Most Significant Career Break Interview Questions
Q – 1 List some tips to re-enter in the workforce after a career break?
Ans- Here are a few tips for re-entering the workforce:
★Prepare before you leave
★Stay connected while you are away
★Volunteer or be part of a trade organization
★Learn new skills
★Stay relevant
★Sharing your story when you return
★Explaining your career break
Q – 2 How would you prepare before you leave for career break?
Ans- Make sure you inform your network (trusted colleagues, former supervisors/clients, friends, family) about your career break and keep them updated during your journey. This will keep you top of mind when you return from your break. Even if you do not plan to return to the same industry, your network is invaluable.
The contacts you have made are the shortest distance between you and your next job, they are your connections to multiple industries and companies. Statistically, you are 70%-80% more likely to receive a job offer through your network than through job boards and direct applications.
Q – 3 Why should you learn new skills while on the career break?
Ans- Remember your career break is also a chance to add new skills, particularly ones you want to learn. Perhaps you want to become a better writer. Use blogging to practice and share your skills. Maybe you always wanted to learn html or build a website? Use this chance to build a travel website.
These are all useful skills to learn while away and are very relevant to the work place. The tools you use to stay in touch (video conferencing, blogging) also make you a stronger communicator and emphasize your ability to connect with people remotely. These are important skills as the workforce becomes more global and remote workers become more prevalent.
Q – 4 How would you nail the cover letter to go to work after a career break?
Ans- It is important to say from the get go that you had a career break. Explain why you took it and why you want to come back.
If you are returning to the same career, say you can not wait to return to what you love doing. If you are embarking on a new career, emphasis how you are excited about the new challenge. Be clear that you know this is what you want to do and that you have fully considered it.
If you can start immediately, make sure you include that in your cover letter too.
Q – 5 Tell me about the interview to start working after a career break?
Ans- The biggest hurdle you have is convincing the interviewers that you are not going to pack up and leave. You need to show lasting commitment.
If it was not your choice to have the break, maybe you had to look after a relative or suffered illness, always be positive. Did you overcome something personal? Maybe learnt a new skill while on the break? These are all positive endings to what can be sad beginnings.
Be succinct when talking about the reason for the break and always divert attention to your previous work experience. However, one common pitfall made when returning to work is talking about your life before the break as if it was centuries ago. Obviously it is in the past but do not labor the point. Rather than referring to years, just refer to the task. You do not want to highlight how long you have been away from the workforce.
It is important for anyone to research the company they are interviewing for but this is especially important when it comes to career breaks. You need to prove that you are as sharp as someone who has been doing the job continuously and that you know all there is to know about the company and the sector they are in.
Q – 6 How would you get ready to return from a career break to start working?
Ans- Research as much as you can about the career and sector you want to return to. The biggest obstacle people face after having a career break is being left behind as technology or processes move on, so ensure you know about all the market trends.
A simple way to get this information is to sign up for industry newsletters or follow blogs. This way you can have a small daily dose of news, which quickly adds up to a lot of knowledge.
Before you start down the social networking route, check that you would be happy for potential employers to see your online profiles. If not, clean up or delete.
Volunteering is also a good way to ease yourself back into the work environment and when you get a job it won’t be such a culture shock. But if you are claiming benefits, make sure you check to see if there are any limitations on what you can do.
Q – 7 How would you work your resume to go to work after a career break?
Ans- If your career break was a significant amount of time, it will look odd if you do not include some information about what you got up to on your resume. If you did not have any employment, include a ‘relevant experience’ section. Ensure that anything listed is tied in with a desirable characteristic for an employee. Alternatively, if you were incredibly busy, list events as if they were a job, summarizing what skills you learnt along the way.
The experience and skills you gained before the break are important too, so ensure you highlight them. Make sure you really emphasis your achievements, it does not matter if they took place a year ago, you still achieved it.
If the gaps in your resume make you uncomfortable, try using a functional resume format instead. This focuses on skills and experience rather than dates of job titles. This is not for everyone, so do some research first.
Q – 8 List some tips to go back to work after career break?
Ans- Follow these simple tips and make the move back into work a whole lot easier:
★ Assess your situation
★ Get ready to return
★ Work your CV
★ Nail the cover letter
★ The interview
Q – 9 How would you assess your situation to go to work aster a career break?
Ans- Before you start getting ready to return to work, it is worth having a think about your situation. Potential employers will ask why you took the break, what you did and also why you want to come back. Consider your answers to these questions. They are not trick questions but if you do not think about how you would answer them, you can quickly look suspect.
