I Feel ‘LOST’ After 3 Years Career Break. How Do I Bounce Back Into The Workforce?

By Perminus Wainaina

It’s acceptable…

We live in a post-job-for-life world, where sabbaticals, self-employment, long-term unemployment, and several career changes are all the new normal.

Leaving your career to follow some personal interest was unheard of in the past when a job was perceived as your life and vice versa. But as I said, things have changed.

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Just think about it.  

Where do you start at?

The job applications, the CVs, the interviews without mentioning the rusty professional skills that lay unused for quite some time and now need to be re used.

As a career consultant for 10 years now, I can tell you for a fact that the transition is not always a walk in the park evident from the several clients I’ve coached from different walks of life.

You need to know how to reclaim your spot despite your 2, 3 or even 4 years break and still convince any Kenyan employer that you’re still capable of giving out good results.

Here is what you need to do to prepare yourself for this transition

1. Critically, Assess your current situation before making any decision

Halt first. Carry out some self-analysis.

What are you looking for? What are your expectations? Your objectives? Are they SMART ?

Are you realistic or unrealistic?

In other words, take some time to assess your current situation and come up with a plan of action.

While doing this, remain open minded and remember what was right for you before your career break, may not be the best fit is for you now.

2. Invest in your networks to get access to the hidden job market 

Did you know that about 80% of the jobs available in Kenya are never advertised?

This is the hidden job market.

Two to three months before you plan to return to work, start tapping into this market.

Talk to friends, family members, former co-workers, and so on, about potential opportunities they may know of.  Attend corporate events, network, network and network!

Chances are that at least one of those people you meet with will know about and probably even refer you to an unadvertised job opening.

If you can get into the running early and with a glowing reference then you greatly increase your chances of settling back into the employment market.

Don’t forget your important toolkit; CV. Work on it thoroughly while at it.

3. Do a skills audit in your industry

Whether you’ve been away from work for 12 months or 3 years, getting back into the hiring pool will be nerve-racking.

I can guarantee you that.

See, the thing about skills, once you stop using them, your prowess weakens and you might even become irrelevant.

Take an audit of your skill set to determine what you may be lacking. Talk to people in the roles you want and ask which skills you may need in those positions.

Also, pay careful attention to job descriptions and industry developments.

In other words, recognise that the technology you mastered years ago may no longer be relevant today. You don’t want to embarrass yourself in interviews!

4. Now you can re-learn the art of nailing job interviews

Freshen up your interviewing skills before you go out on interviews or send out cover letters to help you feel more confident as a candidate.

They say some confidence in the interviews goes a long way. And having spent quite some time off the field, it might not come easy for you.

If you feel inadequate, contact an interview coaching expert for more guidance. Remember this is not the time to try out like a college graduate.

You have to either nail it or nail it.

The most important thing is to ensure that you remain confident in your abilities. Without confidence, you can easily undervalue what you can offer an employer.

5. Also, seek professional advice  from a career expert on your transition.

It might be more difficult than you think

I always tell my clients that confidence is a huge factor in the return-to-work process. And it’s natural to find it all overwhelming.

You can easily find yourself doubting your ability to carry out some simple tasks that you used to do easily, your job seeking abilities, and even your overall identity.

For this reason, you might need someone to keep you on track. And a professional career expert for that matter.

Finding accountability partners is a great way to ensure that you are staying on track and progressing toward your goals.

I remember one client once told me that her revised confidence from the coaching experience felt like ‘the best haircut she’d ever had.’ And good for her, her comeback was as though she never left.

Use this boost to propel you forward in your transition goals.

All things considered,

Just keep in mind that everyone has their own career path and taking a career break is more common than you may think, despite the stigma that is sometimes attached behind it.

Know that everyone has different career ladders they climb at their own pace depending on what their goals are in life.

So if you’re feeling anxious about jumping back into workforce after a career break, remember these tips to put you on the right path with renewed confidence.

Perminus Wainaina is the C.E.O and Managing Partner at Corporate Staffing Services, a leading HR consultancy firm based in Westlands. Through personalized career coaching he assists mid level and senior professionals get solutions to complex and challenging career issues that they are facing. Click here for more on career coaching.