Taking a career break

It’s probably safe to say that many people dream of taking an extended period of time off from their career but in reality few people do. Is it because it’s deemed as potential career suicide? Or, is it just simply impractical from an employer perspective? Perhaps it’s a little of both, but whatever the case may be, there’s some evidence to suggest that nowadays some employers are embracing the idea that career breaks can be a good thing and are willing to contemplate such requests. A word of caution however before you approach your employer and announce bon voyage and still expect to have a job upon your return, consider the motivations and merit to your request for a career break and some of the unintended consequences. Volunteer work, a popular career break option, typically leads to new perspectives on life which is a good thing for you but how does all this translate to a benefit for your employer? Why should they give you the time off for this? It’s difficult to see why, however the answer may be down to setting expectations up front. You’ll need to convince your employer that time away means you’ll be back and able to share your experiences whilst away in some meaningful way that will generate value. What new skills will be added to your toolbox that you can bring back to your role? Translating your career break into a business benefit will fundamentally influence the decision making to support your request.