How can you use personal branding to return to work after a career break?

Oftentimes we get so caught up in the "doing" in our lives that we don't take time to either (a) reflect or (b) envision our goals. It's time to go back to the basics: create clear goals. Your goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, and realistic. We call these goals SMART goals.

To get a better assessment of our current situation, we can do a SWOT analysis for ourselves as it speaks about the Strengths, weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats we have and lets us know about the areas we need to focus on to get the best of ourselves.

To return to work after a career break using personal branding, start by understanding your skills and strengths, then update your online presence and reconnect with your professional network. Consider skill development, tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your abilities and attend industry events to network. Craft a personal brand statement to communicate who you are and your career goals. Be open about your career break, showcasing any relevant volunteer work or projects you worked on during that time. Stay persistent, consider part-time opportunities, and seek mentorship or return ship programs to make a successful transition back into the workforce.

It's time to get excited and do a journey mapping exercise. Choose a timeline so it could be from University/College to where you are today. Make a note of all the key milestones that have taken place during this time, and include your skills, education, expertise, knowledge, career changes, learning lessons, mentors, any career detours that have impacted who and where you are today. Use this information to really look back and appreciate your journey to this point. Then based on your chosen career path - do your own Brand Gap Analysis and look at where you are, where do you want to go (preferred job/title) and what else you would need to accomplish this. Maybe completing a course, doing some additional training etc.

Pickup where you left from. Bounce back on social media with clear goals of what you want to achieve. Business or corporate? Customer or employer? E.g. Find a job as a marketing strategist. Once decided, who are they? The answer should help you connect with the people of that industry. E.g. marketing leaders. After connecting right left and centre, start talking about what you are best at and is aligned with your goal. E.g. start dissecting marketing campaigns to show your audience you’re a marketing expert. Keep on doing this consistently. Once you have visibility (post views increase) start posting you’re looking to bounce back in the market!

In today's fast paced digital world, it's crucial to keep our online presence fresh and engaging. It’s always advisable to enhance your digital footprint by sharing your skills, achievements, valuable insights, staying updated with industry trends and connecting with professionals who share your same passion.

Update your presence, share your portfolio. Think about sharing about your time away and any skills you might have gained in that time. Join relevant groups for people returning to work and engage with others to learn from their experiences of returning or their journey.

Even during a career break, it's worth keeping an eye on professional processes, because due to rapid development, it's easy to fall behind and get out of professional public life. From time to time we can also give news about ourselves.

When I took a career break and focused on pivoting into a new industry, I made sure to keep my LinkedIn network up-to-date! I shared what was I up to, post my updated resumes, continuously shared that I was open to opportunities and got super specific with what I was looking for. By sharing my journey, not only am I able to keep my profile current but got to connect with other job seekers who were in my boat who shared open roles and resources to me! Sometimes by posting regularly, you’re even able to attract recruiters and hiring managers to your page who can read your content and get to know you and maybe even offer interviews based on your job seeking needs and their hiring goals!

Ensure to keep track of your career milestones and major initiatives when updating your online profile. If you or your organization has achieved a major initiative, share the results with your online community. Also, don't shy away from the total person concept. Post pictures that highlight a work-life balance.

I'm a real-life example of how having a personal brand on LinkedIn helped me get a job as a Social Media Manager at an IT co after a 3-year career break. I showcased my journey & key metrics of my post-performance & profile growth as a case study for my expertise on LinkedIn. Creating content and building a trusted presence for myself in my field of expertise definitely helped in showing them what I could do for them as I'd already done it for myself.

Esteemed individuals aspiring for thought leadership, permit me to elucidate the essence of this noble pursuit. Thought leadership, a distinction not casually bestowed, entails the capacity to exert influence and inspire through one's expertise, knowledge, and visionary acumen. This esteemed status confers authority, credibility, and trustworthiness within one's professional domain. To ascend to this echelon, one must articulate one's insights through the meticulous crafting of blog posts, articles, and literary works. The podiums of events, podcasts, and webinars must be graced, underscoring one's prowess and distinctive persona.

You don’t have to be an expert to be a thought leader as long as you build trust. Speak from experience and be clear these are your thoughts. Be open for other opinions. Share your journey after your break, don’t be afraid to also share your struggles. And share what you’ve learned, tested and what you know.

Content is the new CV, and it's going to be like that. Look around you and see the amount of content you are consuming and the kind of content we are consuming these days. Either written, video or audio it somewhere connects to someone who is sharing their expertise i.e. thought leadership. So, in order to be part of that ecosystem you need to build your personal brand in some manner, especially if you're restarting after a break. Doing that helps you build credibility and trust fast, and you won't have to wait for an interview to explain why you took a break.

