Digital Shifts and Re-Turning to Tech for ALL Ages

Returning to Tech After a Career Break

As the FinTech sector continues to grow and evolve, one of its most pressing challenges remains the need to attract diverse talent across all career stages. The latest episode of FinTech’s DEI Discussions, hosted by Nadia, shines a spotlight on an often overlooked, yet immensely valuable, segment of the workforce: returners. These are professionals who have taken extended career breaks, often to care for children or elderly relatives, and now wish to return to work, particularly within the tech and FinTech industries.

This conversation with Julianne Miles, MBE, Co-Founder and Executive Chair at Career Returners, offers a deeply insightful and practical exploration of the barriers facing returners, the transformative power of supportive pathways back into work, and the critical role FinTech employers can play in changing the narrative. The episode is part of #TurnToTech, a 12-part special series powered by FinTech’s DEI Discussions in partnership with the City of London Corporation and the Women Pivoting to Digital Taskforce.

The Journey to Career Returners: A Personal Experience Leading to Purpose

Julianne begins by sharing her own career story, one that is far from linear and is all the richer for it. She initially worked in corporate strategy and marketing but took a four-year break from her career to focus on raising her young children. Upon deciding to re-enter the workforce, she retrained as an occupational psychologist and established her own career psychology practice. It was through this work, often done informally and pro bono, that Julianne found herself helping friends who were also struggling to return to work after career breaks.

These kitchen table conversations quickly revealed a much broader, systemic problem: there were substantial societal and organisational barriers preventing experienced professionals, particularly women, from getting back into skilled employment. In response to this need, Julianne co-founded what was initially called Women Returners in 2014. As the initiative expanded to support all genders and a wider range of career paths, it evolved into Career Returners in 2024.

Eliminating the Career Break Penalty in FinTech and Beyond

At the heart of Career Returners is a bold mission: to eliminate the “career break penalty”. This refers to the considerable challenges faced by professionals returning to the workforce after time away, challenges that include diminished confidence, out-of-date networks, and institutional bias in recruitment processes.

Julianne outlines three core pillars that underpin Career Returners’ work. First, they support individuals who have taken career breaks and feel isolated or overwhelmed about restarting their professional journey. This is achieved through the Career Returners Community, a growing network of over 10,000 people that offers job search resources, confidence-building tools, and peer support on a “free or pay if you can” basis.

Secondly, the organisation works directly with employers to design and implement returner-inclusive hiring programmes. These include return ships, structured placements that offer mentoring and coaching, and direct hire routes with built-in support. Thirdly, Career Returners acts as a voice and advocate for returners in policy discussions with the UK and Scottish governments, ensuring that this group is not forgotten when it comes to labour market strategy and innovation.

Over the last decade, Career Returners has partnered with more than 200 employers and created return-to-work routes for over 4,000 professionals. Although the initiative began with a focus on women, it now serves returners of all genders, with women still comprising over 90% of those supported, making it especially relevant for FinTech companies seeking to address gender diversity in technology roles.

Facing the Challenges: Returning to or Pivoting into Tech

As the conversation progresses, Nadia asks Julianne to break down the specific challenges facing individuals who are either returning to or pivoting into technology roles. Julianne praises the way Nadia articulates the difference between the two: some returners come from prior tech careers, while others are looking to bring their existing transferable skills into a new domain.

In fact, individuals with tech experience make up the second-largest segment of the Career Returners community, and many of them continue to face considerable obstacles in rejoining the industry. Julianne outlines three major challenges:

Firstly, there are personal barriers. One of the most common issues is a loss of professional confidence. People returning to work after a break often feel they are “too old” or “too out of date” to be considered for modern tech roles. This is exacerbated by the way the media often portrays women in tech as young and early-career, reinforcing the false narrative that technology is a young person’s field.

Secondly, there’s the issue of information overload. For those looking to pivot into tech, the sheer volume of bootcamps, courses, and online certifications can be overwhelming. This leads to what Julianne refers to as the “paradox of choice”, a psychological phenomenon where too many options result in decision paralysis.

Thirdly, and perhaps most critically, are recruitment barriers. Research conducted with the Recruitment and Employment Confederation shows that lack of recent experience (defined as within the last 12 months) is one of the top reasons CVs are filtered out by recruiters. Ageism also plays a part, with many returners falling into the 40 to 60 age bracket and being unfairly judged on that basis.

