The road of life will have many twists. Plan ahead, then be ready to abandon the plan. Shutterstock
Much has been written about the predicament of women who take a break from their careers to raise children and find career re-entry challenging. Recent studies show that millennial women are even more likely than their Baby Boomer mothers or Gen-X sisters to expect to take some time away from their careers to accommodate childcare. And they plan to come back from those breaks. If this describes you, is there anything you can do now to prepare for an exit that will make for a more successful re-entrance? Yes. Here are five things you should do if you are considering a career break:
Keep your foot on the gas: When Sheryl Sandberg said in her TED Talk “Don’t leave before you leave,” she didn’t mean you couldn’t have a plan for what an exit might mean. But she did mean that you should look for advancement opportunities for as long as you can. The further you advance in your career before your break the easier it will be to return after your break. Also, in most fields advancing up the ladder confers additional autonomy and ability to work flexibly. For some this can make it easier to continue to work or to work longer.
Build your network: Everyone should do this, of course, and you should do it even if you don’t plan to take a break. But the connections you make now will serve you well when you are ready to restart your career. Consider how you can build a network that is not just deep within your industry but broad across a variety of industries. When restarting, many women find they either want or need to pivot their career. Having contacts across a variety of different fields will give you more opportunities to do that successfully.
Plan for the plan to fall apart: Dwight Eisenhower famously said that plans are worthless but planning is everything. He was right. The problem is when you try to stick to a plan that has become worthless. Quitting a job you love because you thought you were “supposed” to, going back before you’re ready because it’s “time” or going back to a career that never suited you are all mistakes that can hurt you more than help you. Always examine how the plan feels to you in light of changing circumstances and be ready to ditch the plan for a new one.
Develop a habit around learning and development: This is another tip that helps everyone. In today’s economy you are only as good (and as employable) as your most recently acquired skills. But for those planning to take a career break, racking up additional skills will serve you well down the line. If you can maintain this habit during your break, even better.
Take up a side project or two: It might be difficult, while you are managing everything else, to consider a side project. But having something outside of your work — a personal website, an Etsy store, an app — can become a source of both income and achievement when you exit, providing you with an ongoing tie back to your career.
The bottom line is that career breaks do not need to be career enders. In fact, I’ve met many, many women who are thriving in their “second act.” A good career break takes some planning and a successful reentry takes determination—both important ingredients for any good career.
Learn more about the work I do at Path Forward and read my blog posts about work, life and everything in between.
The road of life will have many twists. Plan ahead, then be ready to abandon the plan. Shutterstock
Much has been written about the predicament of women who take a break from their careers to raise children and find career re-entry challenging. Recent studies show that millennial women are even more likely than their Baby Boomer mothers or Gen-X sisters to expect to take some time away from their careers to accommodate childcare. And they plan to come back from those breaks. If this describes you, is there anything you can do now to prepare for an exit that will make for a more successful re-entrance? Yes. Here are five things you should do if you are considering a career break:
Keep your foot on the gas: When Sheryl Sandberg said in her TED Talk “Don’t leave before you leave,” she didn’t mean you couldn’t have a plan for what an exit might mean. But she did mean that you should look for advancement opportunities for as long as you can. The further you advance in your career before your break the easier it will be to return after your break. Also, in most fields advancing up the ladder confers additional autonomy and ability to work flexibly. For some this can make it easier to continue to work or to work longer.
Build your network: Everyone should do this, of course, and you should do it even if you don’t plan to take a break. But the connections you make now will serve you well when you are ready to restart your career. Consider how you can build a network that is not just deep within your industry but broad across a variety of industries. When restarting, many women find they either want or need to pivot their career. Having contacts across a variety of different fields will give you more opportunities to do that successfully.
Plan for the plan to fall apart: Dwight Eisenhower famously said that plans are worthless but planning is everything. He was right. The problem is when you try to stick to a plan that has become worthless. Quitting a job you love because you thought you were “supposed” to, going back before you’re ready because it’s “time” or going back to a career that never suited you are all mistakes that can hurt you more than help you. Always examine how the plan feels to you in light of changing circumstances and be ready to ditch the plan for a new one.
Develop a habit around learning and development: This is another tip that helps everyone. In today’s economy you are only as good (and as employable) as your most recently acquired skills. But for those planning to take a career break, racking up additional skills will serve you well down the line. If you can maintain this habit during your break, even better.
Take up a side project or two: It might be difficult, while you are managing everything else, to consider a side project. But having something outside of your work — a personal website, an Etsy store, an app — can become a source of both income and achievement when you exit, providing you with an ongoing tie back to your career.
The bottom line is that career breaks do not need to be career enders. In fact, I’ve met many, many women who are thriving in their “second act.” A good career break takes some planning and a successful reentry takes determination—both important ingredients for any good career.
Learn more about the work I do at Path Forward and read my blog posts about work, life and everything in between.