Article A Recruiter’s Guide to Restarting Your Career After a Break
By Tracy Thompson / 1 Aug 2023 / Topics: Culture & careers
A career break is a purposeful time out of the workforce to focus on personal or professional activities. A career break might last several months or years, depending on your reasons for stepping away — whether it be caring for a loved one, managing your health or continuing your education.
No one should be rejected from a role based only on a gap on their resume. I’ve had pleasure of working on Insight’s Career Reboot program, our cohort-style program designed to help job seekers confidently get back into the workforce after taking a career break of two or more years. In this blog, I’m answering some of the top questions about jumping back into the workforce after a career gap.
1. How do I showcase my career gap on my resume?
Keep it simple. Note the duration of your gap and add a simple explanation for taking time away from your career. Be sure to highlight any new skills, experiences or achievements you gained while on your break — odds are some of these are transferable to the workplace.
2. How do I know if I’m a fit for the role I’m applying for?
Think about the experiences you’ve gained during your career gap and align them with the responsibilities of the role. If you can, share specific examples of how those experiences translate into the essential functions of the job. Be sure to highlight the skills you acquired in professional experiences prior to your career break as well.
3. What if my skills are obsolete?
Don’t worry — that’s expected when you’ve been out of the workforce for a bit. My advice? Always keep learning. There are many great, free resources available to learn and stay up to date on new trends and technology. At Insight, one of our core values is hunger — symbolizing our teammates’ desire to keep learning, growing and taking on new challenges. Showing employers that you’re hungry to grow your skillset goes a long way.
4. What changes should I expect since I was last in the workforce?
In my experience, many job seekers who have taken a career gap are unfamiliar with virtual interviews and remote work — especially since the popularity of working from home has surged in recent years. If this sounds like you, I recommend familiarizing yourself with virtual collaboration platforms like Zoom and Microsoft Teams, so you can feel more confident during your interview and focus on the questions being asked, rather than the technology you’re using.
But fear not: Many interview tips for in-person interviews are applicable to virtual interviews as well. For example, you’ll still want to dress to impress and show up a few minutes early. Try to keep your background simple and always attend a virtual interview from a location with a strong Wi-Fi connection.
5. What will set me apart from other candidates?
If you want to really impress the interviewers, do your research. Take the time to learn about the company, including their values, culture and corporate social responsibility commitments. You can usually find these on the company website or social media accounts.
You can also reach out to any connections you may have at the company and ask about their work experience to get a better sense of the organization’s work environment. Be sure to ask your interviewers questions as well, like how long they’ve been with the company and what they enjoy most about their workplace. Other good questions include:
- What do you think this team could improve upon?
- What are current goals for the team and company?
- What opportunities for career growth exist in this position?
Whichever questions you ask, be sure they’re meaningful and align to your professional values. This is an opportunity to learn more about the company and people you may be working with — avoid NOT asking any questions.
6. What if I don’t get the job?
Keep trying! There are plenty of companies that have programs specifically designed to hire and support those who have taken a career gap. Seek them out and remember the value you bring to the table.
Confidently jump back into your career. Insight’s Career Reboot Program guides you through your journey.
Tracy Thompson
TA Senior Technical Recruiter
Tracy is a University of Cincinnati graduate and has been in the human resources and recruiting field for more than 25 years. She is passionate about hiring diverse talent and is involved in Insight’s Diversity & Inclusion communities. Tracy has been with Insight since 2003.
