Years ago, a friend of mine was working for a medium-sized company managing its human resources department. When the company downsized, she was laid-off with a nice severance package which enabled her to take a two year break from employment before earning another paycheck. Because my friend chose not to work for two years, she encountered difficulties while attempting to explain the two year break when she began interviewing with prospective employers. Further, her management experience and other skills were no longer current. My friend had to “prove herself” once again before she could resume her climb up the career ladder.Is there anything wrong with taking a break after being laid-off? Yes and no, depending on the reasoning behind the break and what a person is doing during the break. Is there anything wrong with employers viewing the “break” negatively? No, the employer is simply trying to find the best person to fill the position.
Unfortunately for her, my friend chose to do nothing to keep her skills current during her break from work, and she failed to provide a compelling reason for taking the break. While taking some time to heal after a lay-off is normal, most employers expect folks to enter into employment again in short order, or have a reasonable explanation for not doing so. Here are some reasonable explanations:
- Using the time to return to school full-time
- Taking the break as an opportunity for volunteering and giving back to the community
- Extensive travel
After an extended break in employment, employers want to know that your skills are current and that you have the ability to maintain a schedule. One of the problems people face when they aren’t employed is the “lack of schedule,” and it can be hard to adapt to a schedule after being away from work. Remember how hard it was to go back to work after your last two week vacation? Imagine trying to adapt after months or years of lacking a schedule! Also, unemployment can lead to depression if one isn't actively engaged in some productive activity. “Recent studies indicate a high percentage of individuals will develop a depressive illness within six months of becoming unemployed. In fact, after relationship difficulties, unemployment is the most likely thing to push someone into a bad depression” (Credit).
On the other hand, it is wise to take adequate time to find the “best fit” when seeking a new job. In the past, I have made the mistake of accepting my first employment offer because I felt the need to find a job as quickly as possible. After all, it is hard to take care of a family without a paycheck and/or benefits—even unemployment benefits have an ending point!
I have chosen to take my time in my current search for employment—I want to find the perfect fit for both myself and my future employer. To that end, I have already turned down one offer for employment. So how am I “making ends meet” and eluding depression while I take my time searching? Because I have a background in education, I have chosen substitute teaching as a temporary “career.” Substitute teaching gives me the flexibility to schedule a job interview whenever I have the need and the means to pay the bills when they are due! It also gives me the added satisfaction of touching people’s lives.
You may not have the background necessary to teach, but there are other ways to earn a paycheck during your search for full-time, permanent employment. Available options include contract or “free-lance” employment and temporary employment. IT professionals, health care workers, and writers often prefer to work as contractors. Temporary agencies offer temporary employment opportunities for a range of positions including administrative assistants, accountants, and attorneys. If you are interested in working as a “temp,” check with an agency—this may be just your niche!
Finally, whatever you decide to do while between jobs, do something! Be ready to explain your break from employment and how you spent your time.
How are you keeping busy during your break from employment?
[Photo credits: classifieds]
