In the words of Nataliia Diachuk: “After eight years of a break, I started all over again”

Nataliia Diachuk, a 37-year-old mother of two, returned to professional life after an eight-year hiatus. Thanks to her participation in the mentoring program of the Women For The Future initiative, she secured a position in a government institution and regained a sense of confidence and professional value. Photo: courtesy of Nataliia Diachuk.

After eight years in the banking sector, Nataliia took a temporary break from her career due to the birth of her two children, the pandemic, and the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. During those years, the idea of returning to work came and went. “I can now admit to myself that those were just excuses rooted in fear,” she shares. The turning point came when her sister sent her a link to the Women For The Future mentoring program, designed to support women in navigating various career challenges.

One of the main obstacles that held her back was low self-esteem and a lack of confidence in her professional abilities after the long pause. “It was hard to believe I could compete. I was worried whether I could meet expectations, whether I had enough skills,” she says.

As part of the program, Nataliia worked with a mentor for two months. The mentor gradually helped her improve her self-esteem and regain confidence as a specialist. “My mentor supported me constantly. She emphasized that there were enough opportunities—I just had to keep going. She was the one who encouraged me to apply for the position I eventually got.”

During the mentorship, Nataliia also actively prepared for re-entering the workforce: she updated her resume, improved her self-presentation skills, and started applying for jobs in the financial sector.

When she began receiving interview invitations, the process was emotionally intense, though the atmosphere was always friendly. “I was very nervous. I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to answer the questions. My biggest fear was hearing ‘sorry, you’re not a good fit for us.’”

The same was true for the interview for the position she ultimately landed. The selection process had several stages, the most important being a final interview with the department head. “After that interview, all I could do was wait. Those few hours of waiting for a response from the recruiter felt incredibly long. I remembered my mentor’s words: ‘Employers are interested in you too. It’s not just their choice—it’s yours as well.’ It all ended wonderfully, and I got the job offer the same day. When I heard, ‘Welcome to the team,’ my first feeling was joy, quickly followed by quiet disbelief: had this really happened? I couldn’t believe it!”

Nataliia joined the Project Office at the National Bank of Ukraine, where she now holds an administrative position. Although she had previously held higher-level roles, she sees this job as an excellent opportunity to return to her career gradually and smoothly. Nataliia works remotely, with a flexible schedule and a manageable workload that allows her to balance professional responsibilities with motherhood. She also has the time and opportunity to continue learning, adapt to changes in the field and new digital tools, and understand the specifics of the public sector and internal processes. “I’ve regained a sense of inner value, confidence, and greater financial independence. I enjoy talking to my colleagues and learning about the projects they’re working on—it brings new knowledge.”

At the same time, she acknowledges that balancing the roles of mother and professional is a new challenge. “Work allows me to develop in both areas, but the process is more difficult than I imagined. It feels like my children are growing up alongside me. They’ve become more independent.”

Looking ahead, she plans to continue developing in the field of analytics and finish a German language course. “I’m determined to keep moving forward. Now I believe in myself more than I did a year ago.”

In conclusion, Nataliia shares this advice: “Don’t put things off—act! If you’ve been thinking about joining programs that develop professional potential, like Women For The Future, but something is holding you back, start now. Even if the result isn’t what you expected, it’s not a failure; it’s experience. Every application, every attempt, is a step forward. Take yours!”

This publication has been created as part of the Women For The Future initiative, which is implemented by Happy Monday (NGO "Professionals of the Future") within the UN Women project titled "Transformational Approaches to Achieving Gender Equality in Ukraine." This project is funded by the Government of Sweden and is in collaboration with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration.