Career Break Ideas to Keep Your Bank Account Topped Up

There are many reasons why we might find ourselves taking a career break;perhaps you’re preparing for a new family member,are returning to university or are finally ready to start your backpacking adventure. Whatever your motive, taking a career break offers the opportunity for a refreshing reset.

A career break can be incredibly exciting, but it’s natural to worry about keeping your bank account healthy and to ponder ‘can you work during a career break?’. Read on to learn how you can take a career break without too much financial anxiety.

What is a Career Break?

A career break, sometimes referred to as a sabbatical, is when you intentionally step back from your job for an extended period. This could be due to caring responsibilities, to prioritise your mental health or to travel and recharge your batteries. While a four to six-month break is the most common duration, taking a year-long break is not unusual. The main point is that you plan to return to the professional world after your break.

Who Might Benefit from a Career Break?

Honestly, anyone can! Parents welcoming a new child, those seeking higher education, people taking care of their health or folks who want to travel or learn new skills. Taking a career break doesn’t signify an end to your professional life. Instead, it’s a pause – a time for rejuvenation, learning and growth. Embracing a career break can lead to personal transformation and open doors to exciting opportunities when you return to the workforce.

Do You Get Paid During a Career Break?

The answer will vary depending on your employer and the nature of your break. Generally, career breaks are unpaid. But in some cases, like sabbaticals, employers may offer partial or full pay, especially if the break is intended for professional development that will benefit the company upon your return.

Parental leave policies, like maternity, paternity or shared parental leave vary significantly. Some employers offer paid parental leave as part of their benefits package, while others adhere to the statutory minimum. Similarly, if you’re taking a health-related break, your employer’s sick pay policy may kick in, offering some level of income replacement.

So, before taking a career break, it’s essential to fully understand your company’s policies regarding these various forms of leave. Start by communicating with your HR department and reading through your employment contract.

Types of Career Breaks

There are several types of career breaks tailored to different needs and goals:

• Educational Break: Maybe you’ve been thinking about further adult education or earning a professional certification. Taking a career break gives you the breathing space to concentrate on enhancing your qualifications and skills.
• Parental Leave: If you’re welcoming a new member to your family, parental leave grants you time to bond with your child. This encompasses maternity, paternity and adoption leave, which in most cases are paid leaves of absence.
• Sabbatical: Traditionally, sabbaticals are paid breaks given to academics for research purposes. Nowadays, it’s a chance for professionals in various fields to take a break for rejuvenation, study, travel or personal projects.
• Health Break: If you’re dealing with health issues, either personally or with a family member, taking a career break affords you the time needed for recovery or caregiving.
• Travel Break: If you’ve been bitten by the travel bug, a travel break allows you to explore diverse cultures, locales and gain new life perspectives.
• Career Transition Break: Contemplating a career change? A career transition break provides the opportunity to reassess your goals, acquire new skills and transition smoothly from one career path to the next.
• Personal Development Break: This type of career break is all about pursuing personal interests or hobbies. It could be writing a book, becoming physically fit or learning a new skill – essentially, it’s about personal growth.

How to Plan a Career Break

Taking a career break involves thoughtful preparation, planning and consideration. Here are the key steps to follow:

1. Assess Your Finances: Take stock of your current financial situation, including savings, investments and any alternative income streams you may have. Calculate your expected expenses during the career break, including living costs and any planned activities. Set a budget and make sure you have enough funds to sustain yourself throughout the break.

2. Define Your Goals and Duration: Think about the purpose of your career break and the specific goals you want to achieve during this time – whether that’s caring for your baby, completing a specific qualification or simply taking more time for self-care. Decide on the duration of the break, whether it’s a few months or a more extended period.

3. Communicate with Your Employer: Initiate an open and honest conversation with your employer about your intention to take a career break. Discuss your reasons for taking a career break, its expected duration and how your absence will be managed. Negotiate terms of the break, including any possibilities of part-time work or remote collaboration.