Another thing to consider is what type of work you want to do. Do not just start applying in a panic, think about the hours, location and sector of your next employment. Again, if an employer does not think you are serious about the application, they will assume you are preparing to take another break and so will focus on another candidate.
Q – 10 Explain how to have a positive and confident attitude about your career break experience after returning?
Ans- One of the most important things to possess as you are working your way back into the workforce again is to have confidence in your ability to do so. If you do not believe that your career break was beneficial and you are simply trying to create a sales pitch, then it will not be as successful. As you converse with future employers and network with colleagues, you must ooze confidence about your career break.
Q – 11 What would be you answer of why is there a gap in your CV?
Ans- Most people have a gap or two in their career history. It is very common and not normally anything to worry about.
There is, however, only one explanation that an employer is really going to view favourably:
★ Further training/education
Other common – and conceivably constructive – reasons include:
★ Raising a child
★ Caring for another dependent
★ Travel
But there are also reasons which will definitely be viewed negatively:
★ Inability to find a suitable position
★ Ill health
Q – 12 List a few things you should do after returning from a career break?
Ans- Things to do after returning from a career break:
★ Consider what your goal is
★ Update Your Resume
★ Prepare for Interviews
★ Have a Positive and Confident Attitude about your Career Break Experience
Q – 13 How would you prepare for interviews after returning from career break?
Ans- Understand how your travels contribute to who you are. This may take some careful retrospection, however if you kept a blog or journal while traveling it may become a bit easier. Consider what you learned in the various countries and cultures you experienced and how would that apply to doing business internationally.
Examine your experiences and then try to the following questions:
★ How have my life-goals changed?
★ How have my career goals changed?
★ What qualities have I strengthened to make me a better team player?
★ What qualities have I strengthened to make me a better leader?
Next consider what questions you will be asked in a typical interview and have answers prepared and practiced for these types of questions:
★ Why did you decide to take a career break and travel?
★ What was the most memorable experience and why?
★ Did you have any important revelations?
★ Why are you back?
Keep in mind the company may think that taking a career break is irresponsible and means you could leave them at a moments notice too, therefore, be prepared to explain how loyal and committed you are.
Q – 14 Why should you update your resume after returning from career break?
Ans- You do not have to hide your career break, you should address it.
You may want a number of versions of how you address it depending on the jobs you are applying for.
★ Include a short section about your career break and if you did any work related activities during that time (volunteering, teaching, freelancing, ran a blog).
★ Include an area/continent that you focused on especially if it has ties to your work in some way. I was in IT and often worked with outsourcing firms in India so highlighting my world experience was key.
★ Soft skills are most every career breaker will return with better soft skills acquired from their time on the road. Key areas involve – Risk taker, negotiation skills, flexibility, patience, adapt quickly to changing environments, and enhanced decisions making. In my opinion, much of these skills fall into one important area in business – leadership.
★ List your travel website if you feel it is professional enough to mention.
★ Look over it with a critical business eye before touting it on your resume.
Q – 15 How would you consider your goal after returning from career break?
Ans- This is not a quick, or easy decision to make. It often takes a lot of soul searching and potentially negotiating with a significant other. The main thing is to not force a decision if you do not have an answer.
If the answer is not coming to you, then simply dip your toe into all of the options, send out resumes and see where it lands you.
★ Do you want to return to the same career on the same career track?
★ Do you want to return to the same career but on a different career track?
★ Do you want to utilize your skills and talents to pursue freelance work?
★ Do you want to make a big change and never return to corporate?
Q – 16 List a few things to do while on the career break?
Ans- Here are a few things you should do while on the road:
★Periodically stay in contact with colleagues and provide them updates of your travels and experiences.
★Create personal name cards.
★As you meet people while traveling be sure to ask them what they do.
★Have your story ready.
★Try to meet some of the expat community.
Q – 17 What are the things you should do a few months before returning from career break?
Ans- A few months before returning from career break:
★Take stock of what you have learned and how you have changed. What soft skills have you gained.
★Updating your resume with some of your travel experiences.
★Reach out to your networks and let them know that you’ll be returning shortly and looking for employment.
★Start communicating with recruiters.
Q – 18 Why should you spend time with those who accept the new you and start making new friends after returning from career break?
Ans- We joined the travel tribes group which is full of travellers who understand us. It always feels comfortable and easy to be with them. I still enjoy hanging out with my closest friends but it is nice to be a different me with others as well. So keep in mind that adjusting to life back home will take some time. As long as you are aware of the signs of reverse culture shock, the better prepared you will be to deal with it.
