Tips To Bounce Back After A Career Break
- Posted In : 2021-Jan-22
Many women take a career break from their professional career, presuming it to be a better choice between balancing work and household responsibilities. They think that it's a short break they are taking, but once they are away from work, joining the workforce becomes a challenge.
Today, women are passionate, ambitious, career-oriented, want to be financially independent, but because of social barriers and obligations, they often take a back step in their career.
They have to deal with their demons, and when they plan to restart, they get bogged down by a set of challenges posed by their families and the treatment meted out to them by the organizations, creating another journey marked with struggles for them.
We say women are free to choose their careers, but how many are?
Very few women are partly free in some spheres. Usually, women take a career break because of certain unavoidable reasons like marriage, maternity, childcare, family, lack of support.
There is a presumption that married women should invest their time taking care of their family and clearly focus on household chores.
Further, if their husbands are earning well, then there seems no reason for women to work.
Our society's prejudiced mindset acts as a barrier and is weighed as more important than a woman's dream to become financially independent.
Here are few tips - for your career restart after a break.
1. VALUE AND RESPECT YOUR SELF-WORTHINESS
“As Women, We Have To Start Appreciating Our Own Worth And Each Other’s Worth.” - Madonna
Self –Worth is a Self- Apprising emotional reaction. It’s an innate feeling of confidence in our capabilities and qualities.
We have to connect to our “True Self” - the person who we are, our Values, Passions, and Dreams.
Self-worth Is inner security. Your sense of self-worth comes from you alone.
It’s your other self that stands up for you when you are dispirited and cheers and motivates you when you are successful.
Isn’t It Time We Began To Nurture This Relationship?
Know Yourself | Respect Yourself | Accept Yourself | Love Yourself | Care for Yourself
2. WEAR YOUR SELF-CONFIDENCE!
It’s a fact that doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.
Passivity leads to Doubt and Fear. The only way to conquer self-doubts and fear is by actively tackling the issues head-on.
Rejection isn’t a measure of your worth, don’t let others define you or put a tag on you.
A few months or years of career break should not break you. Don’t let these gaps create a sense of Doubt and fear in your mind. You have successfully shouldered multiple responsibilities at a time.
What you need to do is appreciate your existence, appreciate yourself and be proud of yourself.
Pausing one’s career is a critical decision, and it can have severe ramifications on the career. Remind yourself that You have been brave to consider going on a career break, you are brave enough to restart your career, and nothing will deter you.
Plan your restart right from the day you decide to go on a career break.
Keep in touch with your Network. Speak your mind. Develop your skills. Let go of things that don’t matter, to have inner peace.
Confidence is the Expectation of a Positive Outcome. Self Confidence Breeds Strength so with the realization of your potential and self-confidence in your ability you can achieve the desired outcome.
3. START FROM WHERE YOU LEFT - CAPABILITY DEVELOPMENT
Build Yourself For The Future – “The future depends on what you do today.”
Start from where you LEFT, plan restart from your very first day of career break decision. DO NOT AVOID THE DIFFICULT PART
Agree to invest in yourself! Don’t stop learning!
Stay CONNECTED with your professional friends and ex-colleagues to keep the relationships alive.
Stay abreast of industry developments and news related to your sector. Your skill and knowledge will be extensively tested when you eventually get to an interview.
4. FARM NETWORKING - GO WIDE AND DEEP!
THE TIME TO BUILD A NETWORK IS ALWAYS BEFORE YOU NEED ONE
Networking is not collecting contacts; it is more about planting long-term relationships.
Building a network requires an investment of time, effort, and sincerity.
Networking is Marketing Yourself. After you’ve established contact, work at it, and follow up!
5. OUT OF SIGHT is OUT OF MIND - A career break can be daunting.
IT’S OK TO BE OUT OF JOB, BUT DON’T BE OUT, OF MARKET, it requires a Conscious Effort and Practise but is very much possible.
Keep learning - the latest trends in industries
Keep farming your network
Work on enhancing your skills
Building healthy self-esteem is possible. But for that to happen, you need to look inwards and inculcate a greater sense of self-awareness.
A sense of self-awareness will help you develop a positive attitude that will reinforce your courage to build self-esteem and experience a greater level of confidence.
Self- Belief, Perseverance, Resilience, Persistence, and Conscious Efforts will be the key to bounce back.
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Author: Abhishek Chaudhary
BSc - Chemistry, MBA - Marketing from PIMSR, Mumbai University
A Talent Acquisition Professional by training. Passionate about Human Resources and Market Research, how Market Research can be utilized for the betterment of Human Resources. Enjoys reading fiction books and is also a passionate Aquarist.
Volunteering Her Career Foundation - Supporting their initiative in creating more meaningful impacts towards women empowerment.