Almost one year ago to the day I left my job. I worked as a recruiter at Creative Circle. I absolutely loved the role, my coworkers, my routine, and the fulfillment I felt as an independent young woman working in downtown Chicago with nothing holding me back. My husband and I were advancing in our careers and we had our first child on the way. Everything was going as planned, life was good! And then my water broke at 30 weeks pregnant (10 weeks early)\u2026 My\u00a0life as I knew it came to a screeching halt.<\/p>\n
Fast forward\u2026my husband and I have a remarkable son who is healthy, happy and ready to take\u00a0on the world. So much so, he got a 7 week head start! But having a premature baby (or a baby in general!) was hard and forced me to make an incredibly difficult decision, and that was to put\u00a0my career on hold to focus on our baby and our family.<\/p>\n
This is life, right? Beautifully unpredictable. Things happen that derail our plans, good and bad,\u00a0and we adapt in remarkable ways.<\/p>\n
I know I am not alone here. As a recruiter, I met with numerous candidates who were looking\u00a0to get back into the workforce after taking a career \u201cbreak\u201d. Reasons were endless: pursuing personal interests, sabbatical, elder care, raising small children, unforeseen personal or family\u00a0health issues, spousal job transfers, to name only a few.<\/p>\n
To the\u00a0candidates I interviewed, mentored, listened, and learned from, I get it. I\u2019m not going to lie, these career “breaks” weren\u2019t always an easy hurdle to overcome to our clients but I\u00a0understand that searching for a job is never easy, especially after taking an unplanned “break.” Therefore, I want to share with you some of my job hunt ammo as I start looking for my next\u00a0job!<\/p>\n
The more you know about your potential new employer, the better off you will be. Hands down!\u00a0Read the company\u2019s website in full, learn more about the interviewer in any way you can. Follow their social media accounts, get up to speed on the company\u2019s latest news, etc. This information will lead\u00a0to talking points during your interview and will also exemplify your passion and excitement for the job you are going for.<\/p>\n
In addition, think through how your previous experience applies to\u00a0the job at hand. What would be most relevant to highlight to the hiring manager during your interview about yourself and experience? How do your skills and past experiences support the\u00a0company\u2019s short and long term goals?<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t be shy, put yourself out there – people want to help! Attend industry events, join an association, schedule meetings or informational interviews<\/a>, treat people to coffee or lunch, find a mentor<\/a> or\u00a0reconnect with previous employers and\u00a0connections in your industry. You can also reach out to\u00a0your local Creative Circle office\u00a0to schedule an interview with a recruiter. Whatever you do, let it be known that you are on the job hunt.<\/p>\n Resumes\u00a0and portfolios\u00a0are key\u00a0in getting you to the next\u00a0step. If you are getting back into the workforce after a career “break” and are worried about that\u00a0gap in your resume, don\u2019t fret, there a few different things you can do. First of all, don\u2019t forget to include any sort of freelance work, consulting gigs, internships, or volunteer programs you\u00a0did during your “break.” These activities are 100% viable, so make sure to list them under your professional experience. Include date of activity, location, brands worked on, responsibilities\u00a0held, and accomplishments, just as you would a full time gig.<\/p>\n You can also experiment with the layout of your resume.\u00a0There are functional resumes and chronological resumes. Although most employers and\u00a0recruiters appreciate chronological resumes, depending on your experience and professional history, a functional resume might be the right choice for you. If the gap on your resume is\u00a0large, you can include a very brief explanation (1-2 sentences) in a cover letter, application, or intro email explaining why you stepped away from your career for a period of time. It is also\u00a0important to consult with your recruiter so they can help position and market you to various clients. Above all, be honest and own your career history, both on paper and in an interview.\u00a0And, always be sure to express your excitement and enthusiasm about re-entering the workforce!<\/p>\n You simply never know where life is going to take you. As a recruiter, it was not uncommon to\u00a0see a two-day freelance job turn into a full-time position. So keeping an open mind and thinking \u201cyes\u201d instead of \u201cI\u2019m not sure about that\u201d might lead you to places you might have never\u00a0imagined.<\/p>\n Do some soul searching on what you are looking for at this point in your life – it could be the\u00a0specific work, or the environment you seek to work in. Once you have a good idea as to what you want, do your best to communicate that to potential employers and recruiters so they can\u00a0help you find it. Honesty is the best policy. Don\u2019t hide or talk around the break in your career – be honest and prepared to share reasons as to why you stepped away from your work and how that\u00a0particular time helped improve you as a person. It is likely that you have gained solid experience in non-traditional ways such as volunteering, running a household and family, traveling, etc. Be sure to\u00a0mention these attributes you have gained to reinforce your worth.<\/p>\n Be transparent and genuine – real people appreciate real people. This can feel scary, but the truth\u00a0is, when you\u2019re vulnerable, people are more likely to trust you and engage more openly in return. Brene Brown says it best, “Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and change.” Talk about your job history, resume gaps, things you loved about jobs, challenges that taught you lessons and how to adapt. With confidence, use this outlet to share how you have grown as an\u00a0individual and professional.<\/p>\n Interviewing is hard work. You have to endure struggle, sometimes you fail and most of us have\u00a0to try repeatedly until that ideal job comes around. This is grit. It\u2019s not always the smartest, brightest, most intelligent people who succeed but more commonly the people with passion and\u00a0perseverance. Remember to showcase discipline, maintain focus, and remain optimistic during your search. You\u2019ve got to want it!<\/p>\n Dalai Lama once said, “When you talk, you are repeating what you already\u00a0know. But if you listen, you may learn something new.” It is important to remember that a job interview or networking event is simply a conversation.\u00a0Therefore, be present and positive at all times. Listen, don\u2019t interrupt, and most importantly, be yourself. It is critical to sell yourself and your skills, but make sure you are truly paying attention\u00a0at the same time.<\/p>\n Whether you are re-entering the workforce after a career “break” or not, don\u2019t forget to say thank\u00a0you. It is so easy to do! A quick email, or even better, a hand-written thank you note goes a long way. You never know who you will run into in the future, so always be kind, and never burn your\u00a0bridges.<\/p>\n Learning from my own career “break,” I now know for certain that life is the greatest teacher and allows for a more mature perspective which I can only use to my advantage and in looking for my next job. It is precisely\u00a0by the experience of the last year and a half that I am convinced my value as an employee will be all the greater. I truly believe that the right employer understands this dynamic and that some of the best candidates out there are the ones recharged and sharpened by life, ready to jump back into the work force with renewed vision, energy, and understanding.<\/p>\n Caitlin’s education and background is in Graphic Design. She connected with Creative Circle in 2010 as a candidate. After a couple of years freelancing through Creative Circle and with her own clients, she accepted a full-time job as a Creative Circle Recruiter. Caitlin currently works part-time for the company to help improve the overall candidate experience. Outside of work, Caitlin can be found chasing her toddler around, spending time with family, horseback riding, working on her fixer-upper home and enjoying the outdoors.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Have a gap in your resume? Here’s how to make the most of it when going back to work.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":46013,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-46011","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n3. Spruce up your presentation.<\/h3>\n
4. Be flexible. Keep an open mind.<\/h3>\n
5. Be honest with yourself and others.<\/h3>\n
6. It\u2019s\u00a0okay to be vulnerable.<\/h3>\n
7. Get gritty. You are your own advocate.<\/h3>\n
8. Embrace the conversation.<\/h3>\n
9.\u00a0Say thank you.<\/h3>\n
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