Case Studies...
Below are our articles on the subject of Case Studies. If you can't see what you are looking for our other categories are displayed on the left under 'Our Quick Links'...
A Colleague Presentation About Your Sabbatical
A guide to planning and performing a presentation for your colleagues about your sabbatical, with information on keeping the topic suitable to your audience and relevant for your workplace...
A Product or Service Business?
A guide to help you understand whether your skills are better suited to starting a product or service based business, with cost implications...
After Illness: Can You Work Part Time During Recovery?
Understanding the fact that while there is no legal requirement for flexible working after illness, many companies will discuss the possibility...
After Maternity Leave: Should I Travel Further to Work?
You do not have to agree to a change of contract unless it is reached by collective agreement....
Are Larger Companies More Supportive?
A look at the different ways in which large or small companies can be supportive to an employee returning to work after a period of illness....
Are You Entitled to Government Support?
Understanding what Government support you are entitled to when you chose to start your own business and become self employed...
Arranging Childcare for While You Are at Work
A guide to the various types of childcare available and what questions to ask...
Before You Return to Work After a Sabbatical
A guide to preparing yourself to go back to work after a sabbatical, including checking your appearance and meeting your colleagues for a drink the week before you return to the workplace...
Before You Return to Work After Having a Baby
Top tips for how to get prepared before you return to work after having a baby, with suggestions on treating yourself, getting prepared and talking to your employer...
Being on Sick Leave When Redundancies Are Made
Understanding what you are entitled to when redundancies are made during your sick leave....
Boost Your Career Prospects On Your Sabbatical
How to utilise your sabbatical for the benefit of your employment - gaining skills and confidence to help boost your career...
Changes in the Workplace After Maternity Leave
A guide to the changes that may have happened in your workplace since going on maternity leave - and how to handle them...
Changing Priorities After Having a Baby
A look at the changing priorities of women after having a baby, with a focus on career expectations, money issues and moral responsibilities...
Common Pitfalls of Being Self-Employed
A guide to dealing with some of the most common pitfalls of being self-employed....
Coping With the Shock of Being Made Redundant
Understanding how you feel when you are first made redundant, with insights into the details that can affect the impact of your redundancy...
Dealing With Criticism From Colleagues When You Are Ill
How to handle criticisms from colleagues when you return to work after illness, including little comments and bullying in the workplace...
Dealing With Recruitment Agencies After Having a Baby
A guide to finding a recruitment agency that suits your skills and the registration process...
Do I Pay Tax on Redundancy Money If I Get a New Job?
Understanding the circumstances in which a redundancy payment is tax free...
Employment Regulations When You Are Ill
An article discussing your rights and entitlements when you are ill in the workplace...
Establishing Family Routines When You Return to Work
Suggestions for establishing routines that work for your family with the flash points of morning and evening discussed...
Feeling Tired at Work Because of Illness
Suggestions for managing feeling tired when you return to work after an illness, with ideas for successfully managing your workload...
Finances and Returning to Work After a Baby
A guide to assessing the practical and emotional costs of returning to work, with sections including the hidden costs of returning to work and working tax credits...
Funding Your Own Business
A guide to understanding the different sources of available funding and how to make sure you don't stretch yourself too far financially...
Gaining New Skills Following Redundancy
How to make the best of your skills and experience, with suggestions of gaining honest feedback and making the necessary improvements following redundancy...
Get The Most From Your New Job Probation Period
What a probation period at work means and why you should view it as an opportunity to demonstrate to the company why they should hire you permanently. Useful tips for successfully getting through a pr...
Getting Fit Helped Me Return to Work: A Case Study
How new mum Becky Harper regained her fitness - and her confidence - and returned to work after having two children....
Government Incentives for Returning to Work
Understanding what you may or may not be entitled to if you are considering returning to work...
Guilt About Returning to Work After a Child
An article dedicated to dealing with the common feelings of guilt when women return to work after having a baby, with guidance on talking to your partner and the life saving 'seventy - thirty' rule...
How I Arranged Childcare: Case Study
How one career mum arranged a flexible childcare provision for her daughter before returning to work....
How I Updated My Skills on Maternity Leave: A Case Study
A real life example of how one woman used her maternity leave to reassess her career and learn new skills...
How Much Does Maternity Leave Cost Your Employer?
What are the real costs to your employer when you take maternity leave?...
How Redundancy Affects Your Confidence
A guide to understanding how being made redundant can really knock your confidence, with suggestions on how you may feel and what you can do to feel better...
How to Be a Professional and a Parent
Top tips for maintaining that all-important balance between being a good parent and being a good employee....
How to Deal With Group Interviews
How to deal with the common format of a group interview, including presentations, role play and what not to do...
How to Explain Your Redundancy in Interviews
Top tips for feeling confident and positive about your redundancy when questioned about it in an interview....
How to Explain Your Sabbatical When Looking for a Job
Discussing the best ways to talk about your sabbatical to a potential new employer...
