Have you ever been told you’re ‘unmarketable’ in the job market because you’ve had a career break? We noticed on LinkedIn this week one person who had that thrown back at her when applying to a recruitment agency – which to us seems, well, a bit mad!

Career breaks have become the norm since the 90’s when recent graduates felt the need to go and ‘find themselves’ before starting their careers. Since then we see candidates in the marketing, digital and creative space taking time out between jobs to recharge their batteries or just take a chance to discover the world.

Could a career break affect your job search?

Well, I’ve heard first-hand how some large corporates can see career breaks as a threat. It’s as if, because you have had a career break, you’re more likely to do it again – rubbish in our opinion.

Often this is a once in a lifetime trip for people so the fact that you’ve done it and bought the t-shirt, more often than not suggests you won’t be doing it again.

Taking a more positive approach, if you’ve had a career break, you’ve had time to really think about your what you want out of a job during those endless hours basking in the sun on the beach in Bali. You’ll return to the work environment with a head full of new experiences, cultures and ideas – something businesses are crying out for in marketing and creative people.

You’ll have returned physically and more importantly mentally recharged so when you do start you will absolutely smash it.

Keep on top of the marketing industry while you discover yourself

But there are also words of caution. Make sure you stay current in your understanding of technology, particularly digital. Things move so quickly and outdated comment in an interview may leave the company wondering how much time it’s going to take for you to be able to deliver. Why not use your time out to create a journey blog so you can keep your hand in?

So, our summary? Career breaks are a good thing for mind, body and soul. But whilst you’re away don’t switch off completely. Keep abreast of the latest tech developments and make sure when you turn up to that interview that you are ON IT!