'We were on a break!' - How to pitch a career break to your employer

Tech Data's HR boss says attitudes towards career breaks are changing

Attitudes towards career breaks are changing within tech companies as they grapple to keep hold of skilled employees, according to Tech Data's HR director Jodie Carroll.

Speaking at the Women in Tech Festival UK, Carroll (pictured) talked delegates through the best way to pitch a career break to their company, stressing the importance of "owning" the time away from work.

"Lots of women would openly say that their confidence is eroded by time way from the workplace," she said.

"But do not try to hide your career break. You need to own the fact that you have been away on that break. Be honest and transparent about why you prefer a work experience and qualifications.

"Give an explanation of your time away and then talk about what you want to do now."

Carroll said that while career breaks are taken for a number of reasons, the stereotypical example is a woman taking time off for childcare.

But this doesn't mean that the time away from the workplace cannot be positioned as a benefit for the employer. It comes down to how you portray the break to your employer, she explained, both when you pitch the idea to them and plan your return to work.

"Your employer will be really keen to know what it is that you will learn from your career break that you will be bringing back into the workplace," Carroll said.

"If you are travelling, don't position it as a long holiday; it's an opportunity to experience new cultures and broaden your mind, which will ultimately set you apart in an increasingly global workforce.

"As for being at home with the kids, that develops communication, resilience, problem solving and time management skills like no job I have ever had.

"We need to be really positive about the things that we can take away from these career breaks."

The most important thing during the break if the employee plans to return to work, Carroll said, is to stay up to date with industry trends by making sure they receive newsletters, taking online courses where available and reading industry publications.

Doing this will provide proof of knowledge on the return to work, but it is also important to display confidence, she added.

"Do not apologise," Carroll said. "As women it is often in our nature to apologise for things that we shouldn't be apologising for.

"You are there to show that you are the best person for that job.

"As for the loss of skills [during the time way from work], the perception is sometimes worse than the reality.

"If you have done lots of the things I have discussed in keeping up to date, then you will have lots of evidence as to how you have been proactive in maintaining your skills."