On-ramping

Best Practices for Returning to Work

“On-ramping is the process of re-entering the workforce after taking a career break (usually to care for family). It is paired with the term “off-ramping”, or exiting the workforce as a temporary career break” says the all-powerful Wikipedia. On-ramping is a term so newly created that it is not in any traditional dictionary; not even online versions.

The term on-ramper is most generally used for women who have taken a sabbatical from work to care for a family, whether it be for a newborn baby or for a family member who is trying to return to work after an illness.

According to the Harvard Business Review, “Some 58% of high-echelon female talent experience career interruptions that sidetrack them from traditional lock-step linear career paths, penalizing earning power, sabotaging long-term promotional prospects, sapping ambition and causing many women to switch employers or quit work altogether.”

In light of this, many companies are changing their policies and allowing women to be reintroduced into the workplace after years of being an off-ramper. There are different support groups such as Goldman Sachs’ “Great Expectations” Maternity Strategy, Moody’s Backup Childcare and Eldercare, and partnerships with the company Bright Horizons that encourage this change in employee recognition.

How Off-ramping Effects On-ramping

One of the hardest reasons on-rampers find it difficult to return to the workplace is that the skills and knowledge-base needed for their career has changed or improved since they left. Hiring a temp agency, participating in online courses, and staying up-to-date with your industries trends by reading industry publications can help on-rampers stay informed and relevant in the world of potential employees.

In addition to finding it more challenging to find a job while on-ramping, most women on-rampers do not get paid the amount they did when they offramped upon returning to the workplace. In fact, many women lose salary when they return back due to the gap in working.

Tips for Onrampers

If your company is not supportive of your on-ramping back to the same position and you need to look elsewhere, here are some tips to make a better resume and cover letter:

Make sure your email address is appropriate
Make sure there are no grammatical or spelling errors – usually best to get someone else to proofread your work
Do not use personal pronouns
Describe in your cover letter how you spent your time off developing your career skills if applicable
Keep it positive

After you create the perfect resume for onramping yourself back into the past-paced world of 9-5’s and rush-hour traffic it is time to actually start the onramp process.

Are you Ready to Onramp?

Returning to work after maternity leave, after an illness, or returning after another reason takes a lot of time and dedication. It’s harder to accomplish than just walking back into your boss’s door and declaring you want your old corner office back. There might be prejudices or bias against you. Make sure you can take the heat before continuing the onramp experience. Use our checklist to see if you are ready to make the plunge.

Do you have the time to research jobs, apply to multiple positions, go to interviews, participate in job fairs, etc.?
Do you have a private desk or den area where you can work on your resume and cover letters, keep files organized and keep contact information?
Do you have a support network (significant others, parents, friends, old coworkers) that will help your morale?
Have you already self-assessed yourself as to what your likes and dislikes, wants and needs are in a job?
Are you sure you have all the educational credentials for the work you are striving to do?

Now that you’re ready, read our articles and blogs in the workforce resources section on onramping.