Q – 19 List a few things to do before leaving for a career break?
Ans- Here are a few things you should do before leaving for a career break:
★Choose your itinerary with some thought about coming back to the workforce.
★Update your resume.
★Contact your business contacts and let them know that you are leaving to travel and why you have chosen to do so.
Q – 20 Why should you make new friends for dealing with reverse cultural shock after a career break?
Ans- Your career break experience has changed you and while you may return home hoping to reconnect with your old friends, you may find it easier to seek out new friends, fellow travelers who understand who you are now.
★Accept that you are not the same.
★Spend time with those who accept the new you and start making new friends.
So keep in mind that adjusting to life back home will take some time. As long as you are aware of the signs of reverse culture shock, the better prepared you will be to deal with it.
Q – 21 Why should you accept that you are not the same after a career break?
Ans- You see things with different eyes and people may not recognize this anymore. Understand that is okay. Remain true to who you are. And if it means that some friendships change as a result then so be it. Things change, it is the nature of life.
Q – 22 Why should you be careful of sharing too much information too fast for dealing with reverse cultural shock?
Ans- When someone asks you the general question “how was your trip?,” you may be tempted to go into every detail from the tree-climbing goats you searched out in Morocco to the baby goats you fed by bottle staying in a village in Thailand. But for the most part, you will find that most people ask the same few questions.
Q – 23 Why should you try to introduce your friends to new cultures at home for dealing with reverse cultural shock?
Ans- Many travelers can get depressed after returning home from around the world travels, finding life at home less than stimulating.
Back home, boredom can happen pretty fast if you do not keep yourself busy. On the road you move around everyday but there is a certain staticness that comes with being back home. Even if you keep yourself busy, returning home can be a little underwhelming sometimes.
It is easy to start complaining to friends and family about how boring home is but they may feel as if you are calling them boring as well. And your cultural adventures do not have to end as soon as the plane touches down on the tarmac. Seek out restaurants, events, museums and other activities in your area that can make you feel as if you are still abroad. And better yet, invite some of your friends or family along so they can get a taste of what you experienced.
Q – 24 Why should you share your story when you return from a career break?
Ans- Explaining your career break:
How you tell your story can make the difference between whether you get the job or not. Many people are intrigued to hear about a sabbatical or career break but if you do not share the story in a way that is relevant, it can impact your job search.
Think about this from the employer’s point of view. They want to know your career path and how this career break fits into that. Include your sabbatical/career break on your resume. Share the relevant experience you gained as discussed above. Succinctly share the details of when and why you took the sabbatical as well as the outcome. If you are enthusiastic and upbeat about this time away, your passion will shine through and will excite your potential employers as well. Perhaps it will also trigger a related experience for them.
Q – 25 How would you make it a two-way conversation for dealing with reverse cultural shock?
Ans- Coming home can be a selfish act. It can be easy to assume that everyone wants to hear about your trip and all the exciting things you encountered. But don’t forget that they were living a life as well make it a two-way conversation. Do not make your friends or family members feel as if their lives are any less relevant because they did not travel even if they insist that their lives have been “boring” compared to yours.
One way to make this transition easier is to stay up on what they were doing while traveling. You may have started a blog to allow family and friends to follow along with your journey but make sure the communication is a two-way street.
Q – 26 List some tips for dealing with reverse culture shock after a career break?
Ans- That feeling is only enhanced when you meet up with family and friends, as it may seem as if nothing has really changed with them either. But you have changed and you are not sure what to make of the roller coaster of emotions you are feeling.
You are experiencing reverse culture shock.
★ Make it a two-way conversation
★ Be careful of sharing too much information too fast
★ Try to introduce your friends to new cultures at home
★ Make new friends
Q – 27 How would you deal with reverse culture shock without spreading it after a career break?
Ans- You have just returned from a life-changing adventure around the world, where every day brought you something new and exciting to experience. You can not believe how much you have accomplished in such a short period of time, yet the second you walk through the door to your home, it feels like you never left, as everything looks the same.
And that feeling is only enhanced when you meet up with family and friends, as it may seem as if nothing has really changed with them either.
But you have changed and you are not sure what to make of the roller coaster of emotions you are feeling. You, my friend, are experiencing reverse culture shock.
Q – 28 Tell me is it worth it to go on a career break?
Ans- After all that it sounds like traveling is not good. That is not true at all. The challenges are easy in comparison to what you get out of traveling. There is no greater education or experience and you might never really discover the real you until you travel.
Q – 29 Please tell me about the discomfort, uncertainty and responsibility in a career break?
