Career Q & A
By Alan Kearns
May 2, 2005
After more than a year's absence from the work scene (my last job was deputy ED of a large professional organization), I am now considered ready to begin work again. The reason for the long absence was health-related and the ED of the organization was unwilling to accommodate my needs.
What is the best approach for me to use when applying for positions? I have no intention of discussing the absence in my cover letter, but I expect it will be an issue with some employers and may lead to my not being considered at all. When hiring staff myself, I have occasionally received applications from people who have had a break from work, but that didn't outweighed their skills in my view. I didn't regret it - they were not only skilled but highly motivated.
I received no health benefits during my absence because the organization found out the insurance coverage they had didn't extend to my situation. As a result, I really need to get 'back on the bus'.
Advice please?
This is a great question. We have all had times along our career journey where there are gaps. Often, this is a challenging issue to deal with and it is not as unusual as you would think, especially in today's world.
In my experience working with clients, I have seen many examples where a person took time off to travel, spend time with his or her children, or for other personal reasons. What makes your situation unique is the health aspect. In my opinion, I would not recommend getting into to specifics in your cover letter or the resume. I think this would be inappropriate and would leave way too much room for misinterpretation. You can leave the dates on your resume, and if it comes up, deal with the time issue in the interview.
One of the key things I would recommend is to get your references in order. They can back you up on your professional results and why you left (there would be privacy laws to deal with this). I recently asked one of my clients to write down why he left his job and why he is back in the market. The process really helped him create a message that flowed and was truthful. Writing tends to do this since it helps to flesh out ideas and refine your message.
My final word of advice is to conduct your job search as you would have in the past - touch base with all your connections, pay attention to the different job boards, and go about this process with confidence. Often, when clients are moving back into the workforce one of the biggest issues to deal with is their personal confidence. You need to be aware of this and protect your confidence during the job search process. One great resource is the book Confidence by Rosabeth Moss Kaneter (Crown Books 2004). She really nails this issue and offers some good sound advice. Another key point is to make sure you are feeling 100% physically, as the new job and related stress may take some toll on you. Build up your reserves and get yourself ready to achieve the kind of success you have had in the past.
Alan Kearns is the Head Coach and the Brand Champion! of CareerJoy.
He is one of Canada's foremost experts on all things career. With more than
14 years of experience coaching people through successful career changes,
he brings an intimate knowledge of the entire transition process to all of
his clients. To contact Alan about paid professional services, e-mail alan@careerjoy.com
or visit his web site www.careerjoy.com.
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