Implications of Leaving the Paid Professional World for One Year (employee, employers)

[fordhaus]

I am considering leaving the paid workforce for about a year while my husband works overseas on a one-year unaccompanied contract. My reasons for considering this year-off are as follows:

1. being able to handle 3 children with school related activities by myself and life with kids, in general.
2. considering doing some volunteer work during this time, to explore some areas of interest and assist in some great causes.
3. I am a mid-level manager in higher ed and am in a position that is not furthering my career level, basically I am under-stimulated and have a supervisor who has basically followed the Peter Principle ("In a Hierarchy Every Employee Tends to Rise to His Level of Incompetence.").

What are your opinions on what the career implications might be for my situation? Do you think the volunteer work would be seen positively when it comes time to enter the workforce again? Has anyone else been fortunate enough to take an the time off and then returned to the professional field to take the next step in their career?

[fordhaus]

I left a really important part out of this. Husband will make great money for this year and we will probably be moving for his position after that year, so I would be looking for a new position at that time, anyway. But, over the long haul we are truly a dual income family. With the economy like it is, am I crazy to consider this. You always here the saying that it is easier to find a job while you have one.

[Tracysherm]

You can check the other threads here where we discussed how prospective employers view gaps in employment history. They are not necessarily as much a problem as people think they are.

I'm one of the ones who said I'm very in favor of hiring people who took time off, to do something meaningful, or to decide what they really wanted to do career-wise. When they return to the workforce, they are more "grounded" and more committed than their peers.

I work in human services/ behavioral health, so we always look favorably on volunteer work too.

If your husband's income can support your not working for a year, think of how valuable that year will be with regard to the time you can spend with your kids. You will never get it back, but you can always get another job.

[houstoner]

I think it sounds like a good idea to spend more time with your kids and a good opportunity to maybe do some volunteer work, as you said, or possibly take some classes that might pertain to your career or the career you want to go into, if you're thinking of making a change when you rejoin the workforce. I say go for it! Good luck!

[fordhaus]

Thanks to both of you. My gut feeling is to do it but with the economy, I just don't want to get myself in a situation where I have this gap in history which might make me seem less than desirable a year from now.

I checked some of the other threads and there are definitely varying opinions but keeping my self active with volunteering seems like a good compromise and I wanted to do that anyway.

I appreciate the responses and encouragement!

[tluv00]

If you have a valid reason for being out of work then you should be fine. A good thing to do is make sure you stay up to date with trends in your "industry" (higher ed) so when you go back to the work force, you are still speaking the current language.

[sunny AZ]

Go for it, if this is what you want. When you're ready to go back to work, there will be positions out there for you. Heck, if the economy improves you might have better luck finding a new job a year from now.