How to get back to work after a career break | Carol Fishman Cohen

翻译人员: Hancheng Li 校对人员: Susan Zhang

People returning to work after a career break:

有些人经过离职长假之后 重新投入到工作中来，

I call them relaunchers.

我称他们为“再从业者”。

These are people who have taken career breaks for elder care,

这些人选择休离职长假， 有些是要照顾老人，

for childcare reasons,

有些是要照顾孩子，

pursuing a personal interest

也有些是追求个人爱好，

or a personal health issue.

或是健康因素。

Closely related are career transitioners of all kinds:

各行各业转业的人 都与之紧密相关：

veterans, military spouses,

退伍军人、军嫂，

retirees coming out of retirement

退休返聘的人，

or repatriating expats.

或遣返回国者。

Returning to work after a career break is hard

离职长假后重返工作 是非常困难的，

because of a disconnect between the employers

因为雇主和再从业者之间

and the relaunchers.

有了隔阂。

Employers can view hiring people with a gap on their resume

雇主们认为，雇佣这些 简历上工作时间不连贯的人

as a high-risk proposition,

是风险极高的决策，

and individuals on career break can have doubts about their abilities

而正在离职长假中的人

可能对自己再从业的能力产生疑虑，

to relaunch their careers,

especially if they've been out for a long time.

特别是那些离职时间较长者。

This disconnect is a problem that I'm trying to help solve.

两者间的缺乏联系 是我在尝试解决的问题。

Now, successful relaunchers are everywhere and in every field.

如今，我们在各行各业 都能见到成功的再从业者。

This is Sami Kafala.

这位是萨米·科法拉，

He's a nuclear physicist in the UK

他是英国的一位核物理学家，

who took a five-year career break to be home with his five children.

因为要在家照顾五个孩子 而度过了五年的离职长假。

The Singapore press recently wrote about nurses returning to work

新加坡的媒体最近发表了文章，

内容是有关离职长假后再从业的护士。

after long career breaks.

And speaking of long career breaks,

提到长时间的离职假期，

this is Mimi Kahn.

这位是米米·卡恩,

She's a social worker in Orange County, California,

她是加州奥兰治县的一位社工，

who returned to work in a social services organization

她在度过25年的离职长假后

after a 25-year career break.

回到了一个社会服务组织工作。

That's the longest career break that I'm aware of.

这是据我所知最长的离职假期。

Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor

最高法院法官桑德拉·戴·奥康纳，

took a five-year career break early in her career.

在其职业生涯早期 度过了五年离职长假。

And this is Tracy Shapiro, who took a 13-year career break.

这位是特蕾西·莎碧罗， 她度过了13年的离职长假。

Tracy answered a call for essays by the Today Show

特蕾西答复了从“今日秀”节目观众中 征集到的问题，

from people who were trying to return to work

他们想要重返工作，

but having a difficult time of it.

却发现很难做到。

Tracy wrote in that she was a mom of five who loved her time at home,

特蕾西写道：自己是五个孩子的母亲， 也很享受居家的时间，

but she had gone through a divorce and needed to return to work,

但是她历经了一次离婚， 并且急需回到工作状态，

plus she really wanted to bring work back into her life

另外，她很想把工作 带回她的生活中，

because she loved working.

因为她也很享受工作。

Tracy was doing what so many of us do

特蕾西也曾做过 我们很多人所做的事，

when we feel like we've put in a good day in the job search.

每天不停的搜寻合适的工作。

She was looking for a finance or accounting role,

她找过财经、会计领域的职位，

and she had just spent the last nine months

她在那之前花掉了九个月时间，

very diligently researching companies online

很努力地调查网上的公司，

and applying for jobs with no results.

然后投放简历，却一无所获。

I met Tracy in June of 2011,

我在2011年六月见到了特蕾西，

when the Today Show asked me if I could work with her

那时“今日秀”节目 问我可否与她合作，

to see if I could help her turn things around.

看我能不能帮她走出困境。

The first thing I told Tracy was she had to get out of the house.

我告诉特蕾西的第一件事， 就是她必须走出家门。

I told her she had to go public with her job search

我告诉她，她必须 公开自己求职的想法，

and tell everyone she knew about her interest in returning to work.

然后告诉她认识的所有人， 自己再从业的强烈意愿。

I also told her, "You are going to have a lot of conversations

我还告诉她， “有很多你参与的对话

that don't go anywhere.

是对你完全没有帮助的。

Expect that, and don't be discouraged by it.

