Hello all,

After graduating with a 2.1 honours ages ago, I've worked in product development (including in the US) - mostly in computer/consumer equipment and products, and digital audio.

But I left the commercial world for about 10 years to study (non-tech area) and work for a big charity, where a small part of my role has been IT services in a mix of systems admin and IT management duties.

I am considering returning to the commercial 'market', ideally on a part-time basis, but can't find anything much in terms of what the IET offers to help me along (I've kept my membership all these years - not sure about the benefits right now!). I found one page, deep in the website, with standard suggestions of polishing up your c.v., trying to sell your time away from the industry as 'broad experience', etc.

I checked for ALL job vacancies in the recruitment section of the website, filtered for those within 40 or 50 miles of Birmingham (near enough to where I live) and it turned up only 3! Is this a sign of the times in the Midlands, or do recruiters not really bother with the IET recruitment pages at all?

Am I missing something on what the IET provides for potential 'returnees'? Is there some IET service that I should be aware of?

Any other suggestions of places to look for info and help?

Thanks!

I beleive the IEE used to offer an advice service which would have met your needs. It was a major factor in my voting for the merger of the IIE and IEE since I felt I could use some advice after redundancy.

However the service seemed to vanish when the IET was formed, unless anyone knows any better.

IET Connect may be able to assist:-

http://www.ietconnect.org/


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John Coupland
Manager of Library & Archives
The Institution of Engineering and Technology