Tips to Keep in Mind when Looking for Work after a Year Long Break

Most women have to endure a short to medium term break from their careers due to personal reasons. The two reasons that top the list at least in India include marriage and child birth. After the birth of a child, several women end up sacrificing their jobs to look after the child until it reaches an age wherein the mother doesn’t always have to be around. That’s the time several young mother’s start experimenting with the idea of getting back to work.

But when you begin the process of rekindling your career, you may face obstacles because of that break you just endured. Maybe these helpful tips can ease matters.

Network with People in Your Industry

If you worked in Marketing before your career break or in the Finance sector, begin by networking with old colleagues, ex-bosses. Now, thanks to Social Platforms, you can even join groups online. These groups usually share industry updates (that can help you stay abreast of new happenings in your sector) as well as new work opportunities.

Full time or Part Time?

Many young mothers prefer getting back to their careers by working part time or via flexible work timings. If you’ve taken a break for other reasons (to study, for instance) then you may be willing to work full time. Always decide on the extent of work you are looking for or timings you are willing to work within before looking out. It will help you reach out to the most relevant places.

Don’t Make the Break look like a Waste

If you’ve taken a break to complete your Degree, put that down in your CV. If you’ve taken a break to spend time with your new born, impress potential employers by mentioning how this break helped you develop certain traits that will help at the workplace. In short, show your potential employers how ‘useful’ this period was for you.

Don’t Make Excuses

When you start going out for interviews, avoid making excuses about how you need to be back at a certain time. Avoid talking about your personal life, try to focus on proving yourself first to the interviewer.

Boost your Confidence

It is normal to face rejection. The first few places you apply to may not hire you. Keep trying. Work on your confidence. Use the initial interviews as a learning process. See what mistakes you’ve made and how you can improve on it.

Want more tips? See what Mandy Garner, editor Working Moms has to say here

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