Your sabbatical from work to take care of your family/ kids may not necessarily mean bidding your career goodbye, especially if you continue to do part time work from your home. What is important is that you make efforts to keep updating your skills and stay abreast with the latest on goings in your industry, if you plan to get back to a full-time job once you are comfortable. It helps you stay relevant in the current job market, thereby improving your chances of being hired back by companies.
In a competitive job market, where employers are constantly on the lookout for the best person who fits a job, it is unlikely for you to make the cut purely based on merit, if you have failed to update your skills. Though this applies to all working professionals who have taken a long break from their job, it particularly holds true for those from more technical fields like technology, electronics etc. where one can easily become redundant in just a couple of years of being away from work, if they don’t make the effort to update their skills.
Still, the chances of a smooth re-entry into a professional career are higher if you stay clued into your industry and stay updated by following a few ground rules:-
1) Networking with your ex-colleagues, bosses, and suppliers is a good way to keep in touch with the industry - Continue to stay in touch with your colleagues and business contacts to stay posted with the latest buzz in the industry. This can work as your ticket to getting invitations to trade fairs, conferences and seminars, attending which will keep you abreast with all that is happening in your area of interest.
2) Network with the right people and join the right forums on LinkedIn – On LinkedIn, keep in touch with all your contacts, friends from school and college, your past colleagues around the world, and any new contacts from the industry you get to know. Through this you can get invited to industry related events and get linked to discussion forums and groups. It is also a great platform to share relevant and new information related to your domain, which can add value to you.
3) Subscribe to industry magazines/ newsletters - Subscribe to reputed industry magazines, newsletters etc. to know the latest in technology trends, stock movements and changing dynamics of related organizations to be in the know of your field. The Internet is also a powerful medium to update yourself with new challenges and innovations that are happening in industries specific to your area of expertise. Figure out how to use Google Reader to subscribe to popular blogs and sites relevant to your experience and follow them regularly. Staying in touch will make you aware of what hasn’t changed and what is new that you need to brush up on.
4) A mentor, is a valuable asset to sharpen your skills - Work hard at making sure your mentor stays with you through the break as it is he/she who will give you the right advise and show the way in case you wish to get back to a full time career. A mentor could be your boss, or a person at a senior level in your industry, or even someone you’ve met through a network or socially, from a related field. Usually mentors expect to make an important and long lasting positive change in the person’s life they feel responsible for, and will help a lot in upgrading your skills and survival tactics.
5) Brush up your existing skills and acquire new ones - A sabbatical is a good time to do that course you always thought was good for you or learn a new program or application to challenge your rusty skill set. Training and upgrading yourself will make you feel alive and growing into a better you.
6) Practice and sharpen your skills by participating in non profit and community building activities - Doing voluntary work with an NGO, organizing seminars or working on project based assignments which have deadlines but don’t need your physical presence in an office are a good way to sharpen your skills and put your organizational capabilities into practice even during a career break. Freelancing is a great way to boost your skills, professional network, and confidence.
So, if getting back to a full time job is at the back of your mind, it’s time to seriously consider implementing the aforesaid tips and gear up for some action….else be prepared to be left out of the race….The choice is yours…
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