Re-Launch Your Career

Whether your time away from the workforce was planned or unexpected, short-term or extended, re-entering your career path is a bold and empowering move—and one that many Kelley alumni make with success, support, and renewed purpose. Still, returning after a career break can raise tough questions: “Will I be taken seriously?” “Am I too far behind?” “How do I explain my time away?” 

This page helps you navigate those challenges and re-enter the workforce on your terms. You’ll find a four-part roadmap with practical strategies, tailored guidance for each career stage, and tools to turn your story into your advantage. 

Rebuilding your professional identity often starts with rebuilding belief in yourself.

It’s completely normal to feel uncertain or even self-conscious after time away. You might worry that your experience is outdated, or that others will question your commitment. You may also feel like you’re starting over. But here’s the truth: your break doesn’t diminish your value—it may actually deepen it. Life experiences outside of work can build the exact kinds of leadership traits organizations crave today: resilience, empathy, resourcefulness, and perspective.

This section will help you shift your internal narrative and prepare to show up with confidence. You’ll explore how to reframe your career break as part of your story—not a gap to explain away, but a chapter to build from.

Actions:

• Reflect on what you gained during your break (skills, insights, personal growth).

• Revisit your past accomplishments and write them down to rebuild confidence.

• Practice telling your story with clarity and ownership: “After taking time away to [reason], I’m excited to return to work and contribute [strengths].”

Tips by Career Stage:

• Early Career: Focus on transferable skills and internship or project experience.

• Mid-Career: Position your return as a strategic move with fresh perspective.

• Senior/Encore: Highlight depth of leadership and how time away refined your sense of purpose.

The workplace evolves quickly—and the tools you use to get hired must evolve too.

One of the most common relaunch obstacles is realizing that your résumé, LinkedIn, or technical skills feel stale. Maybe you haven’t updated your materials in years. Maybe the platforms have changed, or job search practices feel intimidating. You’re not alone—and you’re not behind. What matters is your willingness to update and re-engage.

In this section, you’ll learn how to modernize your résumé and online presence, address a career break with confidence, and explore training opportunities to sharpen your skills. This is your chance to re-enter equipped and ready.

Actions:

• Update your LinkedIn and résumé to reflect your most recent achievements—and don’t skip the career break. Consider a section like: "2022–2024: Full-time caregiving | Developed project management, negotiation, and resilience skills through managing complex needs."

• Consider short courses, certifications, or webinars to re-sharpen technical fluency or learn new tools (e.g., AI literacy, data visualization, agile project management).

• Reconnect with former colleagues or Kelley peers to ask what’s changed in the field.

Tools to Explore:

➡️ Job Search Strategy & Tools

➡️ Kelley Executive Education Programs

➡️ LinkedIn Learning, Coursera, edX, or industry-specific training

When you're ready to re-launch, who you know is just as important as what you know—and reconnecting can feel daunting.

You may worry about reaching out after time has passed. You might fear seeming opportunistic or unsure what to say. But remember: people want to help—you just have to make it easy for them. The Kelley network is wide, welcoming, and full of professionals who understand what it means to navigate career transitions.

This section will help you re-engage your existing connections, make new ones, and tap into the hidden job market. You’ll also learn how to approach conversations with purpose and professionalism, not awkwardness.

Actions:

• Reconnect with 5–10 people you trust. Let them know you’re returning to work and the kind of roles or impact you’re looking for.

• Attend a Kelley alumni event (in person or virtual), industry meet-up, or local networking group.

• Ask for informational interviews, not just job leads. Conversations open doors.

Tips by Career Stage:

• Early Career: Reach out to professors, internship mentors, and classmates.

• Mid-Career: Re-engage past colleagues and professional associations.

• Senior/Encore: Focus on strategic connectors, boards, or consultative networks.

When it’s time to make your move, strategy matters—and so does knowing what you truly want.

The biggest risk during a career relaunch is jumping at the first available opportunity without considering whether it aligns with your values, skills, or lifestyle. You may feel pressure to prove yourself, take a lower-level role, or settle. But this is your opportunity to relaunch with intention.

This section will help you define your priorities, evaluate different types of re-entry roles, and pursue opportunities that set you up for sustainable success. Whether you want to return to the same field, pivot, or try something new entirely, you’ll leave this section with more clarity and more control.

Consider These Questions:

• What kind of impact do I want to have in this next chapter?

• What are my non-negotiables (location, schedule, values, compensation)?

• Do I want to return full-time, part-time, hybrid, or contract?

Common Paths:

• Return to your previous industry in a new role

• Pivot to a new function or domain with refreshed skills

• Launch a consulting practice or freelance career

• Start with a project-based or returnship-style engagement to ease back in

Resources:

➡️ Kelley Alumni Career Coaching

➡️Career relaunch programs (iRelaunch, Path Forward, reacHIRE)

Re-launching your career isn’t about going backward. It’s about integrating what you’ve learned, expanding what you offer, and finding the next chapter that fits your life today. Many Kelley alumni have made this transition—and you can too. With the right tools, story, and support, your return to the workforce can be one of the most intentional and rewarding moves of your career. 

Next Steps:

📥 Download the Return to Work Reflection Worksheet

➡️ Schedule a 1:1 with a coach or find a mentor for ideas and support