I Survived a Career Break, and So Can You
Adventures on Governor’s Island, NYC during my summer off. Photo (c) Lauren Miura
Back in 2016, I had a pretty dreamy job. I worked with people who were smart and passionate, at an organization that paid me well and had a mission that I believed in.
And yet, one day I sat down in my boss’s office and told her that I was leaving. It was the first time I had ever left a job without my next position lined up.
I felt like it was the right time to take a pause. I had a two-year-old daughter at home, and my husband was often away for work. A lot of the time, I felt like I was doing a terrible job at both parenthood and work.
I was curious what it would feel like not to work for a while. I had been part of the paid workforce since the age of 15. I worked my way through college and grad school, and supported my husband while he did a full-time MBA program.
It hadn’t been my original intention to be a stay-at-home parent. When I went back to work four months after my first daughter was born, I read “Lean In” to stay motivated. When things got tough, I tried to remember Sheryl Sandberg’s advice about the importance of staying in the workforce.
But two years into being a full-time working mom, my excitement over taking a break started to drown out Sandberg’s well-intentioned advice. With a young kid at home, I knew life wouldn’t be 100% carefree. But I would have more breathing room in my schedule. I recognize the privilege I had to take time off by choice, and am extremely grateful to have had this option.
The first two months of my break were amazing. It was summertime. I took long weekends to visit friends and family. I oversaw a gut renovation of the 100-year-old townhouse we had bought that spring. I worked out regularly and took my daughter on adventures around the city. I caught up on doctor’s appointments. It’s actually amazing how you can fill up your days without a job.
But when summer ended, the crisp weather brought that “back to school” feeling for me. It was time to go back to being productive. Without a job as part of my identity, I felt my self-worth slide. I secretly hoped people wouldn’t ask what I did for a living, because I didn’t know how to answer.
I panicked and applied to tons of jobs. I had a few interviews but no offers. My confidence plummeted. Some people I interviewed with seemed skeptical that I would leave a great job voluntarily. I worried that I had made a career-killing mistake.
Fortunately, I invested in a career coach who helped me realize on my own that I didn’t want to return to a full-time office job. I began doing freelance work and gave myself a four-day work week. It wasn’t a dramatic career change, but freelancing made me feel more productive and helped me avoid a long resume gap. My flexible schedule also gave me the ability to try new things, like planning a kids music festival to raise money for my daughter’s preschool.
It turns out that my career break wasn’t the end of my career. Eventually, when I was ready to go back to a full-time role, I got hired again. By then, interviewers stopped asking me why I left that great job back in 2016.
How to Thrive During a Career Break
When clients ask me about taking a career break—assuming it’s a financially viable option—my advice is to use the time off with intention:
Take a month or two to relax if you need it. Like me, you may just need a relatively short amount of time off to regroup. If your company offers a sabbatical option, consider taking one before leaving your job completely.
Use your time off to explore things that you might be interested in doing for a career someday. Volunteer with an organization. Or consider doing a training or certification in something practical, like yoga instruction or cooking or coding. Even if it doesn’t end up being your next career, what you do during your time off can inspire your next step. At the very least, it can make for an interesting anecdote during an interview someday.
Keep up with your network. The people who have worked with you in the past are most likely to hire or recommend you for future gigs.
If you are considering a career break or need support during a career transition, I’m here to help. Book a discovery call with me today to see if one-on-one coaching can help you find your next adventure.