Returning to the work of a career break, which I learned

This also told attempt is based on a transcribed conversation with Shruti Mangawa, 35, from New Mexico. The following has been modified for duration and clarity.

I grew up and studied in India. In 2018, I joined Hindustan Unilever, a subsidiary of Unilever, where I became a sales manager and customers in the region.

In 2021, I took sabbatical leave due to a spine injury. I came to the United States, where my husband worked, to spend time with him and recover.

But after a few months in America, I was diagnosed with breast cancer, so I couldn’t go back to work. My business extended my sabbatical leave, but my health has worsened.

I knew I couldn’t go back to India or my work. I spent most of the next two to three years in treatment and recovery.

When I started looking for work in the United States in 2024, I had the intuition that the huge gap in my curriculum vitae prevented me from finding a job.

I had a hard time being guilt to be unemployed because I linked my identity to my work. It took me a while to kiss my career break and adopt a different vision of success.

I had trouble finding a job in the United States after my recovery

My role at Unilever was my dream work. I was in a leadership role in managing a team.

I used to be financially independent and I linked my identity to my work. I saw the brightness of pride in my parents’ eyes on what I had accomplished. In our family circle, people younger than me looked at me as an inspiration.

Then it all left.

My diagnosis has turned all my world upside down. The cancer was quite aggressive and had a big toll on my body. Fortunately, I received financial support from my husband and family.

I was more worried about my professional life than my recovery. I was aware that any time in recovery increased the gap in my work experience.

When my doctor said that I was without cancer, I thought I could have my career where I stopped. This did not happen this way. My energy levels were not the same, and I did not feel as motivated as I was in my twenties.

I felt guilty and as if I was worthless because I did not work

When I was without cancer but I always faced long -term side effects, people asked me what I was doing in life, and that made me feel empty inside. Some knowledge said: “Oh, so are you just a housewife, then?” I don’t know if their intentions were bad, but I felt guilty. My parents spent my studies so much, but now I was sitting at home.

Being a housewife is not a bad thing. My mother was a housewife. But in my generation, everyone is used to working. I had the impression that if I was not, I was worth nothing.

When I tried to enter the labor market in 2024, people advised me to find a way to cover my gap by freelance or putting it on my LinkedIn. We can preach that it is normal to take a break and not attach our image to the job titles, but people do it.

I applied for marketing roles and jobs where I thought I had transferable skills, but I would be a ghost or rejected even before the interview phase. I felt like I was not even lucky to explain my story.

Once, a recruiter told me that because I had a big career gap and all my previous work experience was based in India, I could need to reduce my expectations for the roles I was looking for.

I focus on building a personal brand and I changed the way I think about success

As I was so physically and mentally drained, I forgot what I used to manage professionally. I started to feel that no one would hire me, and it was my future.

Fortunately, my husband took me out of my negative thinking patterns.

Around October 2024, I decided that instead of waiting for opportunities, I would create mine. I thought that by developing a personal brand, I would endure a better chance on the job market. With such a big career gap in a difficult market, I had to find a way to stand out.

I stopped applying for jobs and focusing on my writing – publish tests on medium and produce a newsletter. Getting positive comments from readers gave me more confidence.

I decided to focus on creating brands for at least a year and a half while I find how I want to transition my career.

Although people advised me to hide my career gap, I decided to be more open on this subject, revealing it on my LinkedIn.

Embrace detours in professional life

In life, you will have to take detours. I know people who have been dismissed or have had their life disturbed for other reasons. I am in their thirties and I had to restart my career. Things are not always linear.

I no longer think that success is only your career and your money, but also on other parts of life. If my husband says: “I am lucky to have a woman like you” – even it’s success for me now.

Now when the challenges arrive, I’m not only panicked. I ask: “What is it here to teach me?” This change of mind is what I consider my greatest success.

Do you have a story to share on your career break or sabbatical leave? Contact this journalist at ccheong@businessinsider.com