5 tips to get back to work after a career break or sabbatical

career break, back to work, sabbatical, job

Getting back to work after a career break isn’t easy. But with the right tips, you can return from your sabbatical with all the confidence and skills you need!

At a time when many children are sent to tuition classes for JEE preparation right from class 6 or 7, taking some time off your work can sound rather dangerous. Getting back to work after a sabbatical or career break can be stressful if you don’t know how to go about it.

Read: So, what are ‘Sabbaticals’?

There are three main types of career breaks that people take:

1. Voluntary breaks:

If the career break you took was a conscious, wanted decision, you need to be sure that you want to return to employment before you begin your job hunt.

You should be able to show it in your CV that you really mean to get back to working and that you can commit to your job. Your future employer shouldn’t be left thinking that you could take a leave and disappear again soon after taking the job.

You will also need to mention why you took the career break, but don’t go into details. If you did anything productive to add to your skills or experience during your work break, it could help convince your future employer.

2. Involuntary breaks:

If you didn’t want to take the career break but still had to, don’t whine about it in your CV — your resume should be positive, not apologetic. Your future employer shouldn’t think you can only dwell in the past instead of planning for the future.

Keep the reason for your sabbatical or career break brief. Even if you got fired, it’s good to come clean about it as your lies could get uncovered in case the interview decides to pull up references.

If you derived some positive learning or achievements while dealing with the problem for which you took the break, you can talk about it to your employer.

3. Maternity leaves

India has a very high number of qualified female employers who simply never get back to work after having a baby because they don’t know how to prepare themselves for the return.

The biggest challenge women face in this case is overcoming the lack of confidence. The longer you have been away, the scarier it will be. But if your skills are updated and match the job requirements, you are good to go!

You can think of looking for workplaces which offer a crèche facility so that while working, you can remain stress-free regarding child-care.

[“source=forbes]