ICAEW.com works better with JavaScript enabled.

Career breakers soft skills

Resources to help you refresh your soft skills and find a new position if you're returning to work after a career break.

Contents
Back to top

Webinars on communication and presentation skills

Women's voices: communicate with confidence
  • Webinar
  • 16 Jun 2025
This webinar provides tips on how you can gain confidence in your public speaking abilities, overcome limiting beliefs and fears, and convey your message with clarity and impact.
young women employee talking presenting leading a meeting in front of colleagues with a white board and post it notes behind
No more fear: how to master presentations
  • Podcast
  • 03 Oct 2024
In this episode of the ICAEW Student Insights podcast, host Jag Dhaliwal learns how accountants can develop their presentation and communication skills.
Exclusive Present like a rockstar finance professional
  • Webinar
  • 30 May 2024
In this session, finance professionals learn how to raise their impact when presenting, moving from giving the typical boring update to leading sessions where they provide insight and value.
Exclusive Networking and building connections
  • Webinar
  • 15 Nov 2023
This on-demand webinar from the ICAEW Career Breakers community aims to empower participants to change the way that they perceive networking, encouraging them to practice and experiment with different approaches to building and creating connections.
Exclusive Positive personal impact for professional success
  • Webinar
  • 15 May 2023
ICAEW Small and Micro Business Community webinar looking at the importance of professional relationships, the psychology of personal image and impact and the three personal impact ‘tools’ which affect what people say about us when we’re not in the room.
Simple techniques to improve communication
  • Webinar
  • 22 Jun 2020
Learn how to communicate clearly and get people on your side.
More

Webinars on career development

Exclusive Navigating portfolio careers
  • Webinar
  • 13 Jun 2025
If you are wondering how to start a portfolio career then this is the webinar for you. Hear from members with established portfolio careers, providing tips on how to get on the portfolio career ladder.
Exclusive Cultivating the growth of Black and diverse talent in the finance profession
  • Webinar
  • 13 May 2025
This webinar is designed for employers, who will learn about inclusive practices and strategies to support Black professionals, and Black professionals, who will gain insights and tools to advance their careers and bring valuable perspectives back to their organisations.
Exclusive Combine your passions in a portfolio career
  • Webinar
  • 04 Mar 2025
Gain inspiration from our speakers on expanding your portfolio career, developing skills, aligning with your values, and defining your personal brand.
Exclusive How to make a portfolio career work for you
  • Webinar
  • 04 Dec 2024
Aimed at those considering a move into an independent portfolio or fractional career, this webinar explores what the jobs market looks like in late 2024, how best to track down positions, and how much you can expect to earn. The main focus is on fractional and portfolio finance roles in the SME sector.
young man student employee wearing black glasses smiling
Personal branding: the key to your career
  • Podcast
  • 30 Jul 2024
In this episode of the ICAEW Student Insights podcast, host Jag Dhaliwal learns how personal branding is essential to achieving your career goals.
Exclusive Transforming doubt into achievement: a personal journey
  • Webinar
  • 11 Jul 2024
Susana Serrano-Davey draws upon her personal life experiences, challenges, and triumphs to inspire and motivate you to overcome doubts and achieve your goals.
Exclusive Positive personal impact for professional success
  • Webinar
  • 15 May 2023
ICAEW Small and Micro Business Community webinar looking at the importance of professional relationships, the psychology of personal image and impact and the three personal impact ‘tools’ which affect what people say about us when we’re not in the room.
Why you? 101 job interview questions you'll never fear again
  • Webinar
  • 21 Sep 2021
James Reed shares interview preparation techniques and tips on how to ace a job interview.
More

eBooks on career breaks

The ICAEW Library & Information Service provides a hand-picked collection of eBooks as a benefit of membership. If you are unable to access an eBook, please see our Help and support or contact library@icaew.com.
Exclusive Get the best from a career break: how to make the most from your time away from the office
  • eBook
  • 2005
  • Bloomsbury
  • Bloomsbury
How to exploit the opportunities available from career breaks, including the pros and cons of career breaks, the options available, personal finances and flexible working.
Exclusive Maternity/paternity rights, Adoption leave and pay, flexible working for parents and carers
  • eBook chapter
  • 2016
  • Ewan McIntyre
  • Pearson
These sections of the chapter on employment law cover the rights of working parents including maternity and paternity leave and pay; shared parental leave and pay; adoption leave and pay, flexible working for carers and parents; time off for dependents; and the right to return to work after maternity leave.
Terms of use

You are permitted to access, download, copy, or print out content from eBooks for your own research or study only, subject to the terms of use set by our suppliers and any restrictions imposed by individual publishers. Please see individual supplier pages for full terms of use.

