Beyond the break - Creating your return to work story

Here are a few mantras for women who are choosing to resume their careers , either after a brief or a long pause. I have had the privilege of working with women who aspire to restart and I have had poignant and powerful experiences while listening to their stories of excitement, fear, guilt and ambitions. Whether it was Sujatha who was coming back after almost 7 years of break, where she had been the caregiver to her terminally ill parent, or young mothers who had hit the pause button to nurse and nurture their little ones or women who had to swerve away from their career paths due to professional and personal reasons.

All of them unequivocally wanted a career because it gave them a powerful identity, it was a great leverage for the skills and abilities they had so diligently built and it helped them to fulfill their rightful need to be financially self reliant.Through the many days of engagement with batches of women aspiring to return to work, I have culled out a few simple nuggets of wisdom.

1.     Look forward not back.

2.     Affirm and declare your new vision for yourself, to yourself and others.

3.     Prepare to leap forward and take a leap of faith with yourself.

4.     Believe that you are going to succeed in the new attempt.

5.     Craft your professional persona, from your signature, to introduction…every little thing matters.

6.     Don’t compare where your peers are, you are not your peer, your journey is not theirs.

7.     Back yourself up and your women peers too.

8.     Invest in learning , through formal and informal means before you begin.

9.     Socialize the idea of you returning to work with your family, to minimize your own guilt.

10.  Write notes to yourself, on the things you have accomplished at work every week.

11.  Build your network of friends, mentors and managers in the new workplace.

12.  Celebrate every little success , including the day when you feel no guilt at all at coming back to work.

Returning to work need not be a frightening or overwhelming experience. All it takes is to prepare and prepare well. 

Idowu Koyenikan (Wealth for All : Living a life of success at the Edge of your ability) says â€œ Opportunity does not waste time with those who are unprepared”.

#aspireforher #returntoworkwomen #R2WN #network #community #women

 #womensupportingwomen #empowerment #work #jobs #support #skill #upskill #grow #upgrade