4. Plan for Work Handover: If you’re able to, prepare a thorough handover plan for your tasks and responsibilities. Document important information, ongoing projects, key contacts and any pending deadlines.

5. Stay Connected: Depending on the reason for your career break, think about how you can stay connected with your professional network and colleagues to keep yourself informed about industry developments. Consider attending networking events or conferences during your break if you’re able to and want to keep one foot in the door.

6. Seek Support: Reach out to others who have taken career breaks or seek guidance from your mentor. Surround yourself with a supportive network that understands and encourages your decision.

Can You Work While on a Career Break?

The simple answer is, yes, you can work during a career break. The options available may vary based on the terms of your break. If you’re on a formal career break, your employer might have specific policies about engaging in paid work during that time, including freelance work. It’s essential to clarify this with your employer beforehand.

If you’ve completely left your previous job to take a break from work, you’ll have the freedom to explore part-time, freelance or contract opportunities. Even though you might be taking a career break, this is still work, just a different kind of work and don’t forget – you’ll need to tell the ‘tax man’ about any income earned during this period.

Always research and understand the rules relevant to your specific situation to ensure a stress-free experience while working during your career break.

6 Career Break Ideas to Top Up Your Income

If you do want to keep your income topped up while you’re not working your usual job, there are lots of paid career break ideas that can help to keep you afloat. Here, are 6 career break ideas to consider:

1. Freelance Gigs

If you have skills that are high in demand, such as graphic design, copywriting, programming or digital marketing, you could take on freelance gigs during your career break. This is a great way to keep your skills sharp while adding some extra income. And who knows? You might even discover a passion for freelancing and decide to do it full-time!

2. Teaching or Tutoring

If you’ve always been passionate about education, you could consider teaching or tutoring part-time. This side hustle offers flexible hours, a decent income and the gratifying feeling of helping others.

3. Sell Handcrafted Products

Got a knack for arts and crafts? Consider monetising your hobby. You can set up an online shop via a platform like Etsy to sell handmade items like jewellery,clothing, home décor and personalised gifts. This not only provides additional income but offers a creative outlet during your career break.

4. Become a Virtual Assistant

Organisations and individuals are constantly seeking part-time or ad hoc Virtual Assistants (VAs) to help with administrative tasks, social media management, customer service and more. If you’re a good communicator with strong organisational skills, becoming a VA could be a great fit for you while you’re taking a career break.

5. Consulting Services

If you’re a subject matter expert with tonnes of experience under your belt, consider offering consulting services during your career break. Whether you have experience in marketing strategies, business planning, IT security or any other specialised field, there are individuals and organisations willing to pay for your expert insights and you should be able to fit the occasional contract in around your other commitments.

6. Mentoring

Last but definitely by no means least on our list of paid and rewarding career break ideas is mentoring. If you’ve ever found satisfaction in guiding others and helping them grow, mentoring could be the perfect path for you. As a mentor, you can share your professional experiences and insights to help others navigate their own career paths.

There are so many benefits of mentoring for mentors: you’ll develop your leadership skills, gain a sense of fulfilment and make a positive impact on someone else’s life. Plus, being a mentor allows you to earn while making a difference. It’s a great way to keep your skills up-to-date and stay connected with the professional world during your career break.

When you become a mentor with Career Navig8r, you can even set your own hourly rate and since we’re all about online mentoring, there are no travel or ‘buying a coffee out of courtesy’ costs, meaning you’ll keep more of what you’re earning.

Become a Mentor During Your Career Break

Experience the joy of mentoring during your career break – it’s an excellent way to stay mentally active, give back to your sector and earn money. Don’t miss out on this rewarding opportunity – sign up to become a mentor with Career Navig8r.

Getting started is easy – create your free mentor profile, list your experience and expertise, set your availability and hourly rate and start mentoring. Your experience and knowledge can make a real difference in someone’s life. And what could be better during your career break than that?