A Real-World Case That Highlights a Sector-Wide Problem
At Utility People, we’re currently representing an exceptional candidate. She’s experienced, driven and proven at the highest levels of operational leadership within the utilities sector.
But there’s one thing holding her back: she’s taken a career break.
After stepping away from the workforce for seven years to raise her daughter she’s now ready, and eager, to return.
Her background includes:
- Transforming underperforming teams into high-functioning units
- Instrumental in growing a business from £7,000 to £3 million in annual revenue
- Significantly improving live contract rates from 40% to 97%
- Leading Operations, Finance, and Sales functions
- Rescuing strategic client relationships and boosting retention
- Despite all this, she’s being told she’s been “out too long.”
So, like many returners, she’s doing what she has to: applying for junior roles at a fraction of her previous salary. All she wants is a foot back in the door.
This isn’t just unfair, it’s a strategic oversight. Especially in a sector currently battling one of the most critical skills shortages in decades.
The Skills Shortage Is Real, So Why Are We Blocking Talent?
The utilities and energy sectors are under pressure. From the push for decarbonisation to digital transformation and regulatory reform, there’s more change, more complexity, and more competition, than ever before.
Yet we continue to overlook capable, proven professionals simply because their career path isn’t linear.
Let’s be clear: returners are not a risk. In fact, they often bring more stability, emotional intelligence and motivation than those who’ve never paused their careers.
By ignoring them, businesses are:
- Narrowing their talent pool
- Prolonging time-to-hire
- Spending more on recruitment
- Missing out on proven leadership
What This Candidate Brings to the Table
This isn’t a story about potential, it’s about proven value. Before her career break, this candidate:
- Implemented reporting and onboarding tools that improved operational transparency
- Built and led a multi-disciplinary team across Ops, Finance and Sales
- Increased supplier compliance and turned around key account relationships
- Designed and enforced GDPR and ISO-compliant practices
- Delivered cost savings and boosted client satisfaction
Her experience spans SaaS systems, implementation projects, stakeholder engagement and data-led decision-making. And she’s ready to bring all of that back into the workforce, today.
What Needs to Change?
We can’t keep punishing people for stepping away from work, especially when the reasons are personal, human and temporary. Here’s what we recommend:
- Shift your mindset: Stop viewing career breaks as red flags. Start viewing returners as a strategic opportunity.
- Update your hiring criteria: Focus on skills, outcomes and impact, not just continuity.
- Create re-entry pathways: From phased onboarding to mentoring support, build routes back in.
- Challenge assumptions: Ask why a gap matters more than what came before (or after) it.
The longer we hold onto outdated hiring practices, the longer we prolong the very skills crisis we’re trying to solve.
Final Thought: Let’s Make Room for Returners
This candidate isn’t alone, but her story is a clear signal. We have highly skilled professionals ready to re-enter the sector. We just need employers who are ready to reimagine what good talent looks like.
If you’re hiring, or struggling to fill skills gaps, now is the time to act.
Contact Anita Kingsmill today to learn more about this candidate and others like her who are ready to contribute, and help solve the sector’s talent challenge.