Ans- With long-term travel comes discomfort, uncertainty and ultimate responsibility for everything that goes on in your life, which is always the case of course but when you are at home you might have people who help you out make you dinner, give you a ride or buy you a ticket to the game.
Plenty of people are willing to help you out while you are traveling. An incredible amount actually but it is not something you can count on like close friends or family. It is different. And being truly on your own, in a strange country without hotel reservations or signs in English, can be uncomfortable.
Being disconnected may have its merits but it wore me down over the months. Granted, I was connected to the Internet more days than not. I could email, social media and connect to my friends and family most of the time. But everyone is still back home and you are still out there.
Q – 30 How would you craft your environment again after a career break?
Ans- It is important to surround yourself by people who have gone through a similar experience and love travel. Remember the support group you identified while in the planning stages? They are still your support group and understand the same struggles that you may face when you return.
Q – 31 How would travel Change you after a career break?
Ans- Travel is a great way to learn more about yourself, in addition to world cultures. And as I share, the experience will certainly change you for the better.
Q – 32 How would you reverse culture shock after a career break?
Ans- Even though you are returning to your home culture after experiencing many new different cultures, you still will be in some stage of shock. Odds are that the first time you walk back into a grocery store in the country you may be thrilled to be there but you will also be a bit dazed and confused with all of the choices.
Q – 33 Tell me about coming back home after a long career break?
Ans- Coming back home is not always easy. There are a few pieces of advice we can provide you, but until you live it, it’s hard to say how you will feel about returning. We’ve been collecting career breaker re-entry stories for years now I am pretty sure you will be able to relate to these other career breakers in many ways. Each person’s experience is unique. However there are some things that hold pretty constant for all career breakers.
Q – 34 What should you expect when you return home from a career break?
Ans- Your expectations after returning from a career break should be:
Expect culture shock.
Expect struggles.
Expect feeling a bit lost.
Expect to have people not understand.
Expect that you will be changed.
Expect to be patient with yourself.
Expect that you will be happy to see friends and family.
Expect that you will have no regrets.
Q – 35 How would you stay relevant during the career break?
Ans- The skills can certainly prove that you have been working and staying relevant. However, if you know that you want to enter into a new industry or even return to the one you were in, you can stay relevant by participating in industry webinars, reading books, earning online certifications, etc.
This shows your potential employer your passion and excitement for the industry and your drive to stay current. This goes a long way in the mind of a hiring manager.
Q – 36 How would you volunteer or be part of a trade organization during the career break?
Ans- This is another way to remain visible to your network and stay current regarding trends in your field. For trade organizations, offer to write blog posts or help with activities that can be done remotely. There are also many global organizations that offer volunteering opportunities.
The Gates Foundation provides a great resource for volunteering in the US and abroad. Chose one that fits with your current field and/or an area where you want to gain more experience. This is where a little bit of planning goes a long way.
Q – 37 Why should you stay connected while you are away on a career break?
Ans- Do not unplug completely:
Use social media to stay in touch. Blogging or simply posting updates to social media can achieve that connection. Include quick updates of your trip and examples of what you are learning so your network will see the value of your travel experience. It is easy today to stay in touch with your contacts in the US. Online tools and smart phones make it simple google hangouts and Skype for video calls, social media for updates, email for Newsletter and the list goes on.
Q – 38 Why is it important to plant the seed for when you return from a career break?
Ans- If you do intend to come back to the same industry, plan ahead of time. Tell your hiring manager and other potential employers that you intend to come back while you are still top of mind. Your return dates may change but if you share your intentions, they will have more investment in following you while you are away and be ready for your return.
Q – 39 How would you re-enter after a long career break?
Ans- You have had an inspirational, exciting adventure, but now that you are back, what do you do next? No matter how long your break was, you still may want to utilize the briefcase to backpack community as you experience reverse culture shock, decide your next steps and reflect upon your career break.
Q – 40 How would you avoid convenience store snack benders during the long term career break travel?
Ans- These little general stores carry very few things of nutritional value. Avoid buying chips/crisps or little manufactured sweets. As tempting and convenient as they are, they are made by replacing nutrients with nasty little additives and unwanted processed sugar. As a bonus you will save tons of money avoiding the convenience store snacks as they often cost the same as a local meal.
Protrip:
Substitute fresh fruit and vegetables from the market. Most places around the world sell cheap local fruit. If you are looking for some good portable vegetables try cucumbers and carrots.
Q – 41 Why should you get enough sleep during the long term career break travel?
