Returning to work after a career break is a significant transition that is both daunting and exciting. Studies have shown that around two-thirds of people find the process challenging. However, there is a lot you can do to prepare for your return to work – from updating your resume to upskilling. But first, it can help to take a step back and reflect on what you do (and don’t) want from your next career move. This doesn’t just help you make your next career move with more clarity and intention, but reframes this time as an opportunity.

Reframe the narrative

Career breaks are more common than you might think. A 2019 Australian survey found that 64% of women and 49% of men have taken a career break. For women in particular, this was exacerbated by the pandemic.

People take career breaks for a whole range of reasons – from parenting and caring to travelling, studying and volunteering, as well as physical and mental health breaks.

Despite this, some stigma around career breaks continues, with many of us fearing that it will impact our hireability. But employers are beginning to rewrite the narrative.

A LinkedIn survey of nearly 23,000 workers (including over 4,000 managers) found that nearly half of employers believe candidates with career breaks are an uptapped talent pool.

The same research found over half of employees acquire new skills or improved existing ones — such as problem-solving, communication, and budgeting — during their career break. And over half women feel better at their job than before their break.

Be clear on your motivators

Before navigating the return to work, it’s important to ask what matters to you most in this next phase of your career.

Being clear on your motivators (and whether these have changed during your career break) will inform where and how you want to work. They can tell you the type of work you want to do, the type of industries you want to work in, or the type of organisation you want to work for.

Here is an exercise, leaning on The Five M’s, that will help you think about your career and what you’re looking for next.

MUST: What must you do? Perhaps there is a particular financial goal you must meet? Or a particular industry you must work in?

MIND: What does your mind need? Do you need more of a challenge? Or do you need something simpler and easier – where you can cruise – for a while?

MONEY: Money can be a serious motivator and there is nothing wrong with this. Is there a financial goal you need to factor in?

MEANING: Do you need to find intrinsic meaning in your own work? Do you want to make a difference or have an impact on the world? Whether it’s the sector you want to work in or the type of work you want to do, consider whether meaning is a must in your next move.

MODELLING: For some, it’s important to show their children that they can work and be a parent. For others, there are different ways of modelling. What do you want to model to others?

Think about these motivators, write down your reflections, and then rank The Five M’s. What opportunities do they present? What opportunities do they rule out?

Know your industry

If you’ve been out of the workforce for a while, it can help to re-familiarise yourself with the latest in your industry. This will give you a clearer sense of what employers are looking for, salary expectations, whether the nature of the work is changing, and any important shifts in the policy landscape.

Some starting points to consider

• Professional industry bodies provide in-depth reporting and up-to-date information on their websites.
• Annual reports of relevant companies can provide useful context.
• Simply searching ‘latest trends in [insert] industry’ in the ‘News’ section of Google can provide useful insights.
• Following specialist recruiters in your field on LinkedIn will give you a sense of what employers and recruiters are looking for.

If you’re not sure what industry you want to work in, don’t stress. Here are our tips

• Return to the questions about your values and continue to think deeply about these.
• Consider industries that will be in  high demand in the future.
• Talk to friends, family and professional network.

(Re)establish your network

Your best career resource is often the network you have around you. Even if it has been a while, it is worth connecting with people across different parts of your life as you begin this new transition.

If people in your network can’t connect you directly to a job, they will likely have insights into your industry and tips for where to look for work. You will be surprised by how happy most people are to offer their time and advice over a coffee or Zoom link.