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Negotiating a Career Break
"Don't tell me how educated you are, tell me how much you travelled."
Mohammed
If you want to negotiate leave with an employer without a
formal sabbatical scheme consider the following:
· What will
my employment rights be while on the break?
· Will my job
be guaranteed on return?
· How much responsibility will I
have in putting replacement mechanisms in place?
· Can I do
some work experience while on the break?
· Can I take part
in training courses or undertake assignments?
· What contact
can I have with my employer in order to keep in touch with
changes at work?
· When do I want to return to work?
· What
other benefits can I keep (e.g. membership of the social club)?
Establishing Your Value
Before approaching an employer,
thoroughly identify the skills he or she needs most and think
about the following:
· Your real value to your employer, i.e.
how much has your employer invested in your recruitment, training
and development?
· The skills shortages in your profession
or area of work
· Your employer's future developments and
planned growth
· What costs will your employer incur in replacing
your skills, experience and knowledge?
· The value of employment
breaks to improving employee relations, recruitment, and retention
and public image.
Taking a career break offers a unique opportunity to experience
an aspect of life that may otherwise be inaccessible to you
in the course of your professional life. For some, taking
a career break has had a profound effect on their values in
life and on their futures.
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