Returning to work cover letter example
A returner's cover letter leads with what you bring, mentions the break once and briefly, and shows you are ready now. Keep the break to one sentence with its reason, give one example from your earlier work, and say what you have refreshed.
Read the letter as text
Claire Donnelly
Reading · [email protected] · 07700 900240
14 October 2026
Ms Anita Rao
Operations Director
Thameside Property Management
Forbury House, 12 Valpy Street
Reading RG1 1AR
Dear Ms Rao
Application for Office Manager (ref. TPM-OM-07)
I am applying for the Office Manager role at Thameside Property Management. I ran the office of a 32-person solicitors' firm in Reading for six years, and I am now returning to work after a career break raising my two children.
At Wexcombe & Hart I managed a £180,000 office budget, recruited and trained a team of four, and moved the firm's paper files to a case management system with no files lost. Your advert asks for someone to run the office's suppliers and systems, which is the work I did every day.
During my break I kept the accounts for our school's PTA, completed the AAT Level 2 Certificate in Bookkeeping and a Microsoft 365 course, so my skills are up to date.
I can work full time or four days a week, and I could start in November. My CV is attached. Thank you for considering my application.
Yours sincerely
Claire Donnelly
Fictional letter from Claire Donnelly, the applicant in the returning to work CV example. Every person and employer in it is invented.
Why each paragraph is there
I am applying for the Office Manager role at Thameside Property Management. I ran the office of a 32-person solicitors' firm in Reading for six years, and I am now returning to work after a career break raising my two children.
Your experience first, then the break in one sentence with its reason.
At Wexcombe & Hart I managed a £180,000 office budget, recruited and trained a team of four, and moved the firm's paper files to a case management system with no files lost. Your advert asks for someone to run the office's suppliers and systems, which is the work I did every day.
One example from earlier work, matched to the advert.
During my break I kept the accounts for our school's PTA, completed the AAT Level 2 Certificate in Bookkeeping and a Microsoft 365 course, so my skills are up to date.
What you did and refreshed during the break.
I can work full time or four days a week, and I could start in November. My CV is attached. Thank you for considering my application.
Hours, start date and a polite close.