How to Find Good Childcare
A guide to finding the best possible child care to suit your situation, with advice on where to look and what to ask....
How to Handle an Unsympathetic Boss
Suggestions on how to handle an unsympathetic boss when you are dealing with illness in the workplace....
How to Make Your Redundancy Money Work For You
A guide to making the most of your redundancy pay out - regardless of the amount...
How to Prepare for a Return to Work Interview
A professional and realistic guide to preparing both your body and mind for a return to work interview...
How to Start a Business from Home
Practical suggestions for starting a home-based business, including setting up a home office and making a timetable...
How to Write a Return to Work CV
A professional yet down to earth guide to writing a CV when you're ready to return to work....
How Your Priorities May Change After a Sabbatical
A discussion on how your priorities may change after completing a sabbatical, with the focus topics of money, people and career....
How Your Work Priorities May Change After Illness
An introduction to how your priorities may change after experiencing illness, with common issues such as reassessing your work/life balance and attitudes to money and happiness...
I Had a Makeover Before Returning to Work: Case Study
How one professional working mother gave herself a confidence boost before returning to work....
I Invested Redundancy Money in New Business: Case Study
How one woman used her redundancy pay to help fund a new outlet for her professional skills....
I Stumbled Into Returning to Work: Case Study
How one new mum nearly started a new business and then stumbled back to work instead....
I Used My Skills as a Mother to Return to Work: A Case Study
How one mother upgraded her CV after a six year career break to bring up her daughter....
Informing Your Employer You Are Absent
How to keep your employer informed when you are unwell, whether it is a short term or long term illness...
Is There a Market for Your Business?
Top tips for making sure there is a market for your new business before you invest your time and money....
Keep a Work Life Balance When Working from Home
A guide to keeping a positive work life balance when working from home, including how to deal with personal phone calls and the importance of a separate work space....
Keep the Right Records When Newly Self Employed
A guide to keeping the right paperwork and receipts when you become newly self-employed....
Keeping in Touch With Colleagues on Maternity Leave
Suggestions for how to keep in touch with your colleagues while on maternity leave, including sending emails , keeping it professional and taking your baby into work...
Keeping in Touch with Old Colleagues After Redundancy
A guide to keeping in touch with your old colleagues, without looking like Billy No Mates!...
Keeping in Touch With Your Colleagues
A guide to how and when to keep in touch with your colleagues when you are on sabbatical...
Life After Illness, Work Helped: A Case Study
An article from the career advisor's casebook looking at how returning to work helped Mary moved forwards after her illness...
Long Term Illness: Are You Ready to go Back to Work?
Discussing the practicalities of returning to work after a long term illness - how to know you are ready to return, in terms of money, emotion and health...
Looking For a Job After Having a Baby
A guide to finding a job after taking maternity leave, with sections on getting prepared and where to look...
Loss of Confidence When Returning to Work
A guide to coping with a loss of confidence when you return to work, with practical advice on how to overcome it...
Maintaining a Work- Life Balance
A guide to helping you understand the benefits of establishing and maintaining a good work life balance...
My Role Changed After a Sabbattical: A Case Study
An article from the career advisor's casebook looking at what happened when there were staff changes during David's three month sabbatical...
Networking Gave Me an Opportunity to Return to Work: A Case Study
How one advertising executive used his professional network to find a job after being made redundant....
New Employment Agencies for Working Mums
A guide to the new breed of recruitment agencies and support networking sites that are suited to new mums and working mothers...
New Schemes for Mature Students
Understanding the maze of schemes available to help mature students in various situations...
Night Class Helped Me to Return to Work: Case Study
How one experienced nurse was required to take an IT night class to be offered an interview after a break in her employment....
Part Time Work: Our Advice in Practical Parenting Magazine
When Practical Parenting magazine asked us for some advice on how mums can return to work part-time, we were delighted to help....
Presentations In Interviews
A guide to preparing for a presentation as part of an interview, with suggestions for finding out what is expected and how to ad a little extra personality to your presentation...
Psychological Benefits of Returning to Work
Understanding how returning to work after illness can be a real boost...
Questionnaire: Are You Ready to Return to Work?
A questionnaire to help you see if you really are ready to return to work....
Questionnaire: Are Your IT Skills Up to Scratch?
A questionnaire to help you understand how good (or bad!) your IT skills are and how to improve them before you return to work....
Questionnaire: Does Your CV Show You in the Best Light?
Questions to ask yourself in order to make sure your CV is presenting you and your skills in the best manner....
Questionnaire: How Much Do You Know About the Modern Workplace?
A questionnaire to help you see how ready you are to return to the modern workplace - and what to do if you're not!...
Reassess Your CV if You've Had a Low Response
A guide to re-writing your CV to make sure that you're presenting yourself in the best way - especially if you've not had much luck with your current CV....
Redundancy - A New Opportunity!
