Returning to Work After a Career Break, with Clarity and Confidence
This guide is for Mothers who’ve taken a career break and are looking to return to the paid workforce but feel lost on how to do so.
Contributed By: Laura Niebauer · Career Relaunch Coach
The Core Challenge
Returning to the paid workforce can feel overwhelming and come with a lot of questions, from “What is it I want to do now?” to “Where do I even begin?” Without a clear strategy, it’s easy to feel frustrated and either throw in the towel on your job search or settle for something because you feel as though you have no other options.
KEY INSIGHT
There is a damaging narrative that career breaks are a liability and should be hidden. In reality, you have gained new experiences, skills, and abilities. It’s a matter of framing them in a way that relates to the positions you’re applying to and owning your narrative.
Practical Strategies
Get Clear On Your Wants & Needs - Before you start applying, get clear on what you want and need from your next position and let go of what you think you should want. Consider things like control (how, when, and where you’ll work), compensation (salary, bonus, benefits), culture, and the role itself. Then step back and ask what a fulfilling life looks like to you and how your next job will support it, not consume it.
Cultivate Connections - One of the areas you have the most control over is building relationships with people who can vouch for you, rather than relying on your resume to get you in the door. Start forming connections early and seek out people you genuinely want to learn from. Set a reach-out goal for yourself, and remember to be authentic, personal, and giving in your communications.
Fill The Gap - There is no denying that you have a number of transferable skills, but it’s helpful to show you have one foot in the industry you’re looking to go into. Look into joining professional organizations, volunteering strategically, taking on freelance work, or taking courses in areas where you may need to upskill. Rather than guessing which areas you should focus on, find people in the roles you’re targeting and ask what they see as most beneficial.
Own Your Story - Have your story crafted so you can speak to it with clarity and confidence. Rather than waiting to be asked about your career break, get in front of it and position yourself the way you want to be seen. Be clear, concise, and always tie back the value you bring to the hiring table because of your career break, not in spite of it.
A SMALL FIRST STEP
Reach out to one person you’d like to learn from and ask to speak with them. It could be someone who has also navigated their way back after a career break, someone who works in an industry you want to pivot into, or someone who is at a company you’re interested in working for.
Laura Niebauer helps women return to the paid workforce after a career break with clarity and confidence. After 17 years working in HR and recruiting, along with taking her own career break, she knows how overwhelming the process can feel but it doesn’t have to be that way.
Visit www.lauraniebauer.com and the Career Relaunch Accelerator Program
Additional Resource - The Ultimate Return To Work Guide
