Utilising Career Break

Unexpected career breaks are difficult to handle. Shock, anger, frustration, and other emotions are all normal. However, if you drop your judgements for a minute and adopt the curiosity and inquisitiveness of your younger self, you will notice that a career break, regardless of the reason, can be a blessing in disguise. You can utilise your career break wisely to set yourself apart in positive ways, and get the job quickly, despite the gap on your resume. So, here is an article to help you make the most of your career break and use it in such a way that it advances your career rather than hindering it. 

 5 Things you must do to utilise your career break in the best way possible

Here are the 5 things you must do to utilise your career break in a way that it advances your career rather than hindering it –

1. Make your career break benefit your future employer

Have you ever wondered why some employers do not give preference to hiring people coming back from a career break?

Frankly, when you are on a career break, you are away from your industry. Your job skills and expertise thus go unused and could become outdated. This makes employers question the employment gap on your resume and doubt your expertise.

However, if you can show them how your time away has made you even better and more suitable candidate for the job, you will be able to lessen those concerns successfully.

So, get involved in as many activities and options as possible that will appeal to your future employer. Engage in activities that address the gap in your resume, as well as position yourself as an asset to the company.

Do this to get a job that pays you what you desire without putting any false information, in your resume, to cover your career break.

2. Prepare yourself thoroughly for a comeback

Have a re-entry plan. It does not matter whether you planned your break or you were forced by circumstances to take a break. Either way, become highly focussed in your job search efforts to get a job that is both fulfilling and gratifying.

Job aspirants who are ready never struggle to get the job that they love.

So, set your career goals and identify your weekly target for activities like talking with recruitment agencies, networking, volunteering, professional development, etc. and use your time, attention and energy more purposefully.

3. Leverage LinkedIn as your online portfolio

In other words, have a strong and impressive presence on LinkedIn that gets you noticed.

Employers and recruiters are increasingly using LinkedIn to find and evaluate candidates. So, do not let your LinkedIn account sit idle. Instead, use it strategically to increase your reach and influence the hiring managers.

4. Use your emotions as fuel to more career success

Looking for a new job is a lot of work surrounded by too much uncertainty and ambiguity. The whole experience is one big emotional roller coaster. But, the worse your emotional health is, the harder it is to get a job.

It is important to realise that your emotions influence your performance. What you think and how you feel has a huge impact on your mood as well as your inner motivation.

So, manage your emotions effectively in a way that sets your up for more wins.

5. Get a mentor or a career coach

Job search scenario has changed a lot. What worked a year back does not work anymore.

So, reach out to someone you trust to seek advice on topics like how to manage your career, how to use LinkedIn as a platform to advance your career, how to approach people for help without sounding desperate, how to brand yourself for better opportunities, etc.

It will be an enriching process that will help you immensely in getting the job quickly despite the gap on your resume.