Brian Fraser, Hanna-Katrina Jedrosz, Joshua Paul, Mariusz Smiejek, Nathaniel Smith for BI At a time when layoffs, low hiring rates, and a culture of mass applying have contributed to a frenzied job market, taking a career break could be one of your riskiest decisions. But what if it ends up being the best? Government data shows that while career breaks are relatively common — those trying to return to work make up around 30% of unemployed Americans — reentering the workforce isn't always straightforward. In a 2026 study published in Labour Economics, 163 recruiters