At some point in their careers, workers will take (or dream of taking) a time-out from the workforce. Many reasons exist for riding the workforce bench including injury, illness, raising children, caring for a family member, or losing employment. Remember the dream of traveling Europe, hiking the Appalachian Trail, or writing a novel? Having a break in game play doesn’t mean you can’t be redrafted, but it does mean you will need a well thought out playbook to get back in the workforce game.

Whether you are leaving (or have left) for months, years or even a decade, it is important to create a game plan with strategies for workforce re-entry. Consider the challenges to re-entry such as evolving technology, loss of contacts, changes to the market environment, and/or advancements in the field. For each challenge, ensure that you have several mitigations in place to minimize the loss of career momentum. Consider the five C’s (Commitment, Calendar, Capability, Capital, and Culture) before you leave, while you are gone, and when you are ready to get back in the game.

Commitment – Are you ready to work? Are you mentally and physically ready to go back to a work routine? Is your family ready for your return to work? Is your partner ready to adapt and kids ready to pitch in? Does a plan exist for family care coverage, ride sharing for after school activities, coverage for scheduled medical appointments? If the answer to any of these relevant questions is “no,” then stop here until you are ready and keep focusing on your mitigations until you are ready.
Ideally these topics should be discussed and agreed to as a team so that everyone understands the plan and is committed to the arrangement. Before you leave, the people most affected by this decision (including you and your partner) should write up an agreement that outlines the terms of the career break. At a minimum, the agreement should outline the purpose, duration, and roles and responsibilities of the break. While you are gone, periodically (quarterly or annually) review the agreement with the people most affected to make sure that what is written continues to reflect the shared understanding. When you are ready to get back in the game, start communications early, and gradually transition roles and responsibilities to ease into the new arrangement.
Calendar – The duration of your career break is what we call Calendar. The reason for leaving the workforce can impact the amount of time needed until a career return. The challenges experienced and mitigations applied will vary depending on the length of your career break.

3-6 Months: A break of 3-6 months is not a cause for concern and you can re-enter work in an expeditious manner. Most organizational benefits (perhaps a combination of sick leave, short-term disability, long-term disability, and Family and Medical Leave) will probably cover much of your salary, and your years of service may not even be interrupted. Even if you quit and change jobs during this timeframe, 3-6 months out of the workforce is a minor blip on the radar.

6-12 months: A break of 6-12 months will need to be treated as a new job search. With a career break of less than a year, your capabilities will still be relevant so the focus should be on maintaining strong relationships. Before you leave, focus on your contacts and expand your network. While you are gone, stay in touch with your contacts (messages, shared articles, phones calls, and even a business lunch) to stay current. When you are ready to get back in the game, conduct informational interviews with your contacts and start a serious job hunt.

1-5 years: After a year, you will need to maintain both your relationships (as noted above) and your capabilities. Before you leave, assess the experiences you will need to demonstrate a continued dedication to your field. While you are gone, adhere to a rigorous professional development plan that includes monthly and quarterly activities. Activities can include participating in training events, conferences, professional associations, community boards, and volunteer organizations. Rebuild your resume and start your job hunt when you are ready to get back in the game.

5-10 years: After 5+ years, you will need to maintain your relationships and capabilities (as noted above) and will also need to refresh your foundational knowledge. Consider non-credit classes, a certificate program, and/or an advanced degree. Ensure that you are obtaining the additional credentials at a school with strong career development and job placement services to help support your transition back into the workforce game.

10+ years: After 10+ years of being out of the workforce, you really need to re-evaluate your current interests, skills, and competencies. You may not want to go back to what you were doing before. Reassessment is critical in addition to everything listed above. Getting back into the game at this point may involve taking a step backwards or considering part-time or contract/project based work to demonstrate your dedication to the game.

Capability – From the time you start your break, your Capability slowly diminishes. The longer you have been out, the more you may need to do to demonstrate your ability to keep up with trends in your field and advanced applications. Capability includes industry knowledge and technical skills as well as soft skills such as communication, team work, and leadership. Over time, the actual language (jargon) will change, and you will need to become familiar with current terms and concepts. Before you go, assess the rate of change for your field. Fields such as information technology, business management, and health care are highly dynamic. While you are gone, keep reading and stay current. Continue having conversations with your colleagues in your field.
Capital – Social capital involves the networks of people you had while in the workforce as well as the new ones you will need to develop. Like Capability, Capital is subject to a half-life and slowly declines unless it is maintained and renewed. Will your reputation and expertise still be sought after you leave? If you continue to graciously help your previous colleagues, then you may be maintaining future relationships. Before you go, refresh your contacts list. While you are gone, keep in touch with co-workers and colleagues through occasional meetings for coffee/lunches as well as through LinkedIn. If invited, continue attending social work functions like Going Away Parties and Office Happy Hours. The longer you are out, the more building social capital becomes more important. You will need to develop new contacts for new opportunities, especially if you are trying to transition into a new area.
Culture – Whereas the other four C’s relate to you, the fifth C refers to your next organization. Be aware of the culture of your current organization before stepping out as well as the culture of any new organizations you may consider pursuing. Some organizations are more progressive than others with their family and personal leave policies. Depending on your Capital and Calendar, it may be easier to negotiate part-time or flex-time when returning to your old organization rather than trying to find such flexibility in a new organization. Before you leave, realistically assess your probability of return. While you are gone, determine the type of organization that will align with your four C’s. Fully investigate the new organization (including the insights of your network) to ensure a good match when you are ready.

When you are ready to get back into the game after a career break, take your time in developing your playbook. It will take some time to assess your current status, development your strategies, and prepare for a new team. Following the five C's will get you off the bench and back in the workforce game.

Tonya Osmond, EdD, LPC, is a Career Consultant and President of Quantum Career Consulting, LLC. With more than 20 years of career counseling experience, she is a licensed professional counselor in both Maryland and Virginia.