Staying Professionally Relevant
December 20, 2024 10:13 AM Subscribe
You’re unable to be as active in your professional life but wish to remain professionally relevant. What’s your strategy?
What have you done to set yourself up to remain professionally relevant when life circumstances pull you away? Maybe because:
Looking for strategies, advice, actions to take, as well as ways to think about this change for oneself AND ways to effectively talk about this with others.
What have you done to set yourself up to remain professionally relevant when life circumstances pull you away? Maybe because:
- You’re taking a career break for physical or mental health reasons
- An important life responsibility has come up, such as caretaking
- You’re downshifting your ambition and/or hours but not leaving your career entirely
- You are following an opportunity or adventure that requires an extended leave
- You just want more time to do other things while still have a career
Looking for strategies, advice, actions to take, as well as ways to think about this change for oneself AND ways to effectively talk about this with others.
Best answer: It's going to depend on your sector, so if you feel okay sharing that would help.
I took a 6 year career break from online comms/media/marketing which is a really long time in that field, to do something else entirely.
My messaging on it was that I wanted to work directly in my local community. I very deliberately kept my messaging exclusively positive - that I really wished I could follow both my passion for online communication and my passion for working in martial arts locally, but I couldn't and it was my season to work in martial arts. This was really key - I never said I was burnt out or tired of the rat race or anything like that. I gave long notice and left things in as good a shape as possible.
I kept in touch lightly with my professional network, mostly via social media. I am not the world's greatest networker, but I set a time to be sure I at least went and liked past colleagues' and bosses' posts, shared info about those orgs, etc.
When I decided I wanted to go back in I did a certificate program in a related area (UX/UI - it included courses on analytics and web design so I could just formalize my knowledge plus catch up) and networked via that and past colleagues. I also took on a contract job for the same purpose (networking and to make sure I had recent things on my portfolio.) And I let everyone know I was looking.
Outcome: When I decided to jump back in, I applied for three jobs, got interviews and offers from two, and chose one.
posted by warriorqueen at 10:25 AM on December 20, 2024 [8 favorites]
I took a 6 year career break from online comms/media/marketing which is a really long time in that field, to do something else entirely.
My messaging on it was that I wanted to work directly in my local community. I very deliberately kept my messaging exclusively positive - that I really wished I could follow both my passion for online communication and my passion for working in martial arts locally, but I couldn't and it was my season to work in martial arts. This was really key - I never said I was burnt out or tired of the rat race or anything like that. I gave long notice and left things in as good a shape as possible.
I kept in touch lightly with my professional network, mostly via social media. I am not the world's greatest networker, but I set a time to be sure I at least went and liked past colleagues' and bosses' posts, shared info about those orgs, etc.
When I decided I wanted to go back in I did a certificate program in a related area (UX/UI - it included courses on analytics and web design so I could just formalize my knowledge plus catch up) and networked via that and past colleagues. I also took on a contract job for the same purpose (networking and to make sure I had recent things on my portfolio.) And I let everyone know I was looking.
Outcome: When I decided to jump back in, I applied for three jobs, got interviews and offers from two, and chose one.
posted by warriorqueen at 10:25 AM on December 20, 2024 [8 favorites]
Best answer: As noted above, it will depend on the field, but in my sectors it's things like writing articles in appropriately-targeted publications (maybe the less technical, more "here's what's going on" type of pubs), the occasional bit of light mentoring for random newbies, maybe finding an irksome-but-low-priority bug in a project and offering a fix, potentially attending the odd conference, definitely attending the occasional meetup, and doing the other networking stuff listed by warriorqueen above.
posted by aramaic at 10:44 AM on December 20, 2024
posted by aramaic at 10:44 AM on December 20, 2024
Response by poster: The responses so far are on the right track! The important thing is to understand the strategies and how they were effective, irrespective of any specific industry. Then I can translate those strategies to my industry.
posted by Goblin Barbarian at 10:56 AM on December 20, 2024
posted by Goblin Barbarian at 10:56 AM on December 20, 2024
Best answer: Do contract work or volunteer part-time for a nonprofit that's in or adjacent to the field. That's been my strategy! That keeps your LinkedIn up-to-date with something relevant, keeps you in touch with people in the field, but is minimal and low-touch.
You could also put a role on LinkedIn that's your own consultancy. You don't have to incorporate to do that—it's just a name with bullet points about the type of work you're open to do or are doing on a contract basis in or adjacent to the field. I've also done this, and I know a ton of others who have as well.
