The 2024 Restart programme in partnership with Career Returners is now open for applications.
The 2024 Restart programme in partnership with Career Returners is now open for applications.
If you’re an experienced professional who’s been out of the workplace for 18 months or more and have the right to work in the UK, we’d love to hear from you!
BT is offering permanent roles in its Business division, with specialised support and coaching from Career Returners to help you to step back into work and the workplace.
In addition you will have access to the training and learning opportunities available to all BT colleagues and have both a mentor and a buddy to support you over the course of the programme.
To find out more, join BT for a virtual drop-in session for interested candidates on Tuesday 11 June 2024 10.30 - 11.30am.
Yes, people from all genders are welcome to apply. As long as you’ve had a career break of 18 months or longer, and have a right to work in the UK, you can apply.
Unfortunately, if you have a Tier 2 visa you are not eligible to join the programme.
Career Returners have provided the following guidance on who can be considered a career returner/ who is
eligible for the programme:
‘A returner programme really is focused on supporting professionals back into the workplace
after an extended career break (in your case 18-months or more). During their career break they may
have been volunteering or working on a smaller-scale or may not have been in any paid employment for
some time. Career break criteria includes small-scale work around the family, so consultancy work or
running a small-scale business work is usually fine but anyone who took on a fixed-term contract
would only be considered depending on how long the contract was and how it is positioned in their
application.
Applicants who have done unpaid or lower-level jobs during their career break to fit around
their
family requirements should also be eligible for the programme.
Individuals who still are (and have been) working in a different industry at a similar level are
not
classified as a returner; they are more classified as a career changer so they can be directed to
your normal recruitment channels rather than the returner programme. The same is for applicants who
are currently working at a similar level within the same field (including contract work); they are
probably best placed to apply through your normal recruitment channels.’
If unsure, we’d recommend you apply and make it explicitly clear on your CV that you’ve had a career
break and how long for (even if you’d done projects, side hustles, etc in the meantime).
Please only apply once / to one role.
If you can, pick the role which you feel best suits your skillset, experience, and interest. Our
recruitment team will do their best to match you to appropriate roles and can get more information about
your experience and preference in their screening call with you should you be progressed to that stage.
◦ SMB – Small and Medium Business Sales
Led by Chris Sims, our Small and
Medium Business
team supports businesses with between 1 to 249
employees. That could be anything from a sole trader through to a small contact centre.
We're already the market leader for small and medium businesses in the UK and we have a big
opportunity
for Business to grab even more market share in a growing sector.
◦ CPS – Corporate and Public Sector Sales
Our Corporate and Public Sector (CPS) sales team is led by Ashish Gupta. CPS sells to
businesses with
250+ employees including major corporate business and multi nationals, government, health and
defence.
CPS partners with the likes of National Health Service Trusts, UK’s Ministry of Defence, Ministry of
Justice and local authorities to help ensure that the UK is well-connected and secure.
◦ Service
Led by Chet Patel, our
Service team is
based across the UK and internationally. They look after our
customers during the life of their contract.
Service helps establish Business as easy to do business with and a provider of great service that
retains customers and attracts new ones to us.
No, only a CV is required. Due to the volume of applications, cover letters probably won’t be looked at by our recruiters, but don’t worry if you’ve provided one already.
No this should not be a mandatory field. We’ve seen candidates who have been able to leave this
blank.
If you can’t seem to progress your application without filling out, feel free to put N/A or a
dot.
However if you wish, you can put forward your salary expectations or desired salary range.
No, you’ll be paid based on your skills, experience, and the role/ level of role you’ll be going for. You’ll also be able to discuss any salary expectations at recruiter screening stage.
The initial stage of our screening process involves a detailed discussion with one of our recruiters.
They will focus on understanding your unique skills and experiences, bringing your CV to life, and
discussing any activities you might have engaged in during your career break. This conversation helps us
to align your background with the roles that best match your qualifications and career interests.
If you are shortlisted, you will proceed to a virtual interview with the hiring manager. We
understand
that interviews can be daunting, especially if you are returning after a break. To support you, we will
provide comprehensive guidance and resources to help you prepare effectively for your interview,
ensuring you feel confident and ready.