Ans- This one is obvious but for some reason we deprive ourselves all the time. Forget what they say, listen to your body. For me, I need 8 hours of solid sleep to function optimally. Maintain a regular bedtime whenever possible our bodies like routine. I have summarized the science behind sleep great read.
Protips:
To maximize your sleep time to drink less alcohol, do not eat before bed, no tv/computer before bed, turn the brightness down on screen if you must work late, exercise daily but not before bed.
Q – 42 List some exercises which you can do during a long term career break travel?
Ans- Here are some of the “weight training” exercises:
Upper Body:
Wide-grip pushups, narrow-grip pushups, incline/decline pushups, triceps extensions, skull crushers (use your bed as the bench), lateral raises, shoulder raises and curls.
Lower Body:
Single-leg squats, squats, lunges and calf raises,
Core:
Planks, bicycle kicks, leg raises and crunches.
Q – 43 Why does weight training not require a weight room during the long term career break travel?
Ans- At home I enjoy spending a few hours each week lifting weights. Long-term travelers do not have access to this convenience. Instead create a routine with what you have.
Plan on using your main backpack as the weight (resistance bands work too). You can wear your backpack for pushups, squats, etc. Or you can grip the top handle like a dumbbell for curls and shoulder raises. When you need to change the weight of your backpack, just increase or decrease the stuff inside. For added weight, fill your bag with 2 litre water bottles.
Q – 44 Why is it important to carry peanut butter for a healthy dessert during the long term career break travel?
Ans- Peanut butter is a perfect substitute for that chocolate banana pancake. It goes great on apples or eaten with a spoon straight out of the jar. Just try to limit your PB to 2 tablespoons per day.
Q – 45 Why should you read more books during the long term career break travel?
Ans- I am talking about FICTION. Good old-fashioned novels. Books that inspire you and challenge you to think differently. Besides, your career break is a perfect time to catch up on some of those books you have talked about reading.
Q – 46 Why should you keep your workouts interesting during the long term career break travel?
Ans- Think swim one day, jog the next, yoga after that and then a day of “weight training.” By changing up your exercises you can avoid getting burned out.
Protip:
Try online yoga videos. There are tons of free options available that cater to all skill levels. It is a full body workout that supplements other forms of fitness. Here are few choices of yoga mats for travel.
Q – 47 How would you limit your caffeine consumption during long term career break travel?
Ans- Caffeine is very accepted in western culture. But that does not mean it is good for you.
When I was working my corporate sales job, I was a slave to caffeine. I used to down several large cups of coffee every day. I thought it helped me. After noticing some of the side affects (trouble sleeping, tension in back, unable to focus without caffeine) I decided to quit coffee cold turkey. While I did reintroduce tea into my diet, I have not had a cup of coffee in 7 months. I have been sleeping better, my concentration and creativity increased and my mornings are enjoyable.
Q – 48 How would you know yourself and what makes you comfortable to go on a career break?
Ans- Planning a solo trip is like being a kid in a candy shop, I could go anywhere I wanted to because this was solely my trip.
When you unburden yourself of your possessions, free yourself of debt and open your eyes to a world of possibility, there is no looking back and suddenly what you want becomes quite clear.
I created a framework for where I wanted to go but also kept things loose enough to be open to any fun opportunity that might arise. Ultimately, other than a fully planned 5 weeks in large cities and my first 3 nights in Bali, I was open to where the journey would take me.
Q – 49 How is breakfast for champions in a long term career break?
Ans- It is crucial to refuel your body with nutritious foods when you wake up. Do not give your starving body junk food. It does not like sugar, simple carbs and bad fats. It is easy to succumb to the unhealthy convenient breakfast but your body will thank you if you put out a little effort in the morning.
Avoid:
Donuts, pastries, pancakes, cornflakes, sugar-filled fruit juice.
Eat:
Fresh fruit, muesli, sugar free yogurt, eggs, whole grains, fresh fruit juice.
For a well-balanced breakfast that is easily available on the tourist trail try fruit muesli curd and honey two hard boiled eggs. Add a large glass of water and a cup of tea or coffee and you are good to go.
Q – 50 Why should you pay down your debt before leaving on a career break?
Ans- I was extremely attached to my home and what it represented in my life. To move out was one of the bigger decisions I have grappled with in recent years. I knew that if I jumped on a plane the day I handed over the keys, I would not enjoy the first few weeks on the road as I would still be “letting go” of my old life.
Therefore, to make the initial departure easier, I decamped for a few weeks to a friend’s home in my old hometown and took a breather before I began working on the next phase of my career break planning. I wanted to be mostly debt free when I began the journey, so I further curbed my spending and put every cent I made into paying off credit cards. Suddenly, my goals were actually becoming attainable.
