Returning even stronger after a career break of 20 years- Dr. Preeti Talwar speaks
We all have social obligations, personal commitments and just life in general happening that sometimes requires us to take a break. The stigma around these career breaks is real, especially for women. Whether the break is voluntary or induced, women feel stress, and non-acceptance when they decide to restart their career, due to the gap years and several other reasons.
Getting back to their career is more often than not considered as a taboo.
At home and in society
Women are expected and supposed to be super-humans in society. They mostly adjust their schedules, are expected to compromise when they need to take care of their children or the household. Many homes have zero to minimal support if a woman wants to have a career. And the women who do have a career, are questioned about their intentions, if they will be able to give time to the family and make those said compromises.
It is a balancing act, and a tough one.
Restarting career in the corporate world
In the corporate field, job capabilities are doubted when there’s a gap in the CV. It is often believed that they will become irrelevant if they have been taking care of things other than career. They tend to question if they will be able to focus on work or will prioritize family over work. (Balancing act again)
Personal space becomes a luxury not just at home but work too.
All of this leads to fears
One can also lose networks or connections since they were out of the market for a while. We might wonder about what’s changed since we’ve been out of touch. Getting back into a new routine can be tedious, and the world around doesn’t make it any easier.
What we need to know is even a break can help in gaining experience and knowledge that can be useful to start working again.
Rather than depending on people’s judgement on whether to come back to work again, confidence must be gained.
So, to break all of that, we can work on ourselves and upscale our skills, keeping in mind that we are above all the stigma created.
Dr. Preeti Talwar shares her story on how she restarted her career after several years and rose above all the hurdles, fears and just did what she was passionate about. Here’s what she had to say to us.
Tell us a little about yourself, the work you do
I am a scientist by profession but a writer by passion. A PhD in Zoology turned to a writer. I work as a freelance content writer. Along with that I blog, do creative writing and moderating chat shows. I am well published both in print and digital media. I have write ups both on national and international platforms. My stories have been a part of two anthologies.
What was the turning point that made you want to get back to work after a sabbatical?
I took a sabbatical after embracing motherhood. The minute the tots turned to teens they didn’t require my presence. Time hung and I hated sitting and twiddling my thumbs. It was during the year 2014 after a break of twenty plus odd years I made a decision to restart.
What were some challenges you faced?
It was the millennium and we had moved into the digital era. I was technologically disabled. Along with that my CV break was immense no one wanted to give me employment. My peers were much ahead of me. It was a trying time. From somebody I had become a nobody. No one had faith in my ability.
There are many stereotypical responses when someone decides to get back to work after a long time. How are some ways we can raise awareness around them?
As it is said,
Starting over is the opportunity to come back, better than before.
Boosting self-belief, ignore the CV gap, seeking the right help at the right place, divide and prioritize work, fix a target, volunteer for a while, join a boot camp, or internship programs.
Kill the guilt and try till you succeed.
One piece of advice for all people out there who want to restart their career
Don’t kill your dreams, age is just a number. Take the plunge without fear.
A quote you live by that resonates with your journey
Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations!
As Dr. Preeti puts it in a brief and crisp way, the message is clear. The fear and stigma go away when we take action. It is through action that we bring about change in ourselves and the world’s way of looking at things. Whether it is 2 years or 20, the right time to make a comeback to your career is now!
If you were inspired reading this CauseAChatter story and have one to share too, reach out to us here.
