Work Experience works for Sabria!

After starting our Back to Work Course, sabria joined our Work Placement Programme at successful mums.

With a clear action plan, career advice and regained confidence, Sabria has now found her perfect part-time role. Read her story here..

“After graduating from University I started as a Temp in a Publishing Company working within the Marketing Department. That same year I found out I was pregnant. After having my first child I returned to my job part-time. However, I felt I was being held back by having to leave early to pick up my baby from the childminder and missing key meetings and events.

The job was based in central London and the daily commute would take over 2 to 3 hours a day. I felt exhausted and torn between being a good parent and having the career I wanted. I decided that I couldn’t do both and had to be there for my child so with regret I resigned.

I have always put my children first and I felt there wasn’t any jobs that could work around me and my family. Before I knew it I had been a stay at home mum for nearly 10 years.

In 2017 I became incredibly ill after a family holiday abroad. I had fallen unconscious when taking my children to school one morning, I had had Pulmonary Embolism which nearly took my life. Without my 9 and 5-year-old daughters quick response in getting help, I probably wouldn’t be here today. After my time in hospital, I was a fraction of the person I once was.

I started to suffer from panic attacks and anxiety regularly. I got the help I needed mentally through counselling but my physical state still needed much help. A few of the mums at the school told me about a running club at my local park. I decided to join and I met another mum who mentioned she had registered on the Back to Work course with Successful Mums.

I was at a stage in my life where I was now ready to get back to work and thought this would be a good way to get started. This is where I met Jane Knight and she explained what her non profit organisation did and how she had helped thousands of women get back into work.

I found Jane to be very inspirational and to dedicate one’s life to help others is truly admirable. Jane said she knew many places that employ flexible roles designed for mothers. I first thought this was “too good to be true” as I didn’t think there was a job market for a mum like me with no help or childcare.

With the help from our tutor, we updated our CVs to include our transferrable skills and the course gave us the confidence we needed to get back into the workplace. Jane also offered work experience places to whoever would be interested. I thought this would be a perfect opportunity for me, fitting around the school doing the dates and times i wanted.

The work experience opportunity was great as I got to learn new skills within digital marketing. It felt so good to be back in an office surrounded by lovely ladies who were always there to offer a helping hand and give good advice. With Jane’s guidance, I added my new digital skills to my CV and started to apply for jobs.

Jane was contacted by an agency looking for a Digital Marketing and Communications Officer at a local charity. Jane thought I would be a perfect candidate for the role. The charity; Reedham Children’s Trust is Croydon’s oldest charity. They have been transforming the lives of vulnerable children for 175 years. Jane gave me the confidence to apply for the job and helped me to prepare for the interview.

The interview went really well and I soon found out that the job was mine! It felt like a dream come true to be given the opportunity to work for a charity that helps vulnerable children and young people. Reedham were really accommodating to my needs as a mum and were able to offer hours that suited me. I have been at Reedham for nearly 3 months now and I couldn’t have asked for a nicer place to work.

I now feel I have the career and the work life balance I always wanted without having to sacrifice time away from my children. I am hugely grateful to Jane and her fantastic team for all their help and support in my journey returning back to work.

If I was to give one piece of advice to any mum looking to return to work, it would be to never give up and don’t be put off by what others think or say. You can do it, you just have to believe in yourself!”

If you would like to learn more about Reedham Children’s Trust, make a donation or if you have a great fundraising idea then they would love to hear from you! Head over to their website HERE!

If like Sabria, you too are looking to return to work after a career break, why not join us for our next Back to Work course? Register your interest HERE.