Q – 51 Why should you drink tons of water during the long term career break travel?
Ans- Especially right when you wake up. Aim for 1 liter within the first hour of being awake. This will help you wake up, jump start your metabolism and assist with healthy bowel movements.
Drinking 4 liters of water per day is a reasonable goal. Aim for more if you are in a hot climate, are really active or you enjoy alcohol regularly.
Protip:
Buy lemons from the local market and squeeze them into your water. I recommend 1-2 small lemons per day, best with warm water in the morning. Warm lemon water helps with digestion, it is good for your skin and alkalizes your body.
Q – 52 How would you practice seated meditation during long term career break travel?
Ans- If you already have a meditation practice, this should be a no brainer while traveling. If you have not tried before, do not be intimidated. Meditation is not some weird new-age thing that only monks do in caves.
Simply sit comfortable with your eyes closed while focusing on your breath. Start with 5 mins each day. After one week, increase it to 6 mins, then 7 mins, with a goal of comfortably sitting for 15-20 mins per day.
It can be hard to stay disciplined It is recommended committing to a 30-day challenge of daily meditation. Find an accountability partner and try something new. You can do anything for 30 days and if you hate it, you can stop knowing you gave it a fair shot. If you do see value it may change your life.
Q – 53 List some tips for staying fit during long-term career break travel?
Ans- Here are 10 steps for staying fit during long term career break travel:
★ Breakfast is for champions
★ Practice seated meditation
★ Limit your caffeine consumption
★ Drink tons of water
★ Keep your workouts interesting
★ Carry peanut butter for a healthy dessert
★ Read more books
★ Weight training doesn’t require a weight room
★ Get enough sleep
★ Avoid convenience store snack benders
Q – 54 Why would you plan your departure during a quiet time of year?
Ans- I waited to depart just after the holidays. That way I did not miss out on the usual end of year celebrations with family and friends and I had something to look forward to in the new year. I would be leaving for big city just as the cold of winter settled onto the city.
Q – 55 Why should you keep your loved ones informed before and after you go on a career break?
Ans- Concurrent with packing up, I regularly discussed my career break with my children to help prepare them for my absence. My daughter would be away at college during the period I had allotted and my son would be taking a semester at a boarding school. I could be available anytime to them with face time and I would have a card for my phone so I would not have to rely on crappy wifi.
It was important to me that they did not feel that I had fallen off the face of the earth. Chatting was perfect for staying in touch with old friends and new ones that I met on the road.
Q – 56 How would you plan a budget to leave on a career break?
Ans- First things first, with little savings to speak of or a winning lottery ticket in my pocket, in order to finance the bulk of the trip, it was clear that I would have to put my one asset to work, rent out my house.
I contacted a real estate agent friend of mine who educated me on the rental market. Then armed with that information, I slept on it for weeks. I mulled over it and chewed on it and debated the possibility of being able to travel long term. It took me about 4 months to get the courage to take this step forward.
In anticipation of making the leap, I also began to be more mindful of how I spent my money and seriously cut back on unnecessary expenditures, so I could pay down debt instead.
Q – 57 List some steps to leave on a career break?
Ans- Tackle the career break process one step at a time:
★ Budget planning
★ Downsizing
★ Make a to-do list and revise it regularly
★ Keep your loved ones informed before and after you go
★ Pay down your debt
★ Know yourself and what makes you comfortable to go
★ Plan your departure during a quiet time of year
Q – 58 How would you prepare for a career break?
Ans- We know that realizing a career break takes a lot of planning. The tools and resources to assist you in making your career break decisions from Where to go, to letting go, to actually going. The briefcase to backpack community will cover destination ideas, how to leave your job and commitments behind and putting your ‘regular life’ on hold. During your preparation educate you on travel safety, packing tips, language barriers, booking flights, choosing insurance, as well as helping you through the struggles and anxieties of taking the ‘big leap’.
Q – 59 What is the importance of a career break support?
Ans- Often all we need to make change in our lives is a little push and encouragement. That is why we created the meet plan go career break Conference for people with similar goals and travel dreams to meet face to face to get the support they need to take a career break leap. It is like our website but with real people who you can talk with face to face.
Q – 60 How would you make a to-do list and revise it regularly to leave on a career break?
Ans- In my work life they have always been effective in aiding me in getting the job done. I prefer using a legal pad when I am making major lists. Each page has a topic and I begin by organizing the seemingly endless tasks onto those pages. Each item large and small get a neat little checkable box next to it. When the task is completed, I check it off at the end of the day I can see the progress I made (or didn’t make).
