How to get back to Work after a Career Break

Research by Harvard Business Review has shown that over 60% of us will take a career break at some point during our professional lives.

Look a little closer and you’ll find that 37% of women and 24% of men will temporarily take time out from their careers, often to care for a young child or elderly person.

Of these professionals, not surprisingly, 93% want to re-enter the workplace. That said, it isn’t all a bed of roses and re-entry can pose some serious problems.

In the UK, research by PWC found that three in five professional women will return to lower-skilled or lower-paid jobs following their career break, suffering an immediate salary reduction of up to one third!

As if getting back to work isn’t hard enough with the drop in salary, lower position and the difficult mindset shift to feel confident again in the workplace, these professionals are also often seen, unfairly, as inferior to ‘non-career break’ candidates.

Have you taken or do you expect to take a career break? How do companies in your industry see candidates returning from a career break?

If career breaks are so common, doesn’t it raise the question, ‘why are business professionals being punished when they choose to get back into the world of work?’

Moreover, what can they do to maintain their professional value as high as possible?

These are just some of the questions addressed by Carol Fisherman in her inspiring TED talk about getting back into the workplace after your career break and the challenges that poses.

In her talk she opens up about her own professional experience as well as what some forward thinking companies are now doing to encourage the educated and experienced career break candidates back into the workplace and offer them real opportunities.

You can watch Carol’s TED Talk by clicking the video below, and if you know someone who is thinking about or is currently on a career break, feel free to share this article with them, they’ll thank you for it!

Finished watching? What do you think of Carol’s talk and the initiatives some companies are now taking to help ‘relaunchers’ re-enter the job market?

If you’re a leader in business or a recruiter, how does your company approach relaunchers? And what tips or advice would you suggest for professionals looking to get back to work in your industry or country? 

Tell us about your ideas and experiences in the comments box below.

PLUS! If this article resonated with you, or you know someone who could benefit from hearing this message, then spread the good word far and wide by sharing this article with friends and colleagues on Facebook & LinkedIn.

Best,

Adam

P.S.: If you want to stand out from the crowd, start training your Business English with us today and give yourself the edge over the competition!

For the definitions of the highlighted words check our Glossary.