Things to do during career break (improve skill, build credentials, etc)?

Hi there,

Look, personally, if it were me, I take time off and take a bit of a break.

But, you asked for what sort of work you can do. Some of the main options are:

1. Attending various academies/programs focused on consulting skills
2. Contracting yourself out (so many headhunters on LinkedIn)
3. Running your own start-up
4. Getting credentials in, like you said, skills like Tableau/Alteryx/Excel

Hi there,

First of all, congratulations on your career trajectory thus far!

I would be happy to share my thoughts on your question:

• First of all, I would highly advise you to dedicate thorough time into understanding about your mid- to long-term career aspirations before deciding on how to spend this time. Each of the options you've outlined, whether it's earning a certificate like the CFA or PMP, or improving your problem solving and business modeling skills, will have different impacts depending on your future goals. For instance, a CFA may not be very meaningful unless you want to get into the field of finance.
• Moreover, combining skill development with earning credentials could be a beneficial strategy. Self-improvement in problem solving and business modeling can be quite compelling to future employers, especially when these skills are fortified with relevant certifications. Certificates are not just "good to have", they provide tangible proof of your competencies. They can be particularly useful in situations where you're trying to transition into new industries.
• Lastly, it's great that you consider activities that demonstrate initiative and leadership, such as starting a small business or volunteering. These experiences not only enrich your resume but can also provide compelling stories for future interviews. They demonstrate your ability to take initiative, solve complex problems, and lead, all of which are valuable in both consulting and corporate strategy roles.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to address your specific situation, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Hi,

Great to hear about your motivation and growth mindset. My thoughts

• If I were you, i'd use the time to do something different and meaningful probably either volunteering or starting a small business
  • This would give you exposure to new experiences (and in some ways ‘skill sets’) that otherwise you would not get in the corporate environment
• Certs & other skill enhancements - to be honest I'm not sure how significant certain future employers will value this
  • E.g. MBB really doesnt care about CFA or PMP
  • E.g. While it is useful to try and get better at your consulting toolkit, a Corp strat team would arguable value actual project/work more than an online course

All the best!

Hi there, 

It's always nice to see motivated people who really want to get better. 

But I'm always skeptical whether the best thing to spend your time on in these few months of freedom is to fulfil other people's expectation of what you should be doing. 

Try instead to think of what person you'd genuinely want to be in 10-20 years from now. What is missing for you to get there? How you could use the time you have now to trigger this change? 

Getting the CFA might fade in comparison. 

Best,
Cristian

I don't think employers care about certificates. There may be a few exceptions (e.g. sig sigma, lean) but that really depends on the company and role.

Tools that are related to AI / analytics / IT tools can be quite useful. These have an increasing importance in consulting - but also depend on the specific firm and role.

You can learn some new financial skills (e.g. financial modelling), these can be useful if they broaden your business understanding. But once again, depends on specific firm and role.

There are other options: toastmasters, for example.

You need to first understand what is useful for your career ON THE LONG RUN. And then decide based on that.

What you should NEVER do it to start something just to build up your resume. Most likely than not it is not worth the effort.

Hi there,

definitely use the time to address some items on your bucket list - go travel, visit friends you haven’t seen in a long time or finally read that book that has been catching dust on your shelf. 
 

A career break is a great opportunity to re-evaluate your current path and whether or not you want to course correct it. If you have a track record in consulting, you don’t need to waste time on some certifications in my opinion. That won’t move the needle for your next job. More importantly, you should be motivated for your new job and enter it with fresh energy. So make sure you recharge those batteries and identify job opportunities that would actually excite you - rather than just going for what you think is “expected” or in line with what you have done previously.

Best of luck
 

Hi there, 

adding to the valuable advice of the other coaches, I would first of all take an actual break.

With regards to the options you mentioned,

1. Certificates: given you already worked in consulting, this won't do much to boost your chances, to be honest. Relevant work experience trumps certs any day.
2. Volunteering: helpful, as firms will count it towards your extracurricular engagement score
3. Freelancing / small business: can be a great idea, as you can build new skills that way, it increases financial runway (I assume) and it gives you completely new angles in terms of business judgment and the corporate world, which will pay big dividends in the furture
4. Self-enhancement: always useful, yet your learning will be much better if there is a concrete project / purpose / outcome and/or you have skin in the game. Theoretical learning in isolation will usually not stick, so you should combine this with point 3 (e.g. a small business idea / side hustle). That way learning is most effective.

Hope this helps.

Regards, Andi