For preparing my career break, I did a “data dump” almost daily and revised these lists often and gradually the to-do’s began to shrink. As moving approached, these lists gave me a sense of control and helped keep me focused on my end goal of taking off on my solo journey.
Q – 61 How would you do downsizing to leave on a career break?
Ans- Start purging now. Closets first then paring back your living areas.
The nervous excitement I felt while arriving at my decision I put to good use. I began to clear out closets, I figured even if I could not make the break, I would have clean closets and if it did happen, I would have less to deal with as moving day drew near.
Downsizing our stuff is no small task when living in a society that encourages acquisition.
Q – 62 How would you recharge your soul with a career break?
Ans- Travel filled that void in the past when I would take my two-week vacations, but I was looking for something more. I wanted to brace yourself for the ultimate cliche to make a difference or maybe it was more selfish than that and I just wanted to smile at myself in the mirror again.
Q – 63 Why are the breaks necessary in your career?
Ans- A break is a career defining, not a career defeating. The word “break” often has a negative connotation. A break up, break down, break in, break the law, break a leg and the term ‘career break’ is no different. People think of it as a bad thing.
However, a growing body of evidence shows that taking regular breaks from mental tasks improves productivity and creativity.
Q – 64 Explain the concept of a career break?
Ans- The concept of a career break is still quite novel, most of us do not have very many people in our social groups who have ever taken one. Unfortunately, this often means that all of your excitement over the idea of leaving your job in favor of long-term travel may not engender the kind of enthusiasm you are hoping for amongst your friends/co-workers/family. Even if you are just looking for support rather than advice, you should expect to be assaulted with many, many reasons why it is a bad idea and you are crazy for even contemplating it.
Q – 65 How would you to take a step to quit for career break?
Ans- Taking the step of quitting is something that seems pretty hard to do but it all depends on what we want to do in life. Like most change in life, the hardest part is within your own mind. Once I actually did it, I realized that I can achieve whatever I want to, I just had to go for it. If I can do it, you can do it, too.
Q – 66 What would you do if you have a passion for a career break?
Ans- Do not hide your passions but work them into your life and job and take risks to do so. If you have the passion to quit your job and travel then you also have the passion to stand up to others plans/advice and be happy doing it. Your good at what you do, so be confident about negotiating leave.
Q – 67 How would you get all the opportunity in a career break?
Ans- Let’s work to be truly valued so that we can demand a career break and get it.
You can become more valuable by doing these things in your career:
★ Work smarter to make a big impact with your group.
★ Be positive, happy, and enjoyable to be around.
★ Do more research on a specialty problem and uncover the unknown.
★ Come up with an innovative idea to solve that problem or create another section of business.
★ Take charge, execute, and grow your new idea or business section, doing it with no instruction from your boss, just informing your boss of your actions along the way.
★ Realize you are now in demand and valued at your company.
★ Have the confidence to demand more from your work, and negotiate leave with the ability to be hired back.
★ You are in demand, be confident.
Q – 68 How would you overcome it, if you are stuck in a career break closet?
Ans- Research shows that about 90% of the people who read online media do not actually participate in the conversation, consumption vs production. I understand, communicating online is not for everyone.
However a percentage of that 90% are not lurking because they want to but because they feel like they have to. They are staying in the closet because they can not yet let people know about their career break plans. They must stay in the closet in order to remain at their jobs and while they quietly plan their getaway.
Q – 69 What should you save money for in a career break?
Ans- Everyone is always preaching about saving for an education, house, rainy day or retirement. But retirement is such distant ship-smoke on the horizon.
Presently, 35% of people over 65 work. And both those numbers will keep growing as the cost of living ratchets up.
The best reward for saving money for your senior years. You hereby have permission to sneak some straw from your nest egg when you have one to practice retiring. Go away, far away, for a week or 13 or so. Then come back and work (and invest) some more.
Q – 70 Why would you not resolve to get one step closer to a big career break?
Ans- While we are at it, let us be more specific and twisted. That is, let us twist the usual year’s resolution advice to make it more fitting, fun and hopeful.
If your life feels boxed in or you want to live outside the cube, take note and take heart.
Q – 71 What would you if you have no support and you want to go for a career break?
Ans- You should make the decision to leave and then go before anyone really has the chance to convince you it is a bad idea.
Q – 72 What should you do on career break?
