This past year has been a huge journey of self-discovery. First let me give you a little bit background dear reader! I quit one of the IT giants back in 2012 when the IT industry was the most happening industry. IT was booming and the salaries were enormous even for freshers. I was expecting my first baby Han then. It was my own choice to let my baby take priority over my work. No one asked me to quit. I just voiced my thoughts to my husband and we made the decision together. After that, I honestly never thought about returning to work again.
Years later now when I look back, I realize how much of a workaholic I was back then. Young and eager to take on the world! Sitting for hours together at work…not caring if I has my meals later or I was sleep deprived or even over worked..
That decision to take a break came at the right time. I would spend hours together glued to my seat, sometimes even having lunch at my desk (something I would never do today.)
I seldom went around talking to colleagues though I would warmly engage anyone who would come talk to me.
More than two coffee breaks at the office canteen were rare even when I was working for such long hours. The rest of the coffees, I chugged down sitting at my desk.
The interesting part was I did not know how much I was actually losing with this lifestyle. There were days when I used to skip breakfast in a mad rush to reach office, slog past midnight and then leave office exhausted, eyes burning, head throbbing to again repeat the same thing the next day.
The eye opener
You know what was the eye opener for me?
During that time, one of the most feared terrorists was killed. It was all over the news. The whole world was in a frenzy. And here I was safely tucked into working out our monthly and quarterly recruitment targets. I did not know the news till a week later during a casual conversation with my friends.
That was when I realised how out-of-touch with the world I was!!
No idea of returning to work
So when I learnt about my pregnancy, I had no idea of doing the same thing again. In fact when I made the decision, I felt liberated. I walked out never fearing the future and with no dreams of returning back to work. I had dreams bigger than that!
Post that I did a lot of other things over the next nine years. To put it in a nutshell, I learnt about blogging, took a renewed interest in writing, self-published three books on Amazon, got a degree (Yep! studied again), taught children of a Govt school for a few months, set up my own apparel business, took up content writing on a freelance basis, while having two children along the way.
There were a lot of changes in my personal life too.
And suddenly after nearly a decade, I took up a job in the same IT sector. (Thanks to my industry mentor who was in touch with me all these years!).
The reason was not one definite factor. It was, in fact a series of things that happened, that led me to returning to work in the most unexpected manner last year.
With this June I’m completing a year now after my sensational return to work. Sensational because, I managed to secure a job after nine years of gaining experience across various other fields. I’m grateful to the people who put their trust in me and gave me that chance.
If you ever wondered or still wondering about returning to work and not sure about how to go about it, here are some basic things you have to consider.
Returning to Work – Key points to remember
Take the leap
It is really YOU who should decide about returning to work. I went through a lot of emotions before I took up the job and even after taking it up.
And…. it is ok.
It is ok to have doubts, be skeptical and fear the unknown.
But make sure you move forward if you are really interested.
I saw a post a while back in LinkedIn which was basically a letter to HR managers, that HR managers should not discriminate candidates based on their career gap.
It went on to say, there are numerous reasons to take a break
- Planning to start a family
- Unexpected loss of a loved one
- Wanting to take care of elders in the family
- Serious illness
- Wanting to Travel
It could be anything. So a career break should be normalized. Instead of assuming those returning to work as incapable or not fit to return, they should be treated sensibly.
And it resonated with me.
Take my case for example. I would love to say I broke every stigma attached to returning to work but no!
The companies never even bothered on salary negotiations though I had close to four years experience previously. But from my part, I knew a limit below which I would not have accepted the offer.
So do not feel that the job bias can never be overcome.
Take the leap of faith and try genuinely. Believe in yourself even when your capabilities are doubted at the beginning by others.
Be confident
You never know your strengths until you are put in a real position to test it. Same applies to your job. Be it potential recruiters or colleagues after getting a job, make efforts to build your confidence in speech and action.
Understand that even if you are rejected in a job interview, there could be more to it than not having necessary skills. Never underestimate your potential.
It is painful to see prejudices against working mothers still exist.
Honestly when the world uses my children as an excuse, I look at my children as my benchmark. I believe if I could do all those things as a mother, I can definitely do a lot of things better.
It does not mean you have to be perfect in everything you do at home and office.
But know where to draw the line.
Build your network
Get in touch with your friends and ex-colleagues, industry mentors to know what is currently happening in your industry. Knowledge is power. Gather as much information you can about your field.
Use that information as the groundwork to navigate job related issues. You know the past, because you were a part of it. But it is equally important to know its present and if possible the future direction where your concerned field is heading.
It will help you make better decisions at work.
Be open to learning
This is especially true for mid and senior level jobs. If you are looking to enter the mid level like me, it is imperative to learn and equip yourself with necessary skills. Learning can be before or on-the-job. It can take various forms like
- Straight out of a textbook
- Observation
- Discussion with co-workers
- Field study
- News about your field
But never stop looking around and gathering information. It is the key to survive in a competitive atmosphere.
Be proactive
This would never go out of fashion. Being proactive is a skill that many people lack in the workforce. But it is such a powerful skill to show you as the leader and a good manager. For that you need to understand the business you are in – both at the macro and micro level.
Think about how can you deliver your results better and act on it. Keep the possibilities for the future in mind while making important decisions in your job.
Look for opportunities
Post Covid crisis, the office work culture has undergone a MASSIVE change. Capitalise it. Most companies are comfortable having their employees work from home. Some offer hybrid models of working wherein you are expected to work three days at the office and the remaining days at home. Some companies for certain roles offer work-from-home option only.
Look into these varied requirements and choose a model that best suits you. The entry barriers to returning to work, especially for women are reducing now.
Conclusion
Returning to work after a break is never easy. It is not just about conquering your job title, but also overcoming your own fears and uncertainties. But the workforce has undergone a lot of changes in the recent past with new sectors opening up with new job opportunities.
Hybrid models are the norm at least for the IT industry. Do your research carefully and select the opportunity that you feel is the best for you. Also longer the career gap, the more difficult it is to get a high paying role. If you are ready as discussed, you can return to the workforce and make it work for you.
Even if you have to struggle for a bit at the beginning, you will catch up in no time. You just have to be willing to work hard.
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