Career Break? How to Approach your Boss
Career Break? How to Approach your Boss
Career Break? How to Approach your Boss
So, you've decided you definitely want to take a career break. You've mulled it over for months and now you are sure it's what you want to do.
But what about your job?
This could be very straightforward, or somewhat complicated and stressful, depending on your situation, the company you work for, and whether or not you want to stay in your job.
For instance, if you know you want to hand in your notice, then it's pretty straightforward. Some people simply choose to leave their jobs before a career break because they know they want to change their career upon return, or they want to be free to go away for an unrestricted amount of time.
But you may decide that you want the security of having a job to come back to, or maybe you love your job but simply need some time off to recharge and re-evaluate things. In this case, a Sabbatical, or Career Break, is the best option.
If that's what you choose, the first thing you need to do is find out if your company has a Sabbatical Policy. Many companies have, so it's worth looking into before you approach your boss. If not, the next step is to put together a proposal for your boss to consider.
Considering the following points may help you to clarify your approach:
How much time do you want off?
When do you want to go?
What do you want to do? Why?
What will be the benefits for you personally?
What will be the benefits for you professionally?
How will you add to your skill set whilst away?
How will the company benefit by letting you go?
How will the company benefit upon your return?
What are your suggestions for your role whilst you are away?
Are you prepared to do some work remotely?
Who could take over some of your tasks/projects?
How long are you prepared to commit to the company upon your return?
Are you prepared to hand in your notice if permission for a sabbatical is not granted?
Situations will vary, so in addition to the above, think about what kinds of other information your boss may require, and have your answers ready. The more prepared you are, the more seriously your proposal will be taken.
Also, to give your proposal credibility, search out supporting information, such as other companies that offer sabbatical programmes and the benefits that they find from having one. There is also a wealth of information on sabbaticals available on the internet, from newspaper articles to research papers to websites and blogs. Show your boss that you have taken this seriously and have done your homework. This will go a long way to supporting your case.
If you find the prospect of approaching your boss daunting, going through the steps above will really help - the more you have clarity and understanding about what you want to do, the more seriously you will be taken. If you still feel nervous, working with a Life Coach to improve your confidence will help to bring you to where you want to be.
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