View all

Career confidence with caba

caba is the charity for Chartered Accountants, supporting past and present ICAEW members, ACA students and their close families from across the globe through everyday situations to exceptional life-changing circumstances. ICAEW members are entitled to free, confidential support from caba, including professional career support.

Find out more
CABA logo

eBooks on CVs and interview skills

The ICAEW Library & Information Service provides a hand-picked collection of eBooks as a benefit of membership. If you are unable to access an eBook, please see our Help and support or contact library@icaew.com.
Exclusive Get that job: interviews - how to keep your head and get your ideal job
  • eBook
  • 2022
  • Bloomsbury Publishing
  • Bloomsbury
A guide to preparing for the interview process, maintaining focus, handling difficult questions, and maximising your chances of landing that dream job. Includes sections on psychometric tests and negotiating a salary package.
Exclusive What color is your parachute? 2018 : a practical manual for job-hunters and career-changers
  • eBook
  • 2018
  • Richard Nelson Bolles
  • Ten Speed press
The world's most popular job-search book gives guidance with up-to-the-minute information and advice for today's job-hunters and career-changers.
Exclusive Great answers to tough CV problems: CV secrets from a top career coach
  • eBook
  • 2011
  • Jenny Rogers
  • Kogan Page
Detailed guide to constructing effective CVS.
Exclusive Get the job you want, even when no one's hiring: take charge of your career, find a job you love, and earn what you deserve
  • eBook
  • 2009
  • Ford R. Myers
  • John Wiley and Sons
Guide to job seeking in a difficult economy.
Exclusive Readymade CVs: winning CVs for EVERY type of job
  • eBook
  • 2009
  • Lynn Williams
  • Kogan Page
A guide to tailoring CVS to different types of job.
Exclusive Readymade job search letters: winning letters and e-mails to help you get your dream job
  • eBook
  • 2009
  • Lynn Williams
  • Kogan Page
A guide to writing effective job search letters.
Exclusive Ultimate aptitude tests: assess your potential with aptitude, motivational and personality tests
  • eBook
  • 2008
  • Jim Barrett
  • Kogan Page
Aptitude tests commonly found in education and employment.
Exclusive Successful interviewing and recruitment
  • eBook
  • 2008
  • Rob Yeung
  • Kogan Page
Guide for staff conducting interviews.
Terms of use

You are permitted to access, download, copy, or print out content from eBooks for your own research or study only, subject to the terms of use set by our suppliers and any restrictions imposed by individual publishers. Please see individual supplier pages for full terms of use.

View all

Balancing work and caring

Balancing Work and Caring
  • Helpsheets and support
  • 2021
  • Working Families
This guide from Working Families covers a host of topics – from your legal rights at work, to finding and funding appropriate childcare and care for adults, to tips for self-care.
The changing face of work and family life: An interview with the CEOs of Talking Talent and Working Families
  • Website
  • 2020
  • Chris Parke, Working Families
We kept wishing the world of work would change. And it has. There has been a huge shift in the way we work since COVID-19 – for the better. Yet so many questions remain unanswered and out of our control.

Explore our communities

Information, insights, guidance and networking opportunities on a range of industry sectors and at various stages throughout your career.
Find out more
Polaroids on pinboard
Can't find what you're looking for?

The ICAEW Library can give you the right information from trustworthy, professional sources that aren't freely available online. Contact us for expert help with your enquiries and research.

Information

Some of the content on this web page was provided by the Chartered Accountants’ Trust for Education and Research, a registered charity, which owns the library and operates it for ICAEW.