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CAREER EDUCATION: FAQ
Taking a career break: is it right for you?
A career break: benefits from taking it?
Are career breaks really accepted?
Can you afford a career break?
How to really benefit from a career break or a sabbatical year?
A perfect job for you?
Why can’t I just be myself in an interview?
How can I avoid making the most common interviewing mistakes?
What are the best ways to handle salary discussions?
How important is it to follow up after an interview?
What are the best ways to follow up after an interview?
How can I delay accepting an offer in order to consider other forthcoming offers?
Why is a business plan important?
How much does your time cost?
What to focus on?
How does a career builder think?
Taking a career break: is it right for you?
Be honest with yourself and your career advisor. Will six months or a full year away from your career really make all the
difference, or are you simply in the wrong job? That could very well explain your itchy feet. There are lots of reasons why
people choose to take some time time out from their career. For example, you might always have intended to travel or you may
wish to give something back to the community through a volunteering program. Or perhaps you want to return to studying,
devote some time to that very special and long-neglected project of yours (like writing a novel), care for a family member or
just see your friends more often. These are just a few of the reasons behind people’s decisions to take a career break. It is
not an exhaustive list, but in each of these cases there is something very important pulling you out of your career, rather
than simple factors such as stress, boredom and time pressure which simply push you away from the daily routine. The point
here is that you are more likely to really want and enjoy a career break if you have a constructive plan of how you will
spend your break time.
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A career break: benefits from taking it?
Taking some time out from your work to do something that you really enjoy can help you obtain a fresh perspective on life. It
may allow you to recharge your batteries and return to your current job with a renewed enthusiasm. Depending on how you will
spend your time, you may develop newer skills which will certainly enhance your ability to carry out your tasks. You might
broaden your personal horizons through travel (which is the most intense learning activity), or improve your physical and
psychological health by not working so hard, or make a spiritually rewarding contribution to your community by volunteering
in a social program or a non-governmental organization, or explore your creative side by doing something you are proud of,
like painting or writing, or building a boat. There are many benefits attached to taking a few months or a year for yourself,
that is, a career break. But it is a very important decision which needs to be carefully weighed as the consequences may be
bad sometimes.
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Are career breaks really accepted?
Believe it or not, many large companies do have policies for staff wishing to take career breaks. These policies guarantee a
job to return to, as well as some continuation of service and certain benefits, like your pension. Make sure to read the
small print and consider if you are comfortable with how your job-related benefits will be affected.
If no career break policy happens to exist at your workplace, don’t worry too much. You can try talking to your employer,
because you may be able to reach an arrangement, but make sure this is on paper. It will depend on how nice your employer is,
how long you request to be away for, and how valuable you have become as an employee. Some factors such as the length of your
service so far, and your proved skills, may be very relevant here.
If your employer proves to be unsympathetic to your career break request, and you are still determined that you want to take
a career break, you may then choose to take a chance and just resign, hoping that you can either get your old job back or a
obtain similar one when you finish your break. This option clearly requires a great deal of thought beforehand and threfore
it should not be taken lightly. However, depending on what you actually spend your career break, your priorities and your
future plans may change, and you could decide that you want a change in your next job anyway. Think very carefully before you
take this course of action, and take deep advice from family and loved ones who may be directly affected by your decision, or
who may be more experienced at this (for instance, your parents may have a longer career experience and give you a sound
advice).
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Can you afford a career break?
In any of the scenarios discussed above, you clearly will not be receiving your regular salary during the months of your
career break. That means you will need to plan ahead and make sure that you can fund your sabbatical and maintain your
current financial commitments. This you may achieve by saving up in advance, by relying on private means, by getting a loan
or by taking other paid work. Also bear in mind that during the time you’ll be away from your job, colleagues, processes,
policies and systems will change, and therefore you may need to renew your skills, increase your knowledge and catch up on
the developments that you have missed during your break.
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How to really benefit from a career break or a sabbatical year?
A career break shouldn’t be equal to a very long holiday. It is a period for profound reflexion on your career and your life.
It is a time for enriching travelling, acquisition of further knowledge and important skills, and development of inner
wisdom. It may also be a time to be closer to your family, to see your children grow up or to give some time to your elderly
parents. It is in any case just a break, not an early retirement from active life. You should be ready for your comeback or
you may get stuck in your break. You should be aware of movements and changes in your company or your whole industry. And you
should learn about new developments, tools or strategies. You shouldn’t just settle in a faraway island (and your living room
might be that island) and fully isolate from your own reality, or you might end up totally displaced when you finish your
career break. Read more on career break options.