These challenges present a significant opportunity for FinTech businesses to rethink their approach to hiring, not only to meet DEI targets but to tap into an underutilised and highly capable segment of the talent pool.

Rebuilding Confidence and Creating Pathways Back to Work

One of the most powerful messages from this episode is that returners are not asking for charity, they are seeking recognition for the value they can offer. Career Returners helps individuals rebuild their professional identity and confidence through various support mechanisms.

Within the Career Returners Community, members have access to tools that help them clarify their goals, enhance their CVs, prepare for interviews, and understand evolving technologies like artificial intelligence. Crucially, the platform also shares hundreds of real-life stories from successful returners, giving current members role models and proof that re-entry into the workforce is not only possible but fulfilling.

Julianne has encapsulated much of this guidance and insight into her newly published book, Return Journey, which was released in September. The book brings together 15 years of experience supporting returners and serves as a comprehensive guide for those navigating the transition back to work.

For employers, Career Returners offers consultancy and programme design support, helping organisations build inclusive hiring strategies that centre returners as a core talent group. Whether through structured returnships, retraining initiatives, or supported direct hiring, the goal is to make career breaks a valid and respected part of a lifetime career.

The Power of Transferable Skills in FinTech Recruitment

Nadia and Julianne also delve into one of the most valuable, yet frequently underestimated, assets returners bring to the workplace: transferable skills. Drawing on extensive feedback from employer partners, Julianne explains that returners offer a rich combination of soft and hard skills that are often shaped by both professional experience and personal growth during their career break.

Communication is perhaps the most cited and valued skill. Returners are often adept at communicating with empathy, taking on multiple perspectives, and managing stakeholders, traits that are particularly valuable in technology and product teams. Many returners who previously worked in highly technical roles return with a newfound ability to bridge the gap between technical language and business objectives.

Project management, analytical thinking, and adaptability are also high on the list. Julianne points out that many returners have worked in structured environments like finance or engineering and are now successfully applying those same skills in tech-focused roles.

Resilience, flexibility, and time management, skills honed during parenting or caregiving, also emerge as strengths. These capabilities are essential in today’s fast-paced, constantly evolving FinTech landscape.

Dispelling the Myths: Tech Isn’t Just for the Young or the Coders

Julianne is passionate about busting the myths that often deter returners from considering a career in tech. She addresses two major misconceptions head-on.

The first is that tech roles are all about coding. In reality, there are a wide variety of careers in technology, from user experience design and project management to product ownership and business analysis, where different skills and backgrounds are not only welcome but essential.

The second myth is that technology careers are reserved for the young. Julianne firmly debunks this, emphasising that older returners bring a maturity and depth of perspective that are incredibly valuable in diverse, high-performing teams. She encourages candidates to see their age and career break as strengths rather than deficits.

Advocacy and Allyship: Changing the Narrative Around Returners

As the episode draws to a close, Julianne underscores the importance of advocacy, not just from organisations like Career Returners but from returners themselves. By recognising and celebrating their own strengths, returners can begin to reshape the narrative about what they offer to employers.

At Career Returners, advocacy is a core function. The organisation works closely with government bodies, corporate partners, and public institutions to ensure that returners are represented in labour market discussions. They are also actively pushing employers to review their recruitment practices, remove biases from CV screening and interview processes, and improve how they present opportunities to older professionals.

Julianne calls for more FinTech employers to intentionally target returners, not just as a DEI initiative but as a smart business decision. She urges organisations to broaden their imagery, language, and outreach to reflect professionals of all ages and stages. This, she argues, will unlock a phenomenal talent pool that is currently going untapped.

Why This Matters to FinTech Recruitment and the Future of Work

At Harrington Starr, we are proud to support initiatives like #TurnToTech, which elevate the voices of underrepresented talent in the FinTech industry. This conversation with Julianne Miles is a powerful reminder that great talent doesn't disappear, it simply needs the right opportunity and environment to thrive again.

As a FinTech recruitment business with offices in London, New York, and Belfast, we are committed to helping companies hire for impact. That means rethinking the way we assess CVs, valuing career breaks as part of a person’s professional journey, and recognising the wealth of skills returners bring.

If your organisation is looking to hire technology professionals with experience, adaptability, and drive, consider making returner programmes part of your hiring strategy. And if you’re a returner yourself looking to re-enter FinTech or pivot into a new digital career, know that the door is open, and that we at Harrington Starr are here to support you.