In the fast-paced cut-throat competition-laced work environment of today, taking a break from one’s career is not something unnatural. Rather, it is quite common. The reasons can be far varied and many – be it motherhood, family reasons, ill health, education, travel or pursuing a lifelong dream, people often take a sabbatical.
However, such a break is still not very well accepted by employers. The trick is to write a CV in such a manner that the employer looks past your break and hires you for who you are and the skillsets you possess.
To ensure a smooth transition back to work life, here are some tips.
Anticipate what you are getting into: Times are changing, and fast. Even if you were on a break for a short period of time, the market might have undergone a sea change and the skills earlier required for your job position could have changed, too. The best way to achieve success is to do your research about your preferred jobs and find out what kind of skill sets they require. This would also help you familiarize yourself with market dynamics. You should also consider reskilling or updating your past expertise to bag that ideal job.
Once you have identified what lies ahead, you can start exploring and weighing your options. By educating yourself, you will pick up industry jargon and keywords which you can then put into your CV.
Connect and network with people in the industry, create a profile on career re-entry job platforms, or network on sites like linkedIn. You could also join the Networking groups which can boosts your confidence and increase your positive motivation. Such networking groups helps to inspire, encourage, and propel each other onward and upward in their career restart journeys. They understand the low confidence threshold that women on a break are struggling to cross, because all of them have been there and can relate to each other.
Accept your sabbatical: Don’t hide your sabbatical. Having unclarified gaps in your CV will make the recruiter question your entire job application. Address the career gap concisely and do not make it up or hide it. You don’t need to get into too much detail. Just write a short title that explains your break. It is also an important opportunity for you to showcase what you have done during your absence.
Introspect and leverage: During career breaks, people often develop new skills that add to their existing skill sets. Some also use this time to get a higher education degree. This helps. Think about what new skill you have picked up that you can add to your resume to make it stronger. Maybe you have volunteered for something, worked as a freelancer or a consultant, contributed to an agency or even traveled to the country where your prospective employer’s head office is located.
Keep Moving Ahead: If you are going for an interview after a career break, prepare yourself well for questions that will be asked on your past experience as well as the break that you have taken. Be frank about your break. Focus on how the skills and attributes you developed during your break will make you a stand-out applicant. The emphasis should be to get creative and not hide that gap. Instead showcase what that gap did for you and what you bring to the table as a highly-valued, high-touch, highly qualified and experienced employee, ready to join immediately.
The writer is Neha Bagaria, Founder & CEO, JobsForHer