Today's Business Woman 2/08

Returning to work
You might have had a career break for travel
or to have children and be anxious about
getting back to work. If you are looking for
a new challenge the ﬁ rst task is to work
out exactly what you are looking for, so
you know which companies to target and
how to do it; often a SWOT analysis can
assist you with this (below). Gaining more
qualiﬁ cations is another option and can open
many doors, see p. 51 for more options, or
the Open University can help with distance
learning (open.ac.uk). There is no shame in
retraining for success, and now you can be
more focused to get the results you want.
Getting in touch with past contacts can also
yield results, Mike Morris, Senior Recruitment
Consultant for Drummond Recruitment says,
Advancing in your
‘Relationships are key to coming back to
vocation...
work after a career break, speak to everyone Overworked and
you know and used to work with. After all, it’s
underpaid? It’s time to
Lexie Minter, midwife
update your CV
not what you know, but who you know.’
and founder of The
Prenatal Company
Sending the CV to show off other targets and achievements.
‘I trained as a midwife
For most people the CV is the ﬁ rst step to Barbara Cassani agrees, ‘Think about how
but felt there had
getting yourself out there and on the market. to generalise your experiences, so if you’ve
to be a better way
‘Remember the person reading it has been in a customer services job in a retail
of providing care
probably already looked at 100 other CVs outlet, how can you apply what you know to
– women were
that day, so it’s all about ease of reading and a new environment, like a hotel? You need
not getting the
key points,’ says Morris. ‘Have a proﬁ le at to have a well-rehearsed answer for interviews.
information and support they needed. I
the top using key words to emphasise you, Don’t just make it up as you go along!’
set up The Prenatal Company to provide
that just say, “I’m good and I can prove it”’.
comprehensive antenatal care to pregnant
He stresses the importance of anything you First impressions count
women at the ofﬁ ce after seeing women
have done out of work that offers a wider The next step is the interview, for this follow
having to rush back to where they lived
impression of you and gives greater scope Morris’ golden rule, ‘Do your research
for a twenty minute appointment with a
midwife they may have never met before,
or may never meet again, in an inﬂ exible
Self-assessment can be a tricky process you to make an action plan to build on in
9-5 Monday to Friday schedule. I realised
but being brutally honest with yourself will the future.
there was a gap in the market and that
help you work out what you want. Whether Opportunities – Have you identiﬁ ed any
by providing a private midwifery service it
you have decided on a career path, or still interesting trends in your business? Is
would beneﬁ t women, and their employers.
trying to work out your vocation in life a there a gap in the market? How can ever-
The initial funding came from
SWOT analysis can help: changing technology help? Look at social
remortgaging my ﬂ at, and then some
Strengths – How are you better than trends, lifestyle changes and local events
further investment. My years as an A&E
other people? What do you do better than that could be brought to a national scale
nurse helped me learn to prioritise,
anyone else? What resources do you have with your strengths.
be prepared and be organised. I am
access to? Remember here that everything Threats – What obstacles stand in your
passionate about what I do and I think that
is relative, if you want to work in PR and way? Who, or what, is your competition?
comes across to women. If I went back to
say that you’re a “friendly” person so is How are your ﬁ nances? Think about how
the NHS now as a midwife, despite all my
everyone else. Only list the things that make any of your weaknesses could undermine
qualiﬁ cations, in London my salary would
you stand out from the crowds in your ﬁ eld. what you are trying to achieve.
be around £25,000; this may help explain
Weaknesses – What could you improve? Once you’ve completed some serious
the midwife shortage. I am much more
What is it that has stopped you being soul searching and got clear answers, be
comfortable now with my salary and I have
successful so far? What do you fear? Be realistic about the options open to you and
job satisfaction at the same time.’
realistic and remember that this will help where you see yourself in the next few years.
For more information visit
theprenatalcompany.co.uk
TODAY’S BUSINESS WOMAN 43
T'sBW11 Career moves 2.indd 43 1/12/08 8:24:14 pm
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