Career Advice

Returning to work can be daunting. Many find that their confidence is affected when out of work for a lengthy period, due to maternity leave or long-term illness for instance.

If you’re returning to work at your current employer, things should be easier, but can still make you nervous. Try and talk to your manager or Human Resources representative before returning to work to discuss any concerns or special requirements you may have.

If you do not have a job to return to, then there are many ways in which you can access help with deciding what’s right for you next.

Our Profession Finder can help you discover more about the range of professional careers out there, and our Alternative Routes into Professions section offers advice and information on how to go about entering these professions. We have advice on how your skills and experiences can be transferred to other professions as well as information on how your qualifications can be recognised by other professions.

View our Career Videos to learn more about what it is like to work in all sorts of different roles.

You can access free advice from a qualified career coach via the DirectGov website. They can offer you career advice over the telephone on anything from changing career, looking for a new job, choosing the right course or developing your skills further.

Many of the recruitment websites will have information on how to get back to work or change career, such as Monster.co.uk for Career Development information.