- 10 May, 2024
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- 5 Mins Read
Some Clever Tips for Restarting Your Career After a Break
A break is necessary every now and then. We need it at certain times of our lives. We all have dreams beyond monthly salaries, such as traveling to a dream destination, writing books and blogs, or maybe a career switch after working so many years at the same company. Or even a desire to seize the opportunity to reskill during a company restructure.
Additionally, one may start his/her own business or attempt higher education – activities which tend to require prolonged periods of time. Some may just need an extended break or holiday. Other common reasons for long breaks from work are paternity leave, maternity leave or even an unfortunate illness.
The point is that there are numerous reasons to take a break from a job and it completely depends on the person, his/her condition, wants and wishes.
After taking a break from work, what’s important is the appropriate planning to restart work or embark on a new career or challenge.
First Off, Let’s Understand That It’s Okay to Take a Break!
Willingness and motivation to work is very important because if one keeps on working without will or desire, then you may not get intended results or high-quality outputs. Breaks could allow us time for learning and developing new skills or reassessing things. Breaks also provide opportunity for personal matters such as improving family and social relations. They also allow one time to pursue extra-curricular activities.
Some crucial tips you could follow to get back to work:
- Rejoin Your Network
After a long break, you need to know what your current situation is in relation to the job market. Talk to your colleagues, clients and friends to let them know that you are ready to work. This should be done at least three months before your intended start date. This not only gives you insight into the opportunity landscape but also gives ample time to get an appropriate job. And if your contacts know people who need your skills, they may also refer you for the job. A trusted and recommended potential employee is much more attractive to an employer than someone they don’t know because they can’t rely on everyone’s recommendation.
- Assess Your Capability and Situation
It is very important to have a clear mindset about what kind of work you want and whether you possess the requisite skills. At the time of the interview, a career break with no relevant skills can put you in a tough position. An experienced interviewer can usually sense whether you are capable or just desperate. You must be very clear about what kind of work you want to do – to yourself and the job market. This should be done before putting yourself on the job market. If you intend switching careers, you must have undertaken the necessary skills development training. We all have heard “if you fail to prepare, you have prepared to fail”. So, prepare yourself mentally, physically and emotionally.
- Update Your CV/Resume
When you are ready restart your career, it’s time to update your resume. A good resume can do wonders. So, tidy up your previous knowledge and experience and update your CV with all new skills you have developed during your break. Explain how these new skills can relate to the job you’re now applying for. You must be prepared for this to come up at any job opportunity you are applying for. Ensure your resume reflects why you were on a break and why you left previous jobs. There are rational, easy-to-understand and acceptable reasons for leaving past jobs. As such, your potential employer will have less misgivings about you after performing background checks. Before your interview, do some research on skills required for each role and/or by each company you be applying to and interviewing at. Always ensure that your salary expectations are realistic.
- Search for Jobs
It’s often said that “looking for a job is a full-time job!”. That’s how seriously you need to take your job search. Instead of randomly searching for jobs on the internet, find relevant job opportunities by using a targeted searches on popular job portals. Most job portals now have the functionality to set up alerts, so you receive daily emails with jobs that match your search criteria.
Recruiters and employers now receive loads of resumes for each position and quickly scan resumes for keywords and phrases that match up with the job description/requirements. Ensure your resume is reflective of such words and phrases to get yourself on to the shortlist. It’s also best to apply for jobs daily and in the mornings to get yourself at the front of the queues, thereby increasing your chances of your resume being reviewed early and before too many others apply. This way, you don’t get overlooked.
- References & Recommendations
A letter of recommendation can play a key role in securing a great job. So, make it a point to acquire reference letters from influential people in your previous organisations. Influential people are usually quite busy. A good trick is to request that you draft something and ask that they just edit and sign as they fit – a great trick to inadvertently writing your own reference letter!
- Interview Preparation
Once you have been invited for an interview at a company, it’s time to give yourself the final touch. Prepare y learning about the position and company. Anticipate the questions you would be asked about yourself, the role and the organisation and have some good answers ready. Prepare some good questions to ask and demonstrate that you understand what is required of the role as well as the company’s objectives.
You must be prepared enough to ensure you maintain and present confidence. Be prepared to explain your career break and present it as a positive attribute. You can speak of how efficiently you have utilised your break, developed yourself during the period for an overall positive effect on your future work output.
- Be Confident!
Last but not least, have faith in yourself and be bold. Practice interview questions with friends and with yourself in front of a mirror. Keep reminding yourself of why you are perfect for the job and articulate this during your interview.