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A perfect job for you?
There is no such thing as the ‘perfect job’ in that many jobs will contain parts that we either dislike or like less than
others. However going through the above steps will help you to define the things you definitely do and don’t want in a job.
Also, think about the things that you could compromise on. Be prepared to make small sacrifices and this will increase the
range of jobs you can apply for, but hang on to what’s genuinely important to you.
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Why can’t I just be myself in an interview?
We naturally play different roles at different times in our lives. Sometimes we are unaware of these roles because they are
so much a part of our everyday lives. Effective interviewing requires a particular role, as does working in your profession,
being a parent, friend, spouse... Or dating, or playing in your favorite sport. Everyone plays various roles at different
times, often in the same day; we just don't give it much thought. Playing different roles under varying circumstances does
not mean we're inauthentic: it simply means we are acting appropriately in the situation. A job interview is not something we
do every day, therefore we typically have not developed an effective role for interviewing. Skilled interviewers, on the
other hand, have developed techniques for being effective in their role. Landing the job you want means developing this
effective interviewing role, otherwise you will likely bring other roles into play (without being aware of it) that will not
be appropriate for an interview. Being successful in any new role takes some thought and preparation. The small amount of
time and effort you invest can pay significant returns in income, quality of life and satisfaction.
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How can I avoid making the most common interviewing mistakes?
• Thoroughly prepare for your interviews.
• Present related skills, talents, and accomplishments confidently.
• Understand the interviewing strategies used by employers, to respond appropriately to each employer's style of
interviewing and perceived requirements of the position.
• Use two-way communication appropriate for an interview.
• Prepare your questions in advance.
• Dress appropriately.
• Focus on what you can contribute to the organization rather than what the employer can do for you.
• Don't place blame on or be negative about past employers.
• Follow up strategically after each interview.
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What are the best ways to handle salary discussions?
Salary discussions during an interview center around what you have made in prior positions and/or what you are seeking to
earn in your next position. (The rules are different if you're responding in writing to a written request for a salary
history or requirements from an advertised position). A salary discussion is not a salary negotiation. It can however lay the
foundation for a salary negotiation. Employers ask salary questions to see if a close match exists between the salary likely
to be offered and your expectations. Naturally, the closer you are to the employer's salary range, the more likely you will
accept an offer and remain with the company. Be prepared to disclose your salary history when asked. If your salary history
differs significantly (higher or lower) than your current expectations, you must be prepared to address these differences at
the same time. Keep in mind that you need to consider the total compensation package including benefits. Often a significant
difference in salary occurs when making a change in career, industry, type or level of position, geographical area, or when
starting a new career. Without knowing the appropriate salary range for the type of position you are seeking, you may not be
able to address variances in your salary history. In this case, you need to conduct prior research as to salary ranges for
someone with your experience and skills for the type of position in the industry and geographical area in which you are
interviewing. You may also be asked directly regarding your salary expectations. For example, the employer may ask: "What are
you wanting to earn in your next position?" In general you can use a range rather than a specific figure when discussing
numbers at this stage.
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How important is it to follow up after an interview?
Follow-up can significantly affect whether or not an offer is extended. Following up after an interview addresses a key
employer concern: your interest level in the position. In addition, you are demonstrating, by the very act of following up,
personal and professional qualities that are typically sought by an employer: dedication, tenacity, attention to detail, and
the ability to follow through. In some instances, employers may even use the lack of follow-up as a screening device: a way
to narrow down the number of candidates to a short list; those who do follow up become finalists.
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What are the best ways to follow up after an interview?
There are several ways to follow up and you may want to let your interest level in each position guide you. Thank-you cards
and letters, and strategic letters are most common. Strategic letters are considerably more effective; however, they require
a little more effort on your part. These letters can be sent via e-mail or postal mail. It is best to save thank-you cards
for those who have been particularly helpful, such as administrative assistants, etc. Strategic follow-up strengthens the
interviewer's perception of you and addresses any concerns you felt the interviewer might have about this position being the
right fit for you. It also provides an opportunity to add any related skills, abilities or interests, and other information
that you did not think of in the interview, which may have a bearing on your candidacy. Since there will typically be several
top candidates for the position, each with various tradeoffs regarding strengths and liabilities, this follow-up helps nudge
that often difficult decision in your favor.
