Tips For Joining Work Post Career Break

Whatever be the reasons for a career break, that doesn’t stop you from diving back in. Sharing some tips for joining work post career break, based on my own experience. A few years hiatus sometimes makes the idea of joining work difficult and superfluous. Therefore, it is important to believe in yourself and find out ways to make it happen. With marriage, family and age responsibilities at home make returning back to work challenging. Some woman continue to work all the way and some take time off to raise family and enjoy being a part of child’s growing up years.

Joining work after a career break needs a little planning and identifying the reasons why you wish to take the plunge. It is little challenging at the beginning as the times you worked and situations you were in, have changed and so has technology and other aspects at work. It is better to do your home work before actually diving in. As a mother, joining back after 5.5 years career-break it took me two weeks prior to joining and 1 week post joining adjustment. I just wanted the extra-push from within to come out and take over the workplace routine.

Based on my own experience, sharing some important tips which may help you place yourself right up there:

• Identify your strengths

Self assessment is very important for planning your move back to career roles. Identify your strengths or key resources which will make you a preferred choice. Based on the things you may have done during your career break like volunteering, internships, courses or just interactions with people. You can pen down a few strengths that make you a credible preference

• Groom your hobbies or interests into career

For woman who are beginning to work after a long time, it is very important to choose the area which comes organically from within. As the demands of the workplace would need extra efforts if you don’t have the desired skills. Utilize your hobbies or interests which you kept grooming all these years staying at home. This is your biggest offering.

[Also read: Healthy relationship]

• Evaluate job market

Based on the evaluation of job market you can find which areas are most suitable for your kind of situation. Some work options give flexibility in place and time, this can be great to begin with. Current job scenario assessment gives you an idea what are the profiles vacant and which match your interests and strengths

• Take some courses

After you have identified the area or profile you wish to work in. Take up any course to brush up the skills in that area. It is always advisable to have yourself prepared about the roles and responsibilities before joining. There may have been advancement in technology and changes in duties at work, so this course will help you gain the necessary insights into the job you wish to apply.

• Make and impressive cover-letter

Be proud of your career-break, as this was a very crucial time that shaped you into what you are. Don’t hide or cover up this break, give a fair explanation of the break and be proud of your devotion and time towards raising your family. Highlight the volunteering and other experiences you may have done during this time.

• Make your Resume crisp

Your resume should highlight the skills you already have. Also showing the training and work experiences. Do not mention career gap as the beginning line, rather show your strengths and achievements.

• Interview tips

At the interview, do not panic over questions related to your career-break. Your confidence and commitment to join back the work force is what they want to see. At this point lot of money or great designation doesn’t drive, in my opinion, what prompted me to join was the creative independence at work. Your aspirations must be aligned ell right from the interview. At this point a platform to show your potential as ‘do-it-all-mom’ is what drives you to work every day. You don’t think about the mighty possibilities in career ahead, just yet. The peer benefits don’t make you worry anymore. Think of this opportunity as your chance to conquer it all again

• Don’t negotiate much

In my experience, it is advisable not to negotiate too much too soon. Initial hicks after joining and company policies you negotiated on, may fall back on your face. It is better to start slow and steady, taking things as they come.

• First day at the job

The first few days are the toughest. Every plan you may have made just appears falling apart. Your adjustments with responsibilities don’t work the way you wanted. But just remember if you sail through the first week hardships, it will get better in terms you will start finding more ways.

As hard as it sounds, beginning work again is more than just work-life balance. It is the mental make up within that keeps tossing, and the mighty question to work or not to work keeps popping time and again. Overcome the stress and work on your lifestyle to make the transition organic and natural as possible. Just remember, there shall be strings pulling you back, there shall be people judging your choice but you have to find that one passion in the job, which makes you fall in love with your work.

The above compilation on, ‘Tips For Joining Work Post Career Break ‘ is based on my own experiences in the past few days. Have faith in your choices and standby your decisions, the sure shot key to success.

Minu Manisha