Dear Angela:

You have 2 things going against you:

1. You've been out of work for a while
2. You are changing careers

Both of these issues are enough on their own to make your job search difficult. You didn't specify what field you are coming from nor what field you plan on going into so keep in mind this is fairly general advice.

• Be sure the gap is accounted for on your resume; at least include a blurb of why you took a leave. You don’t need to go into grave detail; just simply state you took time off for maternity leave. No employer in the world is going to blame you for doing so and any employer that does, chances are this is not the type of employer you want to work for. While you weren't working, did you continue any means of learning or working? Did you take any courses or seminars? In any ways, were you able to keep your skills up? If so, you should illustrate that on your resume.
• Be prepared and willing to take a lower position than what you might be used to for both reasons: the leave, and the career change. If you are trying to maintain the level of position you were in - that is probably the main reason why you are having great difficulty in finding a job. Apply for a more junior role and work your way up, ESPECIALLY because of the career change. If you feel you are overqualified for a "junior role", than it shouldn't take too long to work your way up.
• Consider the jobs you are now applying for and understand what they are looking for. What skills do you already have that are transferable to your desired position? You should customize your resume to what the job is looking for. You can illustrate your skills and experience to make yourself candidate for the position.
• Last but not least, do NOT be afraid of the phone. Do everything in your power to make phone contact with these potential employers. It is much more difficult for a potential employer to brush you off if you call them, than a job seeker that just sent a resume and was never persistent.

Best of Luck,

The ResumeDoctor