HOW TO RETURN TO WORK AFTER A CAREER BREAK: REAL STORIES AND PROVEN STRATEGIES

Returning to work after a break? Overcome stigma with strategic storytelling, LinkedIn optimization, and returnship programs for succes.

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You’ve taken a break. Maybe it was to raise kids. Maybe it was burn-out, health, caregiving, or just the need to step off the treadmill for a bit. And now you’re back—ready to contribute, ready to work.

But here’s the catch. The world doesn’t always welcome you with open arms.

There’s silence. There’s judgment. There’s that awful feeling in interviews when someone skims over your CV and lingers just a second too long on the gap.

It’s not you. It’s the system

In India especially, career breaks still carry stigma. We may talk about mental health, parenting, work-life balance but when someone actually steps away to prioritize these things, the corporate world isn’t quite sure what to do with that.

In 2025, a significant portion of professionals, particularly in India, are actively seeking new job opportunities. Studies show most working professionals are looking to switch jobs and more than half are actively seeking new opportunities.

It’s even tougher for woman

According to a report by Avtar Group, women’s workforce participation in India hovers around 33%, and a large number of them drop out during maternity or caregiving years—with less than 30% managing to re-enter.

As someone who coaches job seekers every day, I’ve worked with senior professionals with 10-20 years of experience who took a 2-year break to care for elderly parents; mothers who paused their career for 5-7 years to raise kids; and talented folks who stepped away for health reasons or personal growth.

Each time, the internal guilt they carry is often heavier than any external rejection.

They feel the need to explain, apologize, even downplay what they did during that time.