Sabbatical lessons: What I learnt from mine; golden advice from Nitin Paranjpe

By Meera Iyer

If you have decided to start a family, there is a minimum break that every woman has to take from office. When the paid maternity break ends, which today has thankfully moved to 6 months, many women are torn between the idea of extending that break and the fear that it may hamper their chances of rebuilding a career.


This holds true not just about maternity breaks – rather taking a break for a few months or years at any point in your career is often considered a suicidal move from which there is no recovering.

I took a 2.5 year sabbatical when my family moved to Bengaluru from Mumbai – we found out that I was expecting my second child and with no job in hand, a new house to set up and a 2-year-old to settle in a new city, I chose to take a break.

The choice wasn't so simple the first time I had gone on maternity break, during my tenure at HUL. I wanted to return to work and prove I was still at the top of my game, that I was not left behind because of the 6 months I was off. But raising a child makes you realise that some things are more important in life, and the second time, I had no insecurities while choosing to go on sabbatical.

When I was ready to get back, I did so as the Head of Marketing for bigbasket - a rich role, a new industry, a start-up - and I would call it a lucky break.

Lucky because my husband was well connected and introduced me to head hunters who helped me land the job.

Yes, I did not start at pay parity – but it only made me more determined to do better and deservedly get to the parity I sought.

You don’t get lucky all the time, so if I had to start my career all over, here are the few changes I would make, which can be immensely useful if you ever decide on a taking break.

1. Build a strong network
I had, in the 9 years spent at HUL, never bothered to build networks outside or foster any key relationships within. I loved my work, I had good relationships with the numerous teams I worked with and I felt happy. But that was a mistake.

Lesson learnt: Invest time in networking with people. If possible, build meaningful relationships with some of your colleagues and find a mentor.

2. Plan for the unknown
I did not plan for a career outside HUL. So when our family had to shift to Bengaluru, I had no idea about what to do ahead.

Lesson learnt: Always have a Plan B in your head. This will help when life catches you by surprise. Discuss it with people you trust and you are likely to get some great inputs too. It is also important to regularly explore various available roles in the market and be informed periodically.

3. Connections matter
I lost touch with most of my former colleagues during my 2.5 year break. With a new city came a new number - in an era before mobile number portability - and a busy life that led me to lose the few contacts that I had. Now being out of mind and sight can be a problem when it is time to return to the workforce.

Lesson learnt: Stay in touch. It will make the process of returning much simpler, specially if you have managed to remain in the spontaneous recall set of your network. It’s a basic rule of marketing.

4. Do your groundwork
When I decided to return to work after my sabbatical, the world was a slightly newer place. Digital marketing had taken over. I had the option to pick between new age ecommerce companies or traditional companies. While my decision to go with the former worked out in the end, I spent enough time debating it over and coming to the conclusion.

Lesson learnt: Do your groundwork before you decide to return. Draw up a list of all the companies that you find interesting and suit your profile. This will make the job hunt simpler.

5. Don't hold back
I met with two companies during my job hunt process and while at one place both the firm and I immediately liked the approach to work , at the other I realised that my idea of building a brand and the founder's didn't match. The only way I was able to figure out these details was by asking questions during the interview stage.

Lesson learnt: Be proactive in sharing your thoughts about the organization – people love that. Don’t just let your past experiences shape your interviewers thoughts, let them look forward to having you on board because they are excited by your current ideas.

When you are getting back, you want to get into something that fits well with your thoughts. This is important as it helps set you up for a decent post-sabbatical tenure at a company. Invest time in getting to know the company and people you'll work with.

6. What goes around comes around
Before joining Medlife, during a meeting with the company's founder, I offered to analyse their new creatives and also suggested measurements to compute success, even though I wasn't looking for a job change at the time. This act worked in my favour later when I was looking to switch roles.

Lesson to remember: A good deed never goes unnoticed. So even if returning to the office isn't in your immediate future, it is never hurts to make connections.

The reality is that we are still not a sabbatical-friendly country. But as Nitin Paranjpe, COO, Unilever PLC, who was my mentor at HUL, once told me, “We all have 40 years of work life to shape in our time. A year or 2 here and there wont make a difference. Ultimately if you have the talent and grit to reach the top, you will do so, despite any small hiccups like a 2 year period in a 40 year career.”

He was right. So stop fretting. Take a break but do it without the mistakes I made.

- The author is the Chief Marketing Officer at Medlife.com.

IIFL Wealth Hurun India List: Meet India’s Richest Women

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The IIFL Wealth Hurun India Women Rich List is out. In its second year of existence, the list continues to celebrate women wealth creators in the country. And despite strong murmurs of an economic slowdown, this list has something to cheer about, after all.

The number of women in this year’s rich list has grown to 152 women. And while that can hardly be called an equal representation - with just about 16 percent of the total number of individuals - it’s a leap from previous years where women were hardly visible.

Here's a list of this year's entrants:

The IIFL Wealth Hurun India Women Rich List is out. In its second year of existence, the list continues to celebrate women wealth creators in the country. And despite strong murmurs of an economic sl..

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The 37-year-old HCL Technologies scion tops this year’s women rich list at Rs 36,800 crore. Roshni Nadar, the only child of Shiv and Kiran Nadar, is also the only woman in the top 20 that boasts of the usual suspects including Mukesh Ambani, Azim Premji and Gautam Adani. Roshni, who is married to Shikhar Malhotra, also serves as the Executive Director and CEO of HCL Enterprise. Ranked 51 in the Forbes Power List 2018, she has been driving change via diversity and philanthropy through the Shiv Nadar Foundation.