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How can I delay accepting an offer in order to consider other forthcoming offers?
It is best not to accept more than one offer to avoid burning your bridges for the future. If you wish to delay acceptance of
an offer, it is very important to express first your appreciation for having received the offer and your strong interest in
the position. Next, explain that you are in the process of weighing several offers, and that you want to be certain you make
the right choice for both yourself and the employer. You could suggest a time frame you have given yourself to make a final
decision (keep in mind, only a few days to a week or so may be considered reasonable), or you could ask the employer in what
time frame he or she needs your decision. Remember, the interviewer is human, and typically rejection is not among our
favorite experiences, i.e., an employer does not want someone who doesn't want them. You need to make the focus about this
being an excellent opportunity and that you just want to be sure you make the right decision for both of you.
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Why is a business plan important?
The success of your business will depend largely upon the decisions you will make. A business plan allocates the resources
and measures the results, helping you to set realistic goals and take decisions.
You may have asked yourself why should you spend your own time and energy drawing up a business plan. Bear in mind, first
and foremost, that lack of planning leaves you poorly equipped to anticipate future decisions and actions you should take to
run your own business successfully. On the other hand, a really sound plan can act as a reality check. The process of putting
a business plan together, including the thought you put in it before you actually start to write it, forces you to take an
objective, critical, non-emotional look at your business project in its entirety.
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How much does your time cost?
The first part of your focus on results should be to work out how much your time costs. This helps you to see whether you are
spending your time profitably. If you work for an organization, calculate how much you cost it each year. Include your
salary, payroll taxes, the cost of office space you occupy, equipment and facilities you use, expenses, administrative
support, etc. If you are self-employed, work the annual running costs of your business. To this figure add a 'guesstimate' of
the amount of profit you should generate by your activity.
If you work normal hours, you will have approximately 200 productive days each year. If you work 7½ hours each day, this
equates to 1,500 hours in a year. From these figures, calculate an hourly rate. This should give a reasonable estimate of how
much your time is worth - this may be a surprisingly large amount! When you are deciding whether or not to take a task on,
think about this value: are you wasting your or your organization's resources on a low yield task?
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What to focus on?
Another very important part of focusing on results is working out what to focus on! Many people work very hard all day doing
little jobs that do not actually affect the quality of their work. Your focus will be clear if you succeed at clarifying what
you enjoy, understanding what your strengths and weaknesses are, and working out both what your job is and what constitutes
excellent performance.
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How does a career builder think?
Modern career advice techniques recommend you to see yourself as a career builder. Because you are a career builder, you will
consider any small career decision in the light of your long term career goals. Further career training for the improvement
of specific skills, as well as further career education (Master’s programs, online degree studies, etc.) will be considered
and decided according to the full career plan. A career advice expert will help you on this. Every specific achievement in
your current job should be another input for tomorrow’s career decisions. Every skill you learnt and developed during your
studies, at your current job or during a career break, should become an input to your global career strategy.
Career builders are self-conscious individuals who consider how every move they make will affect their careers. For example,
a career builder will prefer to earn less in the first stages of his or her career if necessary, in order to stay in
positions or companies that will be very much acknowledged by future employers. We all know about those famous consultancy
multinationals and how they underpay thousands of brilliant young guys and girls around the world. Why do they stay? Their
marks and contacts would certainly allow them to find something much better. But in a few years time, the consultancy
company’s name will look great in their CV, together with the skills developed and the positions climbed during their junior
years with that big name. This will have a priceless value. Many other young people would not accept that: they would rather
scape stages and climb faster. But very often, climbing too fast in your career may mean a wonderful position at the
beginning and then full stagnation for lack of results. The career builder is a long or very long term player.
Often, a career builder will take a career break or sabbatical year. This will allow him or her to study or travel and, more
importantly, to think. Career builders do not mistake a career break for a long holiday period without responsibilities or
goals to accomplish. On the contrary, their sabbatical year may be an intense experience that will mark the rest of their
careers. In fact, most career breaks are strategically planned career education actions which are intended to produce career
improvement in the future.
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