A positive spin on redundancy - after the initial shock, it may be the best thing that ever happened to you!...
Redundancy Helped Me Find a New Direction: A Case Study
A real life example of how Simon Parker was able to use his redundancy to focus his experience in a new direction....
Return to Work After 3 Children: A Case Study
An article from the career advisor's casebook looking at what happened when Linda decided to return to work when her youngest child started full time school...
Return to Work Part Time After Illness
How to request and prepare for returning to work part time following a period of illness....
Returning to a Different Company After Maternity Leave
Options available to women at the end of their maternity leave if they do not wish to return to the same job, including flexible working and when to hand in your resignation...
Returning to Work After Bringing Up Your Children
Three key areas to focus on before you return to work after bringing up your children - making sure your IT skills are up to scratch, organising quality family time and valuing your skills...
Returning to Work in Later Life
Top tips for helping you return to work in later life, including updating your CV and understanding how to answer difficult interview questions...
Son's Illness Inspired My Return to Work: Case Study
How one mum's discovery of her son's hearing difficulty led to a new career....
Taking a Refresher Course
A guide to finding a suitable refresher course before you return to work, with information on choosing the right course and paying for it...
Taking a Sabbatical Instead of Redundancy
Clear suggestions for how to ask to take a sabbatical when your employer is thinking about making redundancies as a way to save costs and hang on to your job....
Taking Extended Maternity Leave
A guide to taking extended maternity leave, whether you plan to take advantage of unpaid leave or choose not to return to work after your maternity leave...
Talking to Your Employer About Flexible Working
A guide to asking your boss to consider flexible working using your legal right to do so - with tips on presenting your case convincingly...
Telling Family and Friends About Your Redundancy
A guide to staying positive and confident when you tell your friends and family that you have been made redundant...
The Benefits of Being Your Own Boss
Three key benefits of being your own boss could this be for you?...
The Importance of Market Research
A guide to conducting valuable market research and gaining customer feedback...
The Job Search After Redundancy
A guide to looking for a new job after being made redundant - and how to keep your self confidence up...
The Mindset of a Self Employed Person
Understanding how to think like a self-employed person in order to make a success of your business....
The Modern Interview
Looking at the modern interview and how to minimise stress - be prepared, know what type of interview you are attending and practice your handshake...
The Physical Effects Of Illness in The Workplace
A guide to dealing with the physical effects on your illness when you return to work...
The Unseen Costs of Becoming Self Employed
A look into the hidden costs of being self-employed, both financial and emotional....
Understand Your Rights After Redundancy
A guide to your redundancy rights, including how you are told, what you are told and what you are offered...
Unwilling to Return After a Sabbatical
A guide to understanding your options if you feel like you do not want to return from your sabbatical - can you stay longer? can you afford to?...
Updating Your CV After a Sabbatical
Top advice for updating your CV after a sabbatical to appeal to potential employers....
Updating Your CV After Redundancy
A guide to updating your CV after you have been made redundant, with advice on how to avoid common mistakes...
Updating Your Skills After Maternity Leave
Suggestions for updating your skills before going back into the world of work, such as taking an IT class or joining your local adult education centre...
Utilise Your Social or Business Network to Find a New Job
Top tips for utilising your own personal network of friends, family and acquaintances to find new employment after being made redundant...
What if Your Job has Changed?
A guide to how your job may have changed when you return to work after an illness, such as project changes, regulatory changes and a temporary member of staff taking over your desk...
What to Say & Not To Say About Your Sabbatical
A list of what to say and what not to say when you return to work after your sabbatical to avoid upsetting or annoying your friends and colleagues...
What to Wear at An Interview & Tips For Positive Thinking
A guide to looking good and feeling good before an interview - what to wear, what not to wear and how to control your nerves...
When Colleagues Are Embarrassed About Your Illness
A guide to managing your colleagues emotional reactions when you return to work after dealing with an illness...
When Do You Need a Doctor's Note?
Details of the new 'fit note' that has replaced the 'sick note' with information on when you need to obtain one if you are ill....
Work From Home Jobs for Mums
An introduction to the endless opportunities available for mums to work from home...
Would Shift Work Suit Your Family?
Understanding the potential positive and negative impact on family life when one or both parents work shifts....
Writing a CV After a Long Term Work Absence
Writing a convincing, positive CV can be difficult after a long term absence from work - this guide will help you make the most of your skills, experience and achievements...
Your Family's Reactions to You Going Back to Work
A discussion on the common different reactions of family members after their wife, mother, daughter or daughter in law returns to work...
Your First Day Back at Work After a Sabbatical
What to do and how to prepare for your first day back at work after a sabbatical...
Your First Day Back to Work After Having a Baby
All about the emotions surrounding your first day back at work after taking maternity leave...
Your Return to Work Date After Maternity Leave
A guide to informing your employer of your plans to return to work, or not, after taking maternity leave...