Q: I’m hoping to return to work soon after a three-year break looking after my children. What’s the best way back?
A: For mums wanting to return to work, the benefits of working as a temp are enormous. Temporary contracts allow them to try out several jobs and companies for short periods, enabling them to decide what type of position and company suits them best.
Temping is also an excellent way of fast-tracking your skills while being in control of the amount of work that you do. Some prefer to work full-time on assignments for a few weeks then take time off with the children in the school holidays. Temps are often given the same benefits as people in permanent employment; working as a Manpower temp means that they will have a full contract of employment and be entitled to holiday pay, bank holiday pay, a pension scheme and sick pay.
Perhaps the biggest fear is a lack of confidence and out-of-date skills, but don’t worry too much. People are the same as they were before they took a break from work and therefore still have a number of valuable transferable skills. It is, however, a good idea to take refresher courses and make sure that you are internet and e-mail savvy.
Technology may have progressed a lot since your last job, so ensure that you are familiar with the latest versions of Excel and PowerPoint.
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