The idea of taking a sabbatical—leaving the regular path of life to experience something completely new for a certain period of time—has become deeply ingrained in contemporary business language. Just as we understand the need to work, we also understand the need to explore beyond the boundaries of our lives, so when we return we have grown and can give even more of ourselves.

What the word means
Sabbatical comes from the word “Sabbath,” meaning the holy day of rest for some religions. By extension it also means to rest. In old Russia, this term was used in agriculture, connoting a period when land was let to lay fallow, often for one growing season out of seven. Although today the term hints of academics taking time out to travel or write, it is becoming increasingly associated with workers taking extended time off from their careers to enjoy life and explore enthusiasms.

How sabbaticals got started
Career time-outs, as we interpret them today, got their start in the West, and in many countries they have since become common practice. In the USA, cutting-edge companies sometimes let their employees take a sabbatical as reward for years of loyal work. They may even pay a discounted salary. Many Europeans take a year off after school or university just to relax, travel, or ponder the course of their career. The concept is widely understood.

Who might take one?
A career sabbatical is taking extended time off of work for personal reasons. Many people use this time for personal growth and self-fulfillment. They may be unmotivated at work and feel that some time off will help them reenergize and be much more focused when they return. Career sabbaticals can be taken by people at all stages in their career for a number of different reasons, including extended maternity leave, marriage, a serious illness, the death of a family member or friend, a mid-life crisis, exhaustion, or just the desire to travel or dive one hundred percent into a new hobby or sport.

The percentage of people who take career sabbaticals is actually quite low. Most people shy away from it due to financial, career, or family pressures and concerns. Only confident people are willing to take time off, with the attitude that somehow, some way, they will land on their feet and get back into the workplace to restart their career.

Re-entering the workforce with grace
If your company didn’t pay for you to take time off as a reward for loyal service, chances are you had to give notice and pull up stakes on your own. Your job might be waiting for you, or it might be gone.

How you are received back has much to do with the terms upon which you left. If you left at a difficult time for the company, did not give enough notice for the company to be able to replace you, or the employer is just be plain jealous of your confidence to take a break without concern for the consequences, your chances of getting rehired are slim. Many employers just take offence when people take a career sabbatical, and they will not agree to rehire them.

If you and your employer parted ways, temporarily, on good terms, and if you were a valuable contributor to the company, the employer is likely to invite you back.

Explain the gap with grace
When reentering the workforce, explain truthfully the gap in your resume. However, make every effort to reassure the potential new employer that your sabbatical days are over, as nobody wants to hire someone knowing ahead of time that the person intends to leave again. In the interview, detail the positive aspects of your sabbatical and describe how it will make you an even more valuable employee.

When people reenter the workforce after taking time off, even if rehired by their old company, they are not always offered a job at the same level or higher, so get ready for this. Often they will need to take two steps back. But this is the trade-off for those who take a break—the risk is worth it to, say, travel the world for a year and live life to its fullest.

Don’t be afraid to take the plunge
Career sabbaticals are becoming more and more popular. You don’t have to be trapped in a place where you feel stressed and depressed. If you are confident enough in yourself and your ability to rejoin the workforce, than go ahead and train for the triathalon, learn to paint, take a foreign language, hike in the Scottish highlands, or travel the world. If life demands it, don’t be afraid to take the time to help a family member or friend in need. If you do take a sabbatical, don’t look back—enjoy your time off to the fullest and make the most of your freedom.

The Well is a member of Staffwell, Specialists at Recruiting in Russia. For your corporate hiring needs, please contact sales@staffwell.com or +7(495) 790-7490. For assistance with finding new employment, please email your CV to resume@staffwell.com and search our current job vacancies at www.staffwell.com.