People take a break from work for all sorts of reasons. It might be for a sabbatical to travel or pursue a personal interest. Or it could be for a desire or necessity to take the time to bring up a young family or care for an elderly relative.
Returning to work after an extended break can be both exciting and nerve-wracking. But if you’re time away has been a lengthy one it can be terrifying. Depending on the reason for the career break there may be different challenges facing you. So, if you want to make that transition back in to work a smooth one, keep reading…
Confidence
Its not unusual to feel unconfident when faced with the prospect of re-entering the workplace after a sabatical. For those who don’t have a job to go back to, the prospect of finding work after a long break will be even more daunting. Fears of not being good enough or not being able to find work that meets your needs will serve to undermine your confidence.
Fears like these are best dealt with by breaking them down in to small bit sized challenges.
- If you’re worried about your industry knowledge, go online, join or rejoin the professional body related to your industry. If there is no professional body in your industry use social media for updates, particularly LinkedIn. Attend exhibitions/seminars or training opportunities.
- If you’re returning to a job after a sabatical your existing employer might have a return to work programme so find out what that is.
- Voluntary work, training and networking are all great ways to build your confidence when returning to the workforce after a long break. If you still doubt yourself try positive affirmations.
- Positive affirmations are a proven way of building confidence and can be used in lots of different scenarios. You simply replace the negative thoughts with positive ones. For instance I am a skilled and talented person, I am experienced and have a lot to bring to a job, etc.
Assessing your skills and updating your CV
Step 1
This isn’t just about taking account of the skills you’ve gained while in work or training, but the skills and experiences you’ve gained while you were on your break. You may have organised events, project managed refurbishment of your home, organised your family member’s care, managed the finances, done voluntary work or started writing your own blog. Or you may have done none of these things. Whatever you’ve done during your long term break, make a note. Sometimes it helps to discuss this with others if you find it difficult to identify your own skills and achievements.
Step 2
Next, review your existing CV. Think of your CV as a master CV rather than the one you will use to apply for work. The idea of a master CV is that you can list everything of note that you do. It allows you to record your achievements as you acquire them. Then, when it comes to applying for a job you can pick and choose which skills and achievements you want to include in your tailored CV.
Step 3
Be positive about the time you have been away from paid employment and capitalise on everything you’ve done. It only becomes the embarrassing hole in your work experience if you allow it to be. Don’t forget any soft skills you would have had to develop such as people management, social networker, time management, etc.
Step 4
Join LinkedIn if you haven’t already and keep your profile up to date. It will be an important resource when you start looking for work.
Gain new skills and building your professional network
If you want to refresh your existing skills or learn new ones take training courses and try to use the opportunity to network. If the course is online you might join forums or if the course is delivered in person you should take the time to talk to everyone from the trainer to the attendees. Every contact matters.
If you have worked in the industry or are returning to an existing job, contact your any old colleagues or any other contacts you might have. A social media post might be enough to get things rolling if you don’t want to call directly.
Volunteering and the gig economy
If you need experience in a new type of work or need to increase the level of experience you have, you might want to consider volunteering and the gig economy.
Volunteering opportunities exist across almost all career types. You could contact a charity or non profit directly for opporunities, or use bodies such as Reach Volunteering to find opportunities. https://reachvolunteering.org.uk/
The gig economy is growing. Freelance and contract work might offer a useful and gradual re-introduction to working.
Volunteering and freelance work may well lead to finding useful contacts and gaining relevant experience in your career field of interest. Such work may even lead to a good references and all that adds up to your next job.
Managing work-life balance
If you’ve been used to a certain routine, having to go to work will be a change. You need to avoid losing sight of your work life balance. Establish clear boundaries between work and personal life. This will help you create a new routine and ensure that you have dedicated time for both work and personal activities.
And finally…
Returning to work after a long break may take some getting used to. It may also be emotionally and physically demanding. You could find yourself questioning your capabilities and if you apply for work and are rejected you may find your confidence is affected. If you are able to take your time then go about it at your pace.
Planning your return to work will make the journey so much easier. Always remember, you are likely to have valuable skills and experiences to offer. Now you just need to find the right opportunity.