Frame your career break as a gift

Whatever the reason for it, be it caring responsibilities, health reasons or redundancy, you should view your career break as a gift. After all, when else do you get such a valuable opportunity to stop and reassess how happy you are with the direction your career is taking?

So whether you used your break to reconnect with yourself or explore different creative opportunities, don’t apologise for or defend your extended break. It may be tempting to feel guilty about it or afraid of what may have happened in your absence, but instead, remind yourself of all of the positive things your break has brought you.

As Miles says: “Think about what you’re bringing differently, be it a fresh perspective or increased resilience, to work because of your career break, not in spite of it.”

Just finished a career break? Here are 5 things you should do before returning to work