Better At Work with Cathal Quinlan How to Return to Work After a Career Break (Even If You Feel Stuck) | Julianne Miles
Taking a career break doesn't mean your career is over. In this episode, Julianne Miles—chartered psychologist, MBE recipient, and author of Return Journey—shares her proven 5-stage framework for returning to work after time away.
Whether you've taken a break for childcare, caregiving, health reasons, or personal development, this conversation will help you navigate the transition with confidence.
🎯 IN THIS EPISODE:
- Why career breaks should be valued, not feared [03:45]
- The 5 stages of returning to work (and where you get stuck) [12:30]
- How to handle the "what have you been doing?" question [18:15]
- Why your career break gave you MORE valuable skills [22:40]
- The perfectionism trap that holds returners back [28:50]
- Small tweaks that make returning to work easier [35:20]
- How to value what makes you different (not the same) [44:30]
📚 JULIANNE'S RESOURCES:
🔗 Career Returners: https://www.careerreturners.com
📖 Book: "Return Journey: How to Get Back to Work and Thrive After a Career Break" (Out September 4, 2025)
🎙️ Career Returners Podcast: Real stories from people who've successfully returned to work
📚 Cisco Academy: Free training courses for returners
🌍 Global online returner community
✨ ABOUT JULIANNE:
Julianne Miles is a chartered psychologist with over 20 years of experience supporting thousands of people returning to work after career breaks. She's a successful returner herself and the founder of Career Returners, an organization dedicated to making career breaks a valued part of lifetime careers. In 2019, she was awarded an MBE for her pivotal role in changing the landscape for UK returners.
🎙️ ABOUT BETTER AT WORK:
Making your work life better, one conversation at a time. Join host Cathal Quinlan as he explores workplace wellness, career development, and the real challenges of modern work with experts, authors, and people who've been there.
🔔 New episodes every Thursday
📸 Instagram: @betteratwork
TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 - Introduction
2:30 - Julianne's story: From career break to chartered psychologist
6:05 - Why society needs to reframe career breaks
9:40 - The mental blocks (both sides face)
12:30 - The 5 stages of career transition
18:15 - Handling the "gap in your CV" conversation
22:40 - Skills you gain during a career break
28:50 - The perfectionism trap
35:20 - Small tweaks that make big differences
41:00 - Why taking the leap is worth it
42:40 - Smallest change for a better day at work
43:50 - The lesson about perfectionism
45:30 - Best advice: Value what makes you different
47:25 - Where to find Julianne's resources
#CareerBreak #ReturnToWork #WorkplaceWellness #CareerDevelopment #ProfessionalDevelopment #WorkingParents #CorporateWellness #CareerTransition #BetterAtWork