Returning to work after a career break: CV guidance

2 minute read

Returning to work following an extended break can be daunting, but we like to help make the transition as smooth as possible. People take career breaks for many reasons, from starting a family, to travelling or sabbatical, changing career or caring for a family member. These tools should provide you with practical guidance to support your return to the workplace.

CV guidance

When looking to re-enter the job market, your CV is often your first touch point with a company, and at AJ Bell the in-house Recruitment Team are that first contact. Our recruiters spend much of their time looking through CVs and online profiles, so the more a CV can stand out for the right reasons, the better your chance of being short-listed for interview.

 

As recruiters, when reviewing CVs and applications, we’re not only looking to see your career and academic history, but we’re also keen to understand a little more about who you are, why you have applied for a particular role at AJ Bell, your values and career goals. Having had an extended period away from work doesn’t mean that what you have done before is no longer relevant, or that what you have done during your time off is not transferable. So, don’t be afraid to share the positives with us! Your CV is your personal marketing tool, so use it to showcase the reasons why you are the best person for the job.

Explaining your career break

  • Be honest! Don’t be tempted to cover up a period away from work. Instead, share how you have developed during that time and how you have kept your knowledge up to date. Address extended breaks within the career history section of your CV, or if the break is recent, within the personal statement of your CV or a cover letter.

  • Reference your transferable skills. Have you been off for parental leave? We understand that parenting is about mastering the art of negotiation, conflict resolution, time management, and more! Include these skills in your personal statement or cover letter.

  • Promote your core values. At AJ Bell we work by a set of guiding principles, and hiring likeminded individuals who can live and breathe our values is extremely important. Technical elements of a role can be trained, attitude cannot! Another one to include within your personal statement or cover letter.

Put yourself out there

  • To best position yourself to find work, you need to be located where recruiters look for candidates. Beyond targeting individual companies and applying for roles via their careers page, make yourself accessible to recruiters looking for candidates. At AJ Bell, the Recruitment Team seek out candidates via LinkedIn, Indeed, Jobsite, Reed and CV Library. Update your LinkedIn profile and add your CV to job board databases to enhance your chances of being picked up in a search.

  • In addition, we attend careers fairs, meet-up groups and conferences to network with potential future employees. If networking is out of your comfort zone, do it with a family member, friend or past colleague.

  • Ensure your CV details your experience, knowledge and abilities. Recruiters run searches based on key words, if your CV is brief it may be overlooked as it doesn’t appear in the relevant searches.

  • Look out for returner programs – these are a great way to re-enter the workplace, and often go hand-in-hand with training programs to enhance and upskill your previous experience.

You’ve been invited to an interview

  • Getting to interview is the hardest part of the recruitment process. If you’ve made it, it’s your time to shine. The interviewers like what they have read in your CV, it’s now over to you to bring that to life and sell yourself as the best candidate for the role.

  • A successful interview comes down to the preparation! Do your research, know your CV inside out and be enthusiastic. Anticipate what questions you’ll be asked: look online – there are lots of great examples of interview questions for all types of roles.

  • Practice, practice, practice! Don’t worry about nerves – some nerves are good as they can keep you grounded – and if you have prepared and practiced, your confidence will grow.

  • And remember, interviews are a two-way process; come prepared with questions about the role and business. Your questions are also another great way to show what you have researched. Reframe your questions to highlight what you have found out about the business – it won’t go unnoticed.

Good luck!