For candidates who advance to the interview stage with our hiring managers, we provide a comprehensive
preparation pack well in advance. This pack will detail our interview structure, what you can expect
during the session, and explain the types of questions you'll encounter, including competency-based and
technical or role-specific questions.
During the interview, you'll have the opportunity to discuss your previous career experiences as
well as
any relevant activities from your career break. Our goal is to see how your unique experiences and
skills align with the demands of the role. We aim to create an environment where you can showcase your
strengths and discuss your professional journey in a way that feels comprehensive and authentic.
Interviews are expected to start w/c 24 June, with job offers made by 26 July (these timelines are subject to slight change depending on candidate/hiring manager availability).
Our general flexible / hybrid working policy is ‘3 together, 2 wherever’. This means we’d like
colleagues to be in the office (or where applicable at customer locations) for 3 days a week. They can
spend the remaining 2 days working from a location to suit them, including home (this would be pro-rata
if you’re not working 5 days a week full time).
If you're interested in part-time opportunities or additional forms of flexibility, these can be
discussed as early as the screening stage. During this initial discussion with the recruiter, you can
explore the specific flexibility options available for the roles you are considering.
In addition to a bespoke induction for the cohort of Career Returners, as well as
6 months of coaching from Career Returners, there are many different learning and development
opportunities at BT.
As with other BT employees, you will get access to a number of internal resources such as:
Depending on the role and function you end up in, you will also have role specific training and may have formal qualification opportunities in certain technical roles.
At BT Group we want our colleagues to be able to spend quality time with the newest member of their family without having to worry about how they are going to afford it. That’s why we offer enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay which tops up the governments statutory rates of pay.
Our aim is to support our colleagues in finding a good balance between home and
work life. That’s why those working in suitable office-based roles follow a "3 together, 2 wherever"
pattern of working.
Flexibility isn’t just about the days you work – it’s also about the hours. If you have concerns over commuting to work during the rush hour, childcare costs or caring responsibilities that will impact your hours, let’s talk. There’s no reason you need to work a rigid 9-5.
Health is unique to everyone and so is the way it’s managed. At BT we offer several different healthcare benefits to suit our colleagues’ needs and budget. This includes Private Medical, Healthcare Cash Plans, Health Screening and Dental Plans.
BT Group colleagues can start saving for their future from the moment they join the business. Those who meet the age and earnings eligibility criteria will automatically have a pensions savings account set up for them into which they can start making regular pension contributions as well as receiving a regular contribution from BT.
Annual leave gives everyone an important opportunity to unwind and recharge. All BT colleagues receive an annual holiday allowance which can be flexed up or down by carrying holiday over into the next holiday year or by purchasing additional leave.
We review our salaries annually to make sure our colleague receive a fair and competitive wage for the work they do. We also want to reward our teams for successfully delivering the goals set for them during the year. To make sure great work is recognised, eligible BT Group colleagues can take part in an annual bonus plan which recognises and rewards their personal contribution to BT.
Our colleagues work hard for what they earn, and we want these earnings to stretch as far as possible. From day one, BT colleagues have access to exclusive discounts with selected online and high street retailers as well as our very own BT products, including our market leading EE mobile contracts.
Taking care of your loved ones is the top priority for many people. Our life Assurance benefit is in place to provide our colleagues with the reassurance that their family will be looked after financially if they are not around to do so.
Cycling to work is a great way to stay fit and healthy as well as reducing your carbon footprint. Our cycle to work scheme allows our colleagues to make tax savings when purchasing a new bike for commuting as well as having the added benefit of paying for it via monthly instalments through their salary.
Our BT Group sabbatical benefit offers our colleagues the opportunity to take a break from work for up to 12 months to do the things they have always wanted to do. This time could be spend doing anything from spending time with family or traveling the world.
We want to make getting active as easy and accessible for our colleagues as we can. Our gym discount benefit provides discounted access to a network of gyms across the UK, with options to meet any budget.
Our Sales teams are our growth engine. You could be working with a variety of customers ranging from small businesses like florists, all the way to selling secure connectivity to government departments or major multinationals.
Our Service team looks after our customers during the life of their contract. They ensure we provide great service that attracts and retains customers, whilst helping us be as easy to do business with as possible.
Apply now
