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CAREER
GET THE MOST FROM YOUR
The tips and tricks to make your boss agree to
an extended break and also ensure you’re not left
unemployed on your return. By Simeon de la Torre
n today’s culture of overwork,
it’s tempting to wait until
you’re crawling into the
office on all fours through
exhaustion before even thinking about
requesting a sabbatical. However, a rising
number of businesses are open to the
idea of giving their employees a break,
but when you return, will you find yourself
out of favour? Here’s how to ensure you
retain your job while relaxing in the sun.
I
MAKE SURE YOU’RE GOING
FOR THE RIGHT REASONS
Fed up of soaking up the sun just once a year
for two paltry weeks? If the answer’s yes,
then don’t present it to your employer like
that. John Lees, one of the UK’s leading
career coaches (johnleescareers.com),
says, “Your mindset should be that you’re
using the time to get out of your routine for
long enough to recharge your batteries,
re-evaluate your role and return with
greater commitment and energy.”
And don’t be tempted to take a sabbatical
only to end up doing your old job in a different
country. “If you need to work while you’re
away, try something completely different,”
says Lees. Alternatively, ‘voluntourism’ can
be satisfying – try VSO (vso.org.uk) for ideas.
NEGOTIATE PROPERLY
“Many large companies recognise and
support career breaks, so do your research,”
says Lees. “If there is no structure in place,
ask your boss if there’s any way you can
26 / www.ShortList.com
make it work together. Crucially, you’ll need
to time your trip with care – your boss will
be a lot more sympathetic if you don’t leave
during the company’s busiest period.”
Don’t expect to get paid while you’re
away, but request they keep your job open,
“Especially if they hear that they’re going to
get something in return, be it experience,
skills or renewed energy and ideas,” says
Lees. “That’s what you’ve got to sell to them.”
BEFORE YOU GO
“Planning your return should be part of the
negotiations,” says Lees. “Agree a return date
“Time your trip with care. Don’t leave
during the company’s busiest period”
with your employer, make sure you stick to it
and give the person who’s taking over your
role assistance. Don’t spend your final weeks
in the office banging on about your trip, it’ll
get everyone’s backs up.”
KEEP YOUR HAND IN
“It’s not a great strategy to keep in touch
with the office, as it gives the impression
of availability,” says Lees. “Don’t take your
BlackBerry and don’t give out your mobile
number unless you’re sure your boss will only
contact you in an emergency.” Tempted to
fire back the occasional postcard? Don’t be.
To your jealous colleagues in storm-battered
London it’ll look like a big, fat insult.
PLAN YOUR RE-ENTRY
If your job has been held, call the boss
a month or two before you get back to
reconfirm your plans. “If you handed in your
notice before you went, you’ll need to start
doing your research and spreading the
message that you’ll be back on the market
shortly,” says Lees. “Furthermore, don’t plan
on coming back and getting a new job in
November, December or mid-summer –
there are too many distractions in the
workplace at those times of year.”
BE SMART ABOUT YOUR RETURN
If you’re going back to your old job,
remember: you told your employer you’d
be coming back with fresh eyes, greater
commitment and renewed energy. It was
a once-in-a-career deal, so they will not
be best-pleased if they hear reports of
you “counting the days until you can
do it all again”.
UP-SELL YOUR EXPERIENCES
“During interviews, it’s crucial that you’re
unapologetic about your trip, speak clearly
about your experiences and set out your
agenda,” advises Lees. “Getting away from
the world of work for a while is perfectly
legitimate but it has to add to your career. Tell
prospective employers why you wanted to do
it, what difficulties you faced, what personal
problems you had to overcome and the skills
you utilised and learned. Then you have
a very good case for boosting your career.”
NEED
INSPIRATION
ON HOW TO
SPEND YOUR
TIME AWAY? VISIT
SHORTLIST.COM
HOW I
PLANNED IT
Businessman and entrepreneur
Ben Way, 28, recently returned
from three months off work
“Dear Dad, please can you
resend instructions on how
to get into a hammock?”
What made you take a sabbatical?
I have been in business for almost
12 years and I knew I needed a
break. But it’s not an easy thing
to do and it took a lot of planning.
Were you worried about your
professional life grinding to a halt
while you were away?
These days, communications
are so fluid that you can work
remotely effectively if you have
to. It’s not as good as having
face-to-face meetings, but I didn’t
feel that disconnected.
What plans did you put into place
before you left?
I made sure that all my projects
could operate independently, all
our systems worked remotely and
that I had a good team in place.
What did you do on your travels?
I went to Australia. A lot of it was
just looking after myself – eating
healthy, keeping fit and relaxing.
I filled up my days up with activities
– I got my hang-gliding licence,
studied martial arts, surfed and
even learned the circus trapeze.
What was the high point?
Hang-gliding solo – the exhilaration
of throwing yourself off a cliff and
flying with the birds is amazing.
Were you looking forward to
returning home?
After three months, I was ready to
come back. I missed London and
couldn’t wait to see my friends again.
What have you taken from your
sabbatical to enhance your career?
I’m hoping I have worked out the
next couple of chapters in my
career and given myself enough
energy to achieve them.
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