Network can be contacted on netwomen@london.enterprise-plc.com or 01483 720 278.

Tips for successful networking

• Don't hesitate to get involved. Network groups are welcoming and supportive - that's why they exist.
• Do it yourself. If there isn't a suitable network in your area, why not place an ad in the local paper and start one up? Networks such as the Women Returners Network offer advice and help on how to begin a group.
• Follow up contacts. Phone people up a day or two after meeting them, to keep the contact fresh.
• Organise events. Host a dinner, or a speaker meeting, and bring together people from diverse backgrounds who might bounce ideas off each other.

Talk to human resources
If you want to re-enter a profession, talk to the human resources departments in firms that you might consider working for.

It is getting easier for women to return to work - employers are more open to staff leaving and re-entering the job market and flexible working is easier in the UK than anywhere else in Europe. The main lesson is that women who push for what they want and assert themselves in the workplace, can probably get it.

Top tips on returning to work:

• Before you leave for your break, find out about schemes run by your company. Check out how you stand in relation to existing benefits, particularly pensions.
• Assess your skills, looking objectively at those you have and those that are lacking. Where can you use your transferable skills?
• Take a general returners' course at a local FE college and consider a refresher course in your particular specialism.
• Talk to other people. Learn from their experiences and make use of contacts.
• Prepare. Highlight the advantages to the company of recruiting you on a flexible contract, such as staff retention, motivation or overheads.
• Decide what working hours you can manage, then negotiate with prospective employers to work in a way which allows you to stick to those hours. Make sure they know of your other commitments.
• Be flexible and realistic. Some jobs require a nine-to-five commitment, but working hours can be structured to fit your needs. Other jobs can be fulfilled from home, others require national or international travel - assess the requirements of the job you want and measure it against your own requirements. See our flexible working section.
• Organise childcare and have a back-up plan, in case initial arrangements fall through.

More on returning to work