One thing I have found really helpful when thinking about my thought leadership is reflecting back on what did I react to, what sparked a response and from their identifying the 2-3 core islands that actively seek to share and contribute to. For me these boiled down to 1) Employed Mums, 2) Gender Gap (Health, Pay you name it) 3) Recruitment and Staffing.

Networking isn't a buffet; it's a carefully crafted guest list for your success party. Forget the generic "Hi, let's connect" vibe. It's like handing out business cards in a dark alley. Be the James Bond of networking—targeted, suave, and with a clear mission. Your network is a garden; water it with genuine connections, not just virtual nods. Don't be a leech; bring value to the table. Following up is your ninja move; don't just collect contacts, cultivate relationships. Treat your network like royalty, and they might just knight you into your dream career. It's not quantity; it's the art of strategic mingling.

Networking can help you return to work after a career break by reconnecting with your professional contacts, gaining industry insights, and discovering job opportunities. Your personal branding, showcased through your expertise and adaptability, can make you a more attractive candidate.

Step-by-step blueprint on how to network strategically: - identify a sweet spot b/w your skills/exp/interests & market demand - get clear on what kind of role & opportunities you're interested in - identify a list of people who are at least one or two notches above in the hierarchy of that role. Meaning 2-3 roles ahead of your identified roles and preferably in the same city in which you want the job - reach out to them with a short & simple connection request - exchange a few messages to get to know each other more and specifically more about them - ask them for advice on any relevant job/career/role related query on which their guidance can really help you - thank them for their advice and stay in touch when appropriate

Humans are social beings. Since the dawn of time, we sought the presence of other people. Mostly the ones who had some kind of skill. Today it is very similar. When you are networking, treat everyone nicely and kindly because you may never know what the future brings. However, try to find and engage mostly with people who will enrich you with information and opportunities as much as you do the same for them.

Reaching out with intent to provide value and not just increase "connections" or "followers" plays an impactful role in build your personal brand. Everyone wants inbounds and wants to be discovered without selling, but reaching out via introductions, recommendations, advice or feedback, or just a regular message sometimes works like a charm and it really helps in adding credibility to your Personal Brand.

Start by sharing your self-discovery journey and reflections, discussing what to expect next, and, if needed, get personal about the skills and experiences gained during your break. This will help you re-establish your professional identity and showcase your unique value to potential employers.

Your personal brand must constantly evolve based on the needs of your target market and what's important to them. Interact with them regularly to ensure you're moving with them and following their changes, rather than remaining static and becoming obsolete. Along with checking in frequently with your market, establish goals and track them with metrics. Are certain articles you write suddenly getting more likes/shares? That tells you something important. Finally, studying online metrics can help you spot trends that your market is likely to take an interest in, and help you get ahead of the game by addressing these before or at the moment they voice an interest.

One size doesn't fit all and certainly doesn't fit your personal brand. This is a common mistake I see across people in order to niche down or FOMO about opinions, they tend to forget that they need to stay true their journey. Asking your peers what they think about your content, reading your analytics and showing your wins from time to time helps you monitor your personal and when you see it's not resonating with the results you thought, it means you shouldn't get disheartened but it's time to pivot.

Stand out from the crowd! Launch a YouTube channel about your favourite niche or launch an expert's LinkedIn newsletter. Also, you should really try contributing to collaborative articles, as well as keep in mind networking, leadership programs and entrepreneurial projects.

People bond over shared experiences and shared struggles - your career break may have a combination of both! By voicing your experiences and the lessons learned (or maybe still working on!), you'll connect with your audience, especially with those who either have been through the same thing or are thinking of doing the same thing. Embrace the break, talk about it as much as you're comfortable with it, and empower other people who are experiencing or will experience similar situations!

Be careful of what you post publicly online, because whether or not you want them to- potential employers can search and find you. I encourage people to have boundaries with the amount of access that employers or clients can have to them by maintaining a private account in addition to a public account if they choose to have one.

personal branding is always a good idea. Even if the direction isn't quite clear at first, it becomes clearer as you do it. You can also learn at the same time. When you search for a more specific direction, your goals also become more specific.

Start by rediscovering your unique leadership style and strengths. Take time for introspection and self-reflection. Restart with and from You. Invest in an image consultant to craft a personal brand that reflects your individuality and competence. Embrace your career break as a period of growth and share this story with confidence. Strengthen your online presence, particularly on LinkedIn, by sharing knowledge and showcasing your expertise. Stay competitive by refreshing your skills. This comprehensive approach, including guidance from an image consultant, ensures a strong personal presence, allowing you to re-enter the workforce confidently.