What next after a career break?
Plan your come back after a career break
At some point, after a career break, people may feel ready to go back to work because the circumstances for which they took a career break have changed.
For mums who are at home and want to go back to work, they often want to move on to do something that will bring more fulfilment, to have their own money again, while doing something seen as worthwhile for society – as well as having a role that allows them to take care of their families – a role that is aligned with who they have are, now that they are a parent.
However, there are often strong feelings attached to the idea of going back to work which can range from:
- loss of confidence in oneself and in one’s own skills
- wanting a job that better suits new circumstances
- being unsure if there will be boundaries between work and private life and how they will impact on life in general
- guilt associated with going back to work and leaving children
Ask yourself what matters to you at this point in time so you can plan your role/career move around what is important to you.
Here are a few tips for planning your next career move:
- Renew old relationships
Have a conversation with your previous workplace/boss about your new circumstances and what you are hoping for. Your old colleagues and boss already know you and this may be an easy way back into a role.
- Join new network
Become part of a professional network where you can exchange with people who were in similar situations before and who can relate to what you are going through and also advise you on what worked well for them.
- Confidence in your skills
Work on your self-confidence and talk to people who know you in different settings.
Think about your track record while you were parenting because often people have often carried out voluntary activities that have given us new skills.
- Who are you?
Ask yourself what matters to you at this point in time so you can plan your role/career move around this. Do you want to have a flexible role? What are the things that you will not compromise on? Chat to someone who can help you gain clarity around your thoughts.
- Explore your passions/hobbies that could develop another career
Another option is also going for a complete career change by thinking about a hobby/passion that can become a new career. A passion that becomes a career is one that will be easier to be in as there will be a lot of ease in doing it.
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