Dagma Cummings, Operational Risk Analyst, Starling Bank (10-year break)
I worked in Finance and Banking for over 20 years and in Risk as a Risk and Control Officer. In 2012, my role in Risk was made redundant during the financial downturn and it was challenging to return to other financial roles due to the difficult economic times.
In the end my career break lasted 10 years. Unable to find a job in the finance sector, I turned to retail and worked at Harrods on a small-scale basis. I also took the opportunity to start my home cake making business which I thoroughly enjoyed!
I always wanted to return to professional work, but I unfortunately found that the longer I was out of Finance, the more challenging it became to return. When covid hit, there were many changes and that pushed me to try harder and smarter to get back to my professional industry.
However, the experience was extremely challenging. Recruitment agencies were telling me that I had been out of the industry too long. I had a couple of interviews through networking with ex-colleagues, but it was a case of ‘so close and yet so far’ – I received good feedback but was ultimately unsuccessful.
I carried on networking and through a friend of a friend heard about Career Returners. I joined their network to access all their resources and hear about returner opportunities and was delighted to successfully secure a position as an Operational Risk Analyst on Starling Bank’s Returner Programme.
I was extremely happy to be back at work. I settled in well, but on the inside, I was nervous, wanting to prove myself and do an excellent job. It was a new environment, navigating hybrid working and gaining my confidence. However, my manager and team have been so supportive and that helped enormously. My employer also organised a mentor for me to answer any questions I had and to help me reconnect with my professional identity. I also received coaching support from Career Returners which helped me navigate my return to work successfully.
Now I’m back at work, I wish I’d known about Career Returners sooner – they have literally changed my life! I feel more confident not only at work but within myself and although a job does not define you, I feel really happy being back in my profession which I have studied and trained for.
Since I returned, I’ve progressed well. I successfully completed my probation project and was delighted to have secured a permanent position with Starling Bank. I also sat on the returner panel at the Career Returners 2024 Conference – it was a great experience to be able to confidently speak out and inspire and motivate others who were in the same position that I had been in, the previous year.
For others trying to get back to work, my advice is to:
- Keep networking – you never know who knows who!
- Never give up, you may rest for a while, but never give up, because if you stop, you will not get an opportunity; if you persist, you have a greater chance.
- When you return you may feel like a fish out of water, but you have to “get comfortable with being uncomfortable”. I was told this by another returner, and it made perfect sense to me.
- Celebrate your small wins daily!
