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I need advice on taking a year-long break from an executive role.
Elaine Varelas discusses the challenges with taking a year-long break from a career as an SVP in financial services.
Q. I am an SVP in financial services, and I was recently laid off. I could retire, but I want to keep working, after I take a break, ideally for a year. Is taking that much time off going to ruin my chances of finding a position like my most recent role?
A. Well, you seem to have a fabulous attitude, and while a year sounds fabulous, you have to be prepared for some reality. It could take you a year to find a job at your level. Are you prepared for that, after your year off? Will you have a great answer to “what did you do with your year off?” If you volunteered in a country that needed it or moved somewhere to become fluent in a new language, or some other equally extraordinary adventure, those will be acceptable. But if you relaxed, made home improvements and cleaned out the attic and basement, no one will be very impressed with your use of time or desire to work. So, tell me what this break is for and decide what your priorities are. If you know that you really want a break, what is it that you really want to accomplish? Hiring managers are likely to have serious concerns about whether you really want to come back to work or whether you were bored retiring.
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While a year-long break doesn’t necessarily ruin your chances of finding a similar position, it can make the job search more challenging. And if you start looking for a job after your year-long break and it takes you a year, how old will you be? And will people take your job search seriously? Could having a part-time break while you conduct a job search be enough for you in terms of having the downtime that you’re looking for? Can you stay positive during a job search during that year, or will you regret not taking that time off?
Financially, you need to fully know your financial picture and anticipate what financial changes might look like and how that will affect your life.
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If you start your job search now and get an opportunity, the most you would be able to potentially delay a start date would be two to three months. No one is going to let you delay a new job’s start date for a year.
Regardless of what you decide, prepare all your job search paperwork. Update and polish your resume. Complete your LinkedIn profile and build your LinkedIn network! This way you can let your network percolate on your job search even while you’re taking advantage of some of the time off that you want to take. I’ve seen many people successfully conduct job searches and then take a month off at a time to travel.
Let people know that you will be back with a real date, which is something you can do multiple times if that’s how you choose to spend your time. If you choose to get a degree during that year break, you can juggle the demands of both activities at the same time.
Just checking out and disconnecting will absolutely hurt your chances of landing a good job offer in a more timely fashion, unless you have some extremely special skills. Sadly, taking time off from work and the job market can lead to your network forgetting who you are. While we might like to think we’re unforgettable, extended absences can make it difficult to stay top of mind. Make sure you stay active on LinkedIn by liking, sharing, and posting content with your insights, whether it’s an original post or just an interesting news article. Don’t become invisible, or your job search will suffer.
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