Ans- The obvious answer is to do what you always wanted to do and go see what you dreamed of seeing. Sometimes what you need is to grow your experiences and develop skills outside of the workforce. Career breakers volunteer, do cultural exchange, learn a language or new skill like sailing or teaching, but most importantly slow down and chill. Clear your mind, forget about the rat race and open up a side of you that you have probably never met before.
But if you need more ideas then stop by career break secrets who offer career break video guides. There will give you a real look at a region of the world and what you can do there from a career break perspective.
Q – 73 How would you travel when you have a family?
Ans- We can tell you without wavering that it is possible to travel with family. It is just that you may not personally know anyone who has taken a career break with their family and traveled the world. He took his family around the world Or the Cooney’s who pulled their 3 sons out of high school for home school and an education of world travel or family on bikes who took the ultimate biking trip on the highway from one place to another with their 2 boys.
Q – 74 How would you contemplate a career break?
Ans- Considering a career break can be overwhelming as fears and questions flood your head. You need some inspiration – well, we have it! We will discuss the circumstances that brought you to this point and examine ways that you can take advantage of channeling them into a career break.
You can also find out the many benefits of taking a career break and be inspired by hearing other’s stories of self-discovery, inner-growth and re-examining goals.
Q – 75 Tell me what are the career break resources?
Ans- If you are merely intrigued with the idea of career break travels or are salivating to take one, there are a growing number of resources to help you plan and prepare for a career break. They come in many different forms with different levels of your commitment and involvement required.
★ Basic Training:
As an online travel course and community, Basic Training connects you with reliable resources, expert voices and like-minded peers – all of which will lead you to getting on a plane and taking a career break.
★ Travel and forums:
A chance to communicate in an active forum to ask one off questions and get up to date advice.
★ Meet, Plan, Go! Events:
If you are tired of digital, then come on out in person and meet career break travel experts.
Q – 76 What are the benefits of a career break?
Ans- Career break benefits are numerous. Most importantly getting away is essential for effective thinking. Combine your career break with travel and reap even more benefits. Exposure to cultures that function differently from our own from language to social customs to public transport awakens the brain, alerting it to a much broader range of possibilities for being, living and creating. You will come back to the workforce with skills other peers will not have. And you will stand out in a positive way.
Q – 77 Why is it not safe to travel abroad in career break myths?
Ans- The reality is that we live in a society that focuses so heavily on the negative, so safety is a valid concern when traveling abroad for any length of time. But most places are only as dangerous as the situations you place yourself in. Like many places in the world, as long as you keep your wits about you and make smart, common sense decisions (keep an eye on your stuff, do not wander off down a dark alley alone or go to notoriously bad neighborhoods at night), you are likely going to be just as safe abroad as you are at home.
Q – 78 How would a gap on your resume will ruin your career?
Ans- A career break does not equal career suicide. In fact, it will even help your career. You will build skills you can put on your resume such as confidence, patience and smart risk-taking. And a break will allow you the time to reflect on where your career is to date, how it may have gotten off track and how to refocus on what it is you really want to do.
Q – 79 What is mean by it is too expensive, you must be rich in career break myth?
Ans- You do not have to have a trust fund, it is possible to take a break if you do not have much money saved. And it is certainly possible to save money in order to take a career break no matter what your circumstances. In fact, it is never too early to start.
Some people plan and save for several years and you can also get travel costs from those who have come before you. A key place to start is to determine roughly how much you will need to travel around the world. You may realize that you may have to change some of your spending habits but if you really want the career break bad enough, you will find a way to start saving. It is about priorities.
Q – 80 What are the career break myths?
Ans- Career break myths are all there to rationalize your fear and result in keeping you cemented to the life you think you have to live.
Q – 81 List some career break myths?
Ans- A few career break myths are as follows:
★ It is too expensive, you must be rich
★ A gap on my resume will ruin my career
★ It is not safe to travel abroad
★ I can not travel because I have a family
Q – 82 What does a career break travel mean?
Ans- When people add the element of globe trotting to their break, then it is career break travel. It may mean that you tick off a bucket list, travel around the world or simply go live as an expat in another country. Basically, it is about shaking up your normal routine in a big way with your passport in hand.
Q – 83 What are the things that make career break unique?
Ans- There are a few things that make a career break unique, namely that you should have a career that you are breaking away from. This puts the typical career break age range from 27 to 57 years old. Younger and it might be considered a Gap Year and older it may be considered retirement.
Q – 84 Please tell me what is a career break?
Ans- A career break is simply dedicated time away from your job. It may be something that is planned for or something that is unforeseen. It can be from 1 month to 3 years. Anything shorter than a month really falls into the glorified vacation bucket.