你要做好心理准备， 别因为那些而灰心丧气。

There will be a handful

找到工作机会之前，

that ultimately lead to a job opportunity."

确实要经历很多琐事。”

I'll tell you what happened with Tracy in a little bit,

我稍后再告诉你们 特蕾西是如何处理的，

but I want to share with you a discovery that I made

我想先跟大家分享 我的一个发现，

when I was returning to work

那时我刚刚回到工作中，

after my own career break of 11 years out of the full-time workforce.

结束了自己离开全职工作大军 11年的长假。

And that is, that people's view of you is frozen in time.

这个发现就是， 人们对你的印象凝固在过去。

What I mean by this is, when you start to get in touch with people

我的意思是， 当你再次开始与人打交道，

and you get back in touch with those people from the past,

与曾经合作过的人重新接触，

the people with whom you worked or went to school,

例如跟你一起上学、工作过的人，

they are going to remember you as you were

他们对你的印象是

before your career break.

离职长假之前的你。

And that's even if your sense of self has diminished over time,

我们的自我意识 随着时间推移逐渐淡化，

as happens with so many of us

我们很多人都会这样，

the farther removed we are from our professional identities.

我们距离我们的职业身份 也就越来越远。

So for example, you might think of yourself

举个例子， 你可能把你自己看成这样。

as someone who looks like this.

This is me, crazy after a day of driving around in my minivan.

这就是我，开了一天小面包车， 整个人感觉很疯狂。

Or here I am in the kitchen.

这是我在厨房里的样子。

But those people from the past,

但是从前的那些人，

they don't know about any of this.

他们对这些一无所知。

They only remember you as you were,

他们只记得你曾经的样子，

and it's a great confidence boost to be back in touch with these people

当你重新与这些人沟通时， 真是大大的增强了自信心，

and hear their enthusiasm about your interest in returning to work.

而且他们对你有再从业的兴趣 感到非常的开心。

There's one more thing I remember vividly from my own career break.

我还清晰地记得发生在 我离职长假中的一件事。

And that was that I hardly kept up with the business news.

那时我几乎完全不关注经济新闻。

My background is in finance,

我曾是财经行业出身，

and I hardly kept up with any news

然而我在家照顾四个孩子时，

when I was home caring for my four young children.

我几乎不关注任何的新闻。

So I was afraid I'd go into an interview

所以我很害怕， 自己去参加面试的时候，

and start talking about a company that didn't exist anymore.

会讲到一个不复存在的公司。

So I had to resubscribe to the Wall Street Journal

所以我重新订阅了华尔街日报，

and read it for a good six months cover to cover before I felt

然后连续看了六个月，

like I had a handle on what was going on in the business world again.

之后我才觉得自己对经济 又有了点解了。

I believe relaunchers are a gem of the workforce,

我相信再从业者是 劳动大军中的精英，

and here's why.

原因如下。

Think about our life stage:

想想我们人生的阶段：

for those of us who took career breaks for childcare reasons,

对于那些因为要照顾孩子 而休离职假期的人，

we have fewer or no maternity leaves.

大都没有产假，或是产假很短。

We did that already.

我们早就做过这些了。

We have fewer spousal or partner job relocations.

我们离婚率较低， 也很少因伴侣而调整工作。

We're in a more settled time of life.

我们的生活更稳定。

We have great work experience.

我们有很棒的工作经历，

We have a more mature perspective.

更成熟的眼光，

We're not trying to find ourselves at an employer's expense.

我们不会成为雇主的牺牲品。

Plus we have an energy, an enthusiasm about returning to work

此外，我们有一种能量 - 重返岗位的热情，

precisely because we've been away from it for a while.

正是因为我们离职一段时间了。

On the flip side, I speak with employers,

另外，我也跟雇主讨论，

and here are two concerns that employers have

以下是雇主们 关于雇佣再从业者的两个担忧。

about hiring relaunchers.

The first one is, employers are worried that relaunchers

其一，雇主担心这些再从业者

are technologically obsolete.

技术方面比较落后。

Now, I can tell you,

我可以告诉各位，

having been technologically obsolete myself at one point,

虽然有段时间我自己技术确实落后，

that it's a temporary condition.

但那只是暂时的。

I had done my financial analysis so long ago that I used Lotus 1-2-3.

很早以前我用“莲花123”软件 来做财经分析，

I don't know if anyone can even remember back that far,

我不知道有没有人还记得 那么早以前的事了，

but I had to relearn it on Excel.

