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Finding jobs post Career Break

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Finding jobs post Career Break

Hi, I took a career break from a toxic management consulting job to take care of my health and take a break that fulfills me. I have almost 5 years of work ex.

I worked in my family business and scaled its online sales and presence on ecommerce platforms during this time period. It has been 1.75 years since I left my job and now that the business is automated to some extent, I want to go back to the job market in strategy or Revenue operations roles which is sort of pivoting my career. Is this too long of a break? I am nervous as hell about it. Would love to get suggestions/opinions from this community on:

  1. How can I explain the gap better? Should I include the family business work in my resume?
  2. What approach should I take for applying to jobs? Usually companies are not keen on hiring people with career breaks.

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  1. Ayian

    Working in your family's business isn't a break from working. Include anything that you did which could be relevant to positions you're looking at.

    Also, hr folk are very familiar with breaks courtesy of COVID. Don't sweat it. :)

  2. Maggie Soldano

    Sounds like you’ve been working the whole time. I don’t see a break. List yourself as an active consultant with the accomplishments you achieved with your client. Supporting your family’s business is still working.

  3. GirlBossanova934974

    I see zero issues here. Unless your family business name and your last name are the same, who is going to know that you worked for your own family business? Make up a title related to revenue operations and be done with it. Your family business is legit, right? If any supervisor name is required on the resume, find a supervisor from another department in the family business. List your accomplishments etc having to do with your sales growth in the Ecommerce business. Pull some metrics out of your web analytics platform etc etc.

  4. Krystin Morgan

    I would absolutely include the family business on your resume! Frankly, even if it's obvious it was a family company, there's no harm in including it and showcasing your accomplishments from that time. It's not a gap at all!

  5. Anonymous

    I agree with the other posters that you definitely can and should list your time working in the family business. Consider focusing on the skills and credentials that will interest your prospective employers the most. If you're currently credentialled and trained in what employers need, that is more important than any gaps. Explain to hiring managers how you've invested the effort to stay current on your industry and share examples with them. Almost every interviewer asks, Why did you leave your previous job/why do you want to leave your current job? Consider replies that indicate what you are excited to move toward in your career and examples of things/lessons you've learned, skills attained along the way, much better than voicing a complaint about a former workplace. There are some employers who specifically mention that they don't want applicants with gaps in work history. You can always apply anyway, tell them up front that you have had a slight gap, ask if that would disqualify you from applying. But the majority of employers don't express exclusions like that. Sometimes there are employers who like to hire people from your previous workplaces, try to notice which employers these are and apply. Good luck on your job search!

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