Rhonda Doyle has an impressive CV. The 45-year-old from Dublin was one of eBay's first hires in Ireland and gradually rose through its ranks to become a global director. Since 2021, she has worked for energy management specialists Schneider Electric and is currently vice president of its customer operations in Ireland and Britain.
It may look like seamless career progression, but Doyle confesses that managing two maternity leaves while working proved more challenging than anticipated. "I had my first child at 33 and thought the main issue with returning to work would be childcare," she says. "I didn't realise the emotional side of leaving this small person I'd become so attached to.
Nor did I expect to feel like I had to prove myself all over again while also finding my new identity as a working mum." She was 39 when she had her second child and thought she was better prepared for the challenges of going back to work. “I assumed it would be easier having been down that path before but the emotional side of leaving my youngest weighed more heavily on me,” she says.
“And, of course, the business had moved on to new goals, and I was trying to reintegrate as quickly as possible. Going back to work can be akin to taking on a new role or even changing company.” Career coach Geraldine Gallagher, founder of Inspire Coaching, says many women struggle to find their feet when they return to work after maternity leave.
"They were working professionals who had the luxury of decidi.
