One of the less common types of leave, sabbatical leaves are offered by organisations to their employees of usually more than 5 years in order to give them a short break from their professional life. While the entire purpose of this career break is to give employees a chance to rejuvenate before coming back, women seldom get to do so.
Most women take sabbaticals when they decide to get married or start a family. And because of the added responsibilities after these events, they end up taking a break longer than expected. I have met many women who decided to resume their jobs after a career gap of 3 to 4 years. But under such circumstances, continuing in the same organization or getting new opportunities becomes challenging. One of the top reasons for getting a job after a break is difficult is that people lose touch and fail to catch up with the latest industry trends. So, what can be done? Let’s find out.
How to Restart Your Career After a Long Break
I am sharing a few tips for women who want to resume their jobs or know precisely what they want to do after the career gap. Read carefully.
1. Stay in touch
If you are currently on a break or anticipating one, make it a point not to lose touch. Keep yourself updated with the latest industry trends through online training courses and avoid the skill gap.
2. Continue working for a few hours every day from home
Take up freelance projects during the break if the nature of your work allows you to. This will polish your skills, and you will also be able to prove that you stayed connected to the industry despite being on a sabbatical.
3. Opt for an internship
Once you decide to resume your career, it’s alright to go a step back to come out stronger. If there’s a need for bridging the skill gap, take an internship. Once you gain confidence, you can dive back in and earn up to your full potential.
4. Take help from dedicated online portals
There are some online portals such as JobsForHer, Sheroes, Avtar I-Win, and HerSecondInnings that help women join the workforce back. With features such as job listings for veteran women professionals, internships, webinars, mentoring sessions, etc. across these platforms, you can get the support you need to get back in the game.
Image Consulting and Soft Skills Training – Leading Career Options for Women After Sabbatical
For women who want to change professional paths after a career gap and switch to something more feasible yet beneficial, image consulting and soft skills training are great options. Here’s why:
1. Women are natural candidates
Women usually stay updated with the latest fashion trends and have an eye for detail. They are also more empathetic and great communicators, which makes them ideal candidates for these professions.
2. Image consulting and soft skills training careers offer financial freedom
The image consulting and soft skills training industry is thousands of crores big. Certified and experienced professionals can earn up to a lakh per project or even over a period of 2-4 days.
3. They offer flexible work opportunities
As an image consultant or soft skills trainer, or both, you can be your own boss. You can choose projects that align with your everyday schedule or don’t take up a lot of your time. For example, if you specialize in wardrobe consulting, you will not have to work every day from 9 to 5; you can work just one day a week or even a couple of hours every day.
4. They let you be your own boss
As an image consultant and soft skills trainer, you are not answerable to anyone. This means no boss and no deadlines defined by others!
5. They allow you to work from home
You can offer consultations or soft skills training online, which means you do not have to ditch your household responsibilities every time you undertake a project.
How ICBI can Help
ICBI is the leading brand in the image consulting and soft skills training space across the world and is also the pioneer of image consulting in India. It offers:
- Training over a world-class curriculum
- Internationally recognised certifications accredited by renowned global institutes
- Mentoring and handholding support
- Access to its established network of professionals in the industry
- Complete business enablement support
ICBI-certified professionals today are not just earning themselves wonderful lives, but are also living their professional dreams. If you think you are the right fit to become an image consultant and soft skills trainer, learn more about the courses offered by ICBI and join the bandwagon.
Your ambitions are as important as your responsibilities. So, do your best to make them come true. Good luck to you!