The other thing you can do is attend and post about the occasional online workshop or conference in the field. That keeps you up-to-date and visible, also with pretty minimal occasional effort. And if you actually are looking to freelance, that can help make those connections.
And yeah, on LinkedIn, keep an eye out for people looking for part-time or otherwise time-limited roles they need help with, or ventures just launching that you could reply to with a congratulations and brief offer of help. I've also gotten a few leads that way.
Depending on the field, you probably don't have to do a lot to stay in the game!
posted by limeonaire at 11:05 AM on December 20, 2024
You could also put a role on LinkedIn that's your own consultancy. You don't have to incorporate to do that—it's just a name with bullet points about the type of work you're open to do or are doing on a contract basis in or adjacent to the field. I've also done this, and I know a ton of others who have as well.
The other thing you can do is attend and post about the occasional online workshop or conference in the field. That keeps you up-to-date and visible, also with pretty minimal occasional effort. And if you actually are looking to freelance, that can help make those connections.
And yeah, on LinkedIn, keep an eye out for people looking for part-time or otherwise time-limited roles they need help with, or ventures just launching that you could reply to with a congratulations and brief offer of help. I've also gotten a few leads that way.
Depending on the field, you probably don't have to do a lot to stay in the game!
posted by limeonaire at 11:05 AM on December 20, 2024
A network is so important. I spent eight years away due to a serious illness, and during that time I was unable to do the usual volunteering/boards/professional org/brass ring sort of thing. But I'd kept in touch with a few work friends and contacts I'd genuinely liked and admired, and those people have been so helpful in finding leads now that my health is more stable.
posted by mochapickle at 11:15 AM on December 20, 2024 [2 favorites]
posted by mochapickle at 11:15 AM on December 20, 2024 [2 favorites]
What’s your strategy? ... irrespective of any specific industry
stay aware of the industry: trends, how you might want to participate (when able), etc.
posted by HearHere at 12:17 PM on December 20, 2024
stay aware of the industry: trends, how you might want to participate (when able), etc.
posted by HearHere at 12:17 PM on December 20, 2024
Response by poster: In my follow up, I should have written "irrespective of my specific industry" instead of "irrespective of any specific industry". Hearing about your specific industry and what you did in detail in your situation is very helpful!
Thank you all for your answers. I'm not interested in threadsitting and will take my exit now.
posted by Goblin Barbarian at 1:32 PM on December 20, 2024
Thank you all for your answers. I'm not interested in threadsitting and will take my exit now.
posted by Goblin Barbarian at 1:32 PM on December 20, 2024
Best answer: Can't second enough that messaging is vital, regardless of reason for not being as involved. It is, when it comes down to it, your choice, even if your options might have been limited, so make it clear this is a choice. In my case I made sure to go to conferences/meetups and mentored and networked for newer folk who by the time I was ready to step back in were more established.
It would be lovely if we could all be honest about being fired, burned out etc, and blessings to Simone Biles for having done so; so if you're that established, that is of course an alternative.
posted by J.R. Hartley at 6:51 AM on December 21, 2024
It would be lovely if we could all be honest about being fired, burned out etc, and blessings to Simone Biles for having done so; so if you're that established, that is of course an alternative.
posted by J.R. Hartley at 6:51 AM on December 21, 2024
Best answer: There is no way productively to message semi-retirement unless you're literally in your 60s or have an obvious life change like new kids ... so don't do that.
Instead, announce you're forming a new consulting business in your industry, set up a proper LLC and nice website and then just ... don't chase clients very hard. No one will know.
You can maintain all of your association memberships, go to the conferences and cocktail parties that suit your schedule, stay on your list servs, keep writing articles, and posting the occasional LinkedIn think piece or whatever social media makes sense. When you want to step things back up again, start chasing business harder, or get a W2 job for someone else again. It will be as if you never stepped back because to everyone in the business, you never did.
posted by MattD at 5:47 PM on December 21, 2024 [2 favorites]
Instead, announce you're forming a new consulting business in your industry, set up a proper LLC and nice website and then just ... don't chase clients very hard. No one will know.
You can maintain all of your association memberships, go to the conferences and cocktail parties that suit your schedule, stay on your list servs, keep writing articles, and posting the occasional LinkedIn think piece or whatever social media makes sense. When you want to step things back up again, start chasing business harder, or get a W2 job for someone else again. It will be as if you never stepped back because to everyone in the business, you never did.
posted by MattD at 5:47 PM on December 21, 2024 [2 favorites]
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posted by Goblin Barbarian at 10:24 AM on December 20, 2024