🎙 Episode 28 – When to Job Hunt on a Career Break: Timing Your Reentry Right
In this insightful episode, Katrina McGhee and James Hammond explore one of the most common pitfalls for career breakers: job searching too soon. Drawing on Katrina’s experience as a career break and sabbatical coach, and James’s practical wisdom from years of international job hopping, this conversation gets honest about what it truly means to be ready to reenter the workforce.
Katrina shares her proven “1 for 6” rule, helping you understand how much time you should dedicate to reentry based on the length of your break. They also discuss how early job searching can create unnecessary stress and derail the purpose of your break entirely.
Whether you're currently on a sabbatical, planning one, or feeling anxious about what comes next, this episode is packed with practical strategies on compartmentalising your job search, building a reentry plan, managing expectations, and setting clear metrics to avoid burnout.
🎯 What You’ll Learn:
Why starting the job hunt too early can backfire
How to know when you’re actually ready to reenter
The 1-for-6 reentry planning strategy
Why “pray and spray” job applications don’t work
How to compartmentalise job search energy
Tools and mindset tips for navigating rejection
The power of networking during reentry
Practical advice for job seekers in today’s AI-driven world
📌 Resources Mentioned:
Katrina’s community + course: GoBreakSpace.com
Book: Taking a Career Break for Dummies
Timestamps
00:50 – Episode Introduction
02:30 – The Trap of Starting Too Early
04:50 – The Toxic Spiral of Early Searching
06:45 – Recommended Job Search Timeline
08:30 – Making Career Pivoting Part of Your Break Theme
10:15 – Reentry Tips: Start with Clear Metrics
12:00 – Managing Rejection and Silence
14:15 – Why “Pray and Spray” Job Applications Don’t Work
16:00 – The Power of Networking Over Cold Applications
18:00 – Updated Job Search Tools & AI Advice
20:00 – Wrap Up
Listen now and reclaim control of your career break journey.
🔔 Subscribe for more deep dives into career growth, work-life balance, and mental resilience.
🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and every podcast app!
📩 Got a story about your own career break journey? DM us or leave a review—we’d love to hear from you!
If you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch today to start your journey!
BreakSpace - www.gobreakspace.com
Schedule a call with Katrina - https://kmcgheecoaching.as.me/schedule.php
Order Katrina's book - https://www.kmcgheecoaching.com/book
Email - takingacareerbreakwithkatrina@gmail.com
