Shubhangi, currently fulfilling a Returnee Internship role at Biocon, shares her story as a Restarter who took a career-break for over a year and never lost hope that the job that was right for her was out there. She ploughed through a deluge of job offers to find it and is now enjoying her ease-back into the workforce in this position with Biocon.

 I am a Microbiologist by profession, and I’ve worked in the domain of molecular biology. The decision to commit to a profession in the area of research and development (R&D) stemmed from my passion for science. Biology always intrigued me, ever since my school-days. I was amazed by the sheer scope of the subject. Everything that constitutes life can be studied under it and what fascinates me most is that the fundamentals that define life are fluid, yet have remained so entrenched in certain basic facts. I worked with the Liebniz Institute, Germany as a research fellow for about 18 months and after returning to India I joined the Jaypee Group as a microbiologist.

I personally believe in doing what you love; I am passionate about my work and I enjoy it immensely. My break happened for personal reasons. Quite a lot was happening in my life and I decided to take   one thing at a time. Getting married and settling into a new life, moving to a different city, took more time than I anticipated! My break lasted 1 year and 3 months. I would say that the major challenge after my career-break was finding the right job. I received decent offers but none in the domain that I wanted. I am an R&D person, with a focus on Molecular Biology. It was not easy to find a job with so much specificity!

But thanks to JobsForHer, I finally managed to find the job I was looking for at my dream company – Biocon. My husband is really happy that I have finally re-started my professional life. He is my pillar of strength and has gone out of his way to make sure that I get the job that I love. From staying up late with me for interview preparations, to always keeping me motivated– he has done it all! And my parents are extremely happy that I have resumed work. My advice to other women on their career-breaks is to just believe in yourself and give it time. Don’t “settle” for a job because you don’t see any other options coming your way. Trust me, nothing is more frustrating than being in a job that you hate. Personally, I took many online courses on Coursera; they kept me occupied and added value to my skills.  Focus on the positive and don’t beat yourself up if things don’t go your way. Talk to people who have a positive influence on your life. It’s all about having a good attitude while waiting, because the best things come to those who never give up!  

As Shubhangi found at Biocon, Returnee Internships  are a fantastic way to restart your career because they give you a jumpstart from where you left off. A paid internship – just like you may have done back in college – has all kinds of pros that go with it. Flexible hours, a short-term contract, exciting and meaningful projects that challenge your intelligence and test your skills, without exceeding your stress-limits and exhausting your patience. You get to straddle the best of both worlds for a little while and take time to figure it out for your particular circumstances. Here are a few returnee roles, among several others, which are available at JobsForHer.com.  To view more, visit www.jobsforher.com/jobs and start, restart and rise in your career today! Marketing Returnee Intern at SquareFoot Technology Intern at Pennyful Writing Returnee Intern at Pink Lemonade Assistance Manager, Finance, Returnee Intern at SmartOwner HR Returnee Intern at Snapdeal