5 Tips for Restarting Your Career After a Break

There are many reasons to take a break from your career. Shifting to a new place, raising children, desire to spend some quality time with family, health issues or personal development can result in a career gap.  A lot of people feel daunted while searching for a new job, but it’s crucial to take your time and assess yourself before starting the search. This will result in finding a job that is well suited to your skill sets and experiences. It can also be helpful to evaluate what values are most significant in current society. 

Here are 5 tips to help you in re-joining the workplace after a career break:

• Understand Current Trends

  You must keep yourself updated with the market trends if you wish to work for the same company. There are a lot of things which must be considered while restarting your career after abreak. Spend some time researching industry trends, availability of salary ranges and a variety of job industries. It can help you to find a decent job in the same industry or it may lead you to great opportunities in other industries. You can also attend seminars and conferences to familiarise yourself with the market trends. 

• Enrich your skills

  Before you join a new workforce, take the time to enhance your existing skills while discovering new ones. Understand the kind of job you want and make sure you’re up-to-date on all programs and software. It will allow you to approach job interviews with confidence. Consider taking a lesson to enhance your skills. Whether you select an in-person course or an online setting, you can include your class involvement on your resume. Other ways to improve your skills include listening to podcasts, reading books, subscribing to newsletters or attending seminars.

• Update Your Resume

  As it’s been a while since you applied for a new job, give time to update your resume and cover letter. Make changes in the format of your resume according to the specific jobs you’re interested in. Make sure to develop a resume that matches the job you’re applying for. For example, if you’re applying for an assistant position, a simple black and white resume should serve the need. If you’re applying for an artistic role, you can emphasize your creative side in resume format. The way you express your career gap in your resume speaks a lot about you. Talking about the career gap in your resume indicates that you are not trying to hide anything and you are an ethical candidate for the position.

• Make use of Social Media

  Candidates must use social media for expanding networks and getting recommendations. Connect with your old colleagues to let them know you’re returning to work. They can either help you find employment opportunities or update you on the current industry’s expectations. our colleague may know of job openings or have the capacity to connect you with mutual friends who can help.  Also, try to acquire Certificates of Appreciation from influential people in your last organisation as it plays a key role in getting a job.  There can be various certificates which give an opinion of your ability and capability.

• Get Ready For Your Interview

  You may encounter questions on career gaps in the interview. Candidates must check the interview format which is currently in use. You can explain how efficiently you have utilized your break and how it has made you an optimistic person. Get prepared to answer numerous questions and share what you have learned during that time. Try to be open and transparent about your career gap. You must be motivated enough so that you may not lose confidence.