What a difference a day made for Successful Mum Mel

Having worked flat out in the City for most of her career, Mel had no idea where to begin when it came to finding local, flexible work to fit around her family life. Here, she explains how just one day with Successful Mums helped her throw off the blinkers and open her eyes to a fantastic new opportunity.

“I’d been on a career break for just over five years when my youngest daughter started school. Before that, I’d worked in finance, in jobs that were full-on and hectic, commuting and working long hours. It’s a fast-paced world and I didn’t want to go back to that. I felt that it had moved on a lot in five years and so had I.

So it was a case of asking: what can I do? But when I looked at job sites, I couldn’t actually see beyond what I couldn’t do. I’d lost sight of what I had to offer. Having heard about Successful Mums on Facebook, I went along to a Taster Session and, when it turned out that there was space on the Back to Work course starting the next day, I decided to take the plunge.

It was like having my blinkers taken off. That first day, I started to think differently and much more positively about what I could do. The course focused my thoughts on the skills I have and what I’m good at, as well as the experience I’d gained as a parent and by volunteering at my girls’ school.

We talked through all the recruitment sites and there were lots that I didn’t know about or that it hadn’t occurred to me to look at, including the Bromley Council website. I came home, logged on and immediately spotted a school finance assistant role at a local academy trust. The closing date was that week but it sounded like the perfect job and, since my focus was there, I put in an application.

We worked on our interview techniques on the course the following week. By that point, I knew I had one coming up, so it was almost like my prep. The thought of it was daunting as it was my first interview for a long time but, when I walked into the room, I didn’t feel as nervous as I was expecting to.

I got the job and started just after Easter. It’s term-time only and the hours mean that I can still do the school run. Going back after the summer holidays was very busy but I’m back in the swing of things now. It’s just a case of getting into a routine and being really organised.

I’m enjoying being back at work and, of course, getting to use my own bank account again! I loved being at home with my girls but, once they were both at school, I wanted something more. To any mum in the same position, I’d say that you just need to weigh up what you want – and then give Successful Mums a call!”

If you’re ready to return to work but don’t know where to start, Successful Mums can help. Find out more about our fully-funded Back to Work course HERE and book your free* place today.

*subject to eligibility