In its seminal Overcoming Shortages report, the REC suggested that the UK labour market restricted by shortages would cost the economy up to £39 billion every year – just short of two whole Elizabeth Lines. That is why initiatives such as today’s publication of groundbreaking joint REC/Career Returners guidance are vital. It aims to shift perceptions and policies, ensuring recruiters and their client employers fully recognise the value of those who have taken career breaks.
Career returners include individuals who have paused their careers for reasons such as illness, caregiving, education, relocation, or travel. The REC/Career Returners online and print guidance provides practical steps to help recruiters take on more returners as candidates and equips them with the tools to persuade client employers to do the same.
REC Chief Executive Neil Carberry said:
“We must strengthen every link in the labour market to pull the UK economy toward greater productivity and prosperity. This means untangling persistent myths among some recruiters and their client employers about career returners. This includes moving their mindset away from the misconception that they are taking a chance on career returners and instead waking up to this well of proven talent. Many returners are ready to hit the ground running. They have not forgotten the skills they honed before their career break and the routine will return very quickly. And they will bring valuable transferable skills and experience gained during their break that can benefit the workplace.”
Julianne Miles MBE, CEO of Career Returners, said:
“Experienced, skilled professionals returning after a career break are at a huge disadvantage in the UK job market. Our Career Returners Indicator 2024 found that 92% of returners are finding it challenging to return to a professional role, with 40% seeing recruitment bias against a CV gap as the greatest barrier. At Career Returners, our mission is to remove this career break penalty. As such, we’re delighted to be partnering with the REC on this much-needed guidance, to challenge the perceptions and concerns raised by a lack of recent candidate experience, and to provide practical action steps for recruiters and employers to access and support this hidden talent pool. Some pioneering UK employers have already discovered the skills, motivation and fresh perspective that returners bring to their teams. We now call on all forward-thinking recruiters and employers to work together to harness this waste of talent.”
These are the 10 steps recruiters can take to be more inclusive of returners. Starting with three steps relevant to all recruiters and moving to more impactful actions for recruiters who decide to actively target and support this talent pool.
- Learn about returners - Understand who we mean by a returner and the challenges they face, such as talking to people in your networks who are on career breaks.
- Understand the business case and social rationale - Educate yourself on the multiple reasons for hiring returners.
- Reduce advertising bias - Make sure job adverts only ask for ‘current/up-to-date knowledge’ or ‘recent experience’ if this is essential. Avoid using it as a shortcut for relevant skills.
- Remove screening bias - Check that your automated application process is NOT screening out candidates just because of a CV gap. Check your teams are not automatically screening out returners.
- Reduce interview bias - If shortlisting using competency-based interviews, adapt questions to not ask for ‘recent work examples’. Focus technical interviews on skills rather than knowledge. Advise clients to train hiring managers to be returner-inclusive.
- Support returner candidates - Provide returners with information on the relevant interview methods and advice on how to prepare for a competency or strength-based interview.
- Promote returners as a strong candidate pool - suggest to employer clients that they add to relevant job adverts: ‘We welcome applications from candidates who have taken a career break’
- Advocate for supportive return to work pathways - Advocate with clients for the provision of transition support for returner hires, such as training, mentoring and Career Returners Coaching, to help returners to rebuild confidence and more rapidly re-integrate.
- Advocate for returner programmes - For larger clients, advise them to consider a Returnship or Supported Hiring Returner Programme to accelerate returner hiring and build peer support among cohorts of returners.
- Champion returner successes - Continue to break the bias using real-life examples of successful returner hires.
Neil Carberry said:
"By following our first-of-its-kind guidance, recruiters can become more inclusive of returners –
unlocking valuable talent for businesses and the economy. It is exciting for the labour market because Career Returners Indicator 2024 reveals that 70% of returners seek full-time work. And separate data from Career Returners shows that 60% hold professional or postgraduate qualifications, 80% have over five years of experience, and 50% boast more than a decade. This presents a major opportunity to tap into skilled professionals ready to re-enter the workforce."