这些技能我得在 Excel上重新拾起。

It actually wasn't that hard. A lot of the commands are the same.

其实这并并非难事， 很多的操作指令是一样的。

I found PowerPoint much more challenging,

我发现PowerPoint更具挑战性，

but now I use PowerPoint all the time.

但现在我对PowerPoint驾轻就熟。

I tell relaunchers that employers expect them to come to the table

我告诉再从业者们， 雇主希望找工作的人

with a working knowledge of basic office management software.

对基本的办公管理软件 有实践经验。

And if they're not up to speed,

如果他们操作速度不够快，

then it's their responsibility to get there.

那他们就必须变得更高效。

And they do.

而他们确实做得到。

The second area of concern that employers have about relaunchers

雇主对再从业者的第二种忧虑，

is they're worried that relaunchers don't know what they want to do.

就是他们担心再从业者 不清楚他们想要做什么。

I tell relaunchers that they need to do the hard work

我告诉再从业者， 他们必须仔细研究，

to figure out whether their interests and skills have changed

了解自己的爱好或者技能

or have not changed

在离职长假的过程中

while they have been on career break.

是否发生了变化。

That's not the employer's job.

这不是雇主的职责。

It's the relauncher's responsibility to demonstrate to the employer

这个是再从业者的责任， 把自己展现给雇主，

where they can add the most value.

来充分展示自己可创造的价值。

Back in 2010 I started noticing something.

2010年，我开始注意到一件事。

I had been tracking return to work programs since 2008,

我从2008年开始追踪 人们重返岗位的情况，

and in 2010, I started noticing

然而在2010年，我开始注意到，

the use of a short-term paid work opportunity,

一种短期、带薪的工作机会开始出现，

whether it was called an internship or not,

不论它是不是名叫“实习”，

but an internship-like experience,

但总之是一个很像实习的经历，

as a way for professionals to return to work.

这为重回岗位的专业人士 开辟了一条道路。

I saw Goldman Sachs and Sara Lee

我看到高盛和莎莉集团

start corporate reentry internship programs.

都开始了此类 二次从业的实习项目。

I saw a returning engineer, a nontraditional reentry candidate,

我看到一个再从业的工程师， 算是不太传统的再从业人士，

apply for an entry-level internship program in the military,

申请了一个 军方的初级实习项目，

and then get a permanent job afterward.

后来他获得了一个永久的工作。

I saw two universities integrate internships

我看到两所大学

将实习项目整合到 职业中期管理学教育项目中。

into mid-career executive education programs.

So I wrote a report about what I was seeing,

于是，就我所观察到的现象， 我写了一篇报告，

and it became this article for Harvard Business Review

后来它发表在了 《哈佛商业评论》中，

called "The 40-Year-Old Intern."

名字叫《40岁的实习生》。

I have to thank the editors there for that title,

我必须得感谢编者拟的标题，

and also for this artwork

还有这个很棒的配图，

where you can see the 40-year-old intern in the midst of all the college interns.

你们可以看到那个40岁的实习生 出现在一群大学实习生中。

And then, courtesy of Fox Business News,

后来，还得感谢福克斯商业新闻，

they called the concept "The 50-Year-Old Intern."

他们把这个概念称为 “50岁的实习生”。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

So five of the biggest financial services companies

五家最大的金融服务公司

have reentry internship programs for returning finance professionals.

都设立了再从业实习项目， 专为重回岗位的金融精英。

And at this point, hundreds of people have participated.

截至目前，数百人参与了这些项目。

These internships are paid,

这些实习项目是带薪的，

and the people who move on to permanent roles

而且那些晋升到永久岗位的人，

are commanding competitive salaries.

都有极具竞争力的薪资。

And now, seven of the biggest engineering companies

现在，七家最大的工程公司，

are piloting reentry internship programs for returning engineers

也在推行再从业实习项目， 来帮助重返岗位的工程师，

as part of an initiative with the Society of Women Engineers.

这也是女性工程师协会 新方案的一部分。

Now, why are companies embracing the reentry internship?

那么，为什么这些企业 大力支持再从业实习呢？

Because the internship allows the employer

因为这种实习可以让雇主

to base their hiring decision on an actual work sample

基于参与者实际工作成效 来做出雇佣决策，

instead of a series of interviews,

而非一系列的面试，

and the employer does not have to make that permanent hiring decision

而且雇主不必在实习结束之前

until the internship period is over.

