When Annette Baase had her first child three years ago, the Chicago resident made a decision. She quit her job as a graphic designer and stay at home full time to raise her daughter.
But while raising her children, Baase didn’t want to lose her graphic-design skills. She needed to keep up with her industry, which changes quickly thanks to constant improvements in technology, if she ever hoped to return to the workforce.
Her solution was to work as a freelancer from her home. This would allow her to work her own hours while still staying home with her children.
But Baase’s children didn’t care that she had to make an important phone call; they wanted her full attention. They didn’t care that she had a project due the next day; they wanted her to read them stories.
Finally, Baase and her husband made a decision. They hired an in-house sitter to take care of the children for a few hours a day, allowing Baase some much-needed professional time.
“It may not necessarily be cost-effective what we’re doing,” Baase said.
“Because we’re spending the money on child care, my work probably is not adding much to our savings account. But it’s something I needed to do to keep my work skills sharp. By periodically taking on these projects, I will be able to go back to working full-time when I’m ready.”
Baase isn’t the only worker out there facing the challenge of keeping her skills sharp while taking an extended leave from the working world.
People take long breaks from their field all the time, whether it’s five years off to raise children or two years for a trip around the world. These breaks serve useful purposes, and often lead people to new discoveries about themselves.
But they can present problems when it’s time to return to the working world. With new technology, downsizings and mergers and acquisitions, the business world changes rapidly.
“Sometimes people who take time off get frustrated when they try to return to their field,” said Tom Smith, an organizational consultant and nationally certified career consultant with Chicago’s Right Career Directions.
“They see themselves as being in competition with people who have been working in their field every day for the five years they took off. And they are,” Smith said. “People think they can get right back on the horse after taking time off, but it can be tough.”
However, there are several things people can do to stay connected to their industry during their breaks, and to keep themselves attractive to potential employers when it’s time to re-enter the workforce.
Career counselors recommend one tip above all others: Keep in touch with your network of former co-workers, employers and vendors.
“To walk away from your field for five years is a bit like changing jobs. When you come back to the workforce, things will have changed so much it’s like you’re looking at a totally new field,” said Diane Wilson, owner of Grimard Wilson Consulting, a career counseling service based in Chicago. “People have to keep up their networking with people in their former jobs just to keep up with the changes.”
People can network by doing something as simple as scheduling lunches every few months with former co-workers or sending out holiday cards to past employers. Or they could tackle more time-consuming challenges such as seeking part-time freelance work from former companies.
“It’s important to keep yourself in the front of people’s minds,” Wilson said. “Something like sending out holiday cards may seem inconsequential, but it can go a long way toward keeping you connected.”
Those taking time off should also join the professional association serving their field. Associations hold regular meetings, workshops and seminars all designed to teach their members the latest changes in their fields. These events provide prime networking opportunities.
Members are also eligible to receive association newsletters, sources of important information on everything from job openings to updates on new technology.
Smith recommends that workers on sabbatical not neglect their education. Taking a few years off from work provides an opportunity for people to attend classes or seminars at their local community colleges that deal with their industries.
People taking time off should also look around their communities for volunteer opportunities that can provide a valuable way for people to brush up on their work skills.
For instance, some communities offer free tax services for senior citizens every April. This would provide an opportunity for an accountant on extended leave. “In most every profession, there is something people can do in a volunteer capacity to keep their skills sharp,” Smith said.
Those people who keep these tips in mind while taking sabbaticals will be far better prepared to re-enter the workforce when their extended break ends. They will be able to tell potential employers that they remained connected to their field, and its changes, while on break.
The important thing for people is that they remember exactly what they did during their five- or 10-year break.
“People get really nervous when they’ve been out of the workforce that they will be out of touch when they try to get back in,” said Camille Helkowski, assistant director of the career center at the University of Loyola and a career counselor with a private practice.
“But people forget that they have more than likely done a number of things to develop their skills. Very often they’ve pursued volunteer opportunities that have allowed them to continue to develop their skills. People tend to disregard things that they don’t get paid for. But this is work that still counts.”
Helkowski recommends that people keep a journal of their accomplishments while they’re on break. This way, they’ll have them handy should they need to reel them off for potential employers.
Counselors agree that the majority of employers no longer look down on people who have taken time away from the working world, especially those who have taken steps to stay connected.
“It used to be a huge stigma,” Wilson said. “Now there’s a stronger emphasis on work/life balance. There’s also a shortage of talent in the workforce. Taking time off, then, is more easily received. Of course, you have to handle it properly. You have to be able to talk to employers about what you’ve done during your time off.”
Katherine Foran, a resident of Oak Park, can vouch for that.
Foran, a former news reporter, took 10 years off to raise three young children. Last November, she returned to full-time work, taking a job as director of communications for Oak Park-River Forest High School.
During her break, Foran kept her writing skills sharp by taking on freelance projects. She also attended early-childhood education classes at a nearby college because the field interested her.
All this helped when Foran decided it was time to return to work.
“It’s almost like mind over matter,” Foran said. “Doing the work reminds you that you are still competent in your field.”
SOME WAYS TO STAY IN TOUCH
– Keep in touch with your network of former co-workers, employers and vendors. These people are a person’s best source of career-related information.
– Join a professional association serving your field. They can provide information on the latest changes in your field and provide opportunities for networking.
– Attend classes or seminars at local community colleges that deal with your industries.
– Look for volunteer opportunities. These can provide a valuable way for people to brush up on their work skills.
– Keep a journal of your accomplishments. You’ll have them handy when you want to impress potential employers.