The 37-year-old HCL Technologies scion tops this year’s women rich list at Rs 36,800 crore. Roshni Nadar, the only child of Shiv and Kiran Nadar, is also the only woman in the top 20 that boasts of t..

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Smitha V. Crishna ranks second on this year’s list at Rs 31,400 crore. A third-generation heir of the Godrej Empire, she has a one-fifth stake in the Group, along with her brothers. Her brother Jamshyd runs consumer goods firm Godrej & Boyce. She is married to Vijay Crishna, a well-known theatre actor, and has a daughter Nyrika Holkar who also works in the group. In 2014, she purchased a bungalow belonging to the late atomic physicist, Dr. Homi J. Bhabha, for ₹371 crore. The bungalow was demolished two years later, with reports of a high-rise being planned in its place. This move was met with much displeasure by the Indian scientific community.

Smitha V. Crishna ranks second on this year’s list at Rs 31,400 crore. A third-generation heir of the Godrej Empire, she has a one-fifth stake in the Group, along with her brothers. Her brother Jamsh..

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Kiran Nadar, who comes third in the list at Rs 25,100 crore, is a well-known art enthusiast. Under her patronage and guidance, the famed Kiran Nadar Museum of Art has provided a platform to young artists, and also helped improve the visual aesthetics of public spaces in and around the National Capital. Apart from art and aesthetics, the 67-year-old is also one of the top bridge players in the country and has represented India in several world championships. Last year, Nadar led her team to win Gold at the Commonwealth Bridge Games in Australia.

Kiran Nadar, who comes third in the list at Rs 25,100 crore, is a well-known art enthusiast. Under her patronage and guidance, the famed Kiran Nadar Museum of Art has provided a platform to young art..

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With a net worth of Rs 18,500 crore, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw of Biocon retains the crown of the richest self-made woman in India. She founded Biocon in 1978 and has led its successful IPO in 2004. The Biocon Chairperson and Managing Director, who has 1.5 mn followers on Twitter, has often highlighted government apathy and policy failures on the micro-blogging site. A role model for millions of young women, she has also been conferred with the Padma Shri and the Padma Bhushan for her achievements.

With a net worth of Rs 18,500 crore, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw of Biocon retains the crown of the richest self-made woman in India. She founded Biocon in 1978 and has led its successful IPO in 2004. The Bi..

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Irrespective of gender, pharmaceuticals has shone in this year’s rich list. Of the top ten entries, four belong to the domain. Manju Deshbandhu Gupta follows biocon entrepreneur Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw at the fifth slot with Rs 18,000 crore. She served as the Executive Director of Lupin till 2017, and has been a Member of the Board for over four decades.

(Image: Lupin)

Irrespective of gender, pharmaceuticals has shone in this year’s rich list. Of the top ten entries, four belong to the domain. Manju Deshbandhu Gupta follows biocon entrepreneur Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw a..

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The pharmaceuticals domain continues its golden streak in this year's IIFL Wealth Hurun India Rich List. Leena Gandhi Tewari, the chairperson of USV Private Limited which is a multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company, comes in at the sixth position. Her wealth is estimated at Rs 13, 200 crore. USV was founded by her grandfather Vithal Balkrishna Gandhi in 1961.

(Image: USV India)

The pharmaceuticals domain continues its golden streak in this year's IIFL Wealth Hurun India Rich List. Leena Gandhi Tewari, the chairperson of USV Private Limited which is a multinational pharmaceu..

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Hyderabad-based Nilima Motaparti comes in at number eight on the list. The daughter of Divi's Laboratories founder Murali Divi, her wealth is valued at Rs 9,800 crore. She has a masters in international business from Gitam Institute of Foreign Trade, Visakhapatnam, and masters in international finance from Glasgow University in the UK. At Divis Laboratories, she acts as the Chief Controller - Commercial, and handles finances and matters related to procurement.

(Image: Divis Labs)

Hyderabad-based Nilima Motaparti comes in at number eight on the list. The daughter of Divi's Laboratories founder Murali Divi, her wealth is valued at Rs 9,800 crore. She has a masters in internatio..

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The London-born, India-raised Jayshree Ullal ranks at the ninth spot. The President and CEO of Arista Networks, she is now one of the wealthiest female executives in America. She owns close to 5 per cent of Arista's stock, some of which has been kept for her two children, niece and nephew.She studied electrical engineering at the San Francisco State University. The 58-year-old lives in Saratoga, California.

(Image: LinkedIn)

The London-born, India-raised Jayshree Ullal ranks at the ninth spot. The President and CEO of Arista Networks, she is now one of the wealthiest female executives in America. She owns close to 5 per ..

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Sangita Jindal, the better half of steel magnate Sajjan Jindal, is ranked at the tenth position with Rs 9,600 crore. She is the Chairman of the JSW Foundation which drives social development projects within the Group. The 57-year-old also leads Jindal Arts Centre and is the President of Art India magazine that focuses on contemporary art practices and critical theory. She has one son and two daughters.

Sangita Jindal, the better half of steel magnate Sajjan Jindal, is ranked at the tenth position with Rs 9,600 crore. She is the Chairman of the JSW Foundation which drives social development projects..

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