就做出永久雇佣的决定。

This testing out period removes the perceived risk

这段试验期消除了一定的风险，

that some managers attach to hiring relaunchers,

这关乎某些经理人 对雇佣再从业者的担忧，

and they are attracting excellent candidates

同时，这也吸引了大量再从业人士，

who are turning into great hires.

他们成为了出色的雇佣对象。

Think about how far we have come.

各位,想一想我们取得的进步，

Before this, most employers were not interested

在此之前，大多数雇主

根本没兴趣与再从业者打交道。

in engaging with relaunchers at all.

But now, not only are programs being developed

然而现在，有许多项目在开展实施，

specifically with relaunchers in mind,

特别是针对再从业者的项目，

but you can't even apply for these programs

如果简历上没有一段空档期，

unless you have a gap on your résumé.

你根本不能申请这些项目。

This is the mark of real change,

这标志着一种实质变化，

of true institutional shift,

一种真正的制度变革，

because if we can solve this problem for relaunchers,

因为如果我们可以 为再从业者解决这个问题，

we can solve it for other career transitioners too.

我们亦可为其他的职业转型者 解决同样的问题。

In fact, an employer just told me

事实上，一位雇主刚刚告诉我，

that their veterans return to work program

他们的“退伍军人再从业项目”，

is based on their reentry internship program.

就是基于他们的再从业实习项目。

And there's no reason why there can't be a retiree internship program.

我们也没有理由不去设立 一个“退休人士实习项目”。

Different pool, same concept.

不同的对象，相同的概念。

So let me tell you what happened with Tracy Shapiro.

让我告诉你们特蕾西·莎碧罗 最后发生了什么。

Remember that she had to tell everyone she knew

各位回想一下， 她必须告诉她认识的每一个人，

about her interest in returning to work.

自己对重返工作岗位很有兴趣。

Well, one critical conversation with another parent in her community

结果，她与自己社区里的长辈 进行了一次关键的谈话，

led to a job offer for Tracy,

这让她找到了一份工作邀请。

and it was an accounting job in a finance department.

那是一个金融部门的会计工作。

But it was a temp job.

但那是临时的。

The company told her there was a possibility

公司告诉她， 有可能有岗位晋升的机会，

it could turn into something more, but no guarantees.

但是不能保证。

This was in the fall of 2011.

那是2011年的秋天。

Tracy loved this company, and she loved the people

特蕾西很爱那个公司， 而且她喜欢那里的员工，

and the office was less than 10 minutes from her house.

从办公室去她家只需10分钟。

So even though she had a second job offer

所以即使她后来得到了 第二份工作邀请，

at another company for a permanent full-time role,

来自另一家公司， 而且有永久、全职的保证，

she decided to take her chances with this internship

她决定在这份实习项目中冒冒险，

and hope for the best.

尽人事，听天命。

Well, she ended up blowing away all of their expectations,

最后，她的业绩 远远超出了所有人的期望值，

and the company not only made her a permanent offer

公司不但提供了她永久岗位，

at the beginning of 2012,

那是在2012年初，

but they made it even more interesting and challenging,

而且他们还让她的工作 更加有趣、有挑战性，

because they knew what Tracy could handle.

因为他们知道特蕾西可以办得到。

Fast forward to 2015,

时间快进到2015年，

Tracy's been promoted.

特蕾西获得了晋升。

They've paid for her to get her MBA at night.

公司为她的夜校工商管理课程买单。

She's even hired another relauncher to work for her.

她甚至雇佣了 另一位再从业者为她工作。

Tracy's temp job was a tryout,

特蕾西的临时工作像是一个试验，

just like an internship,

就像实习项目，

and it ended up being a win for both Tracy and her employer.

而最终，特蕾西和她的雇主 达到了双赢局面。

Now, my goal is to bring the reentry internship concept

我的目标是将这种 再从业实习的概念

to more and more employers.

推荐给越来越多的雇主。

But in the meantime,

但是与此同时，

if you are returning to work after a career break,

如果你在离职长假后重返岗位，

don't hesitate to suggest an internship or an internship-like arrangement

别犹豫向雇主提议设立实习项目， 或者类似实习项目的想法，

to an employer that does not have a formal reentry internship program.

特别是那些没有 正式的再从业实习项目的公司。

Be their first success story,

争当他们的第一个成功故事，

and you can be the example for more relaunchers to come.

而你们都可以成为 未来更多再从业者的楷模。

Thank you.

谢谢大家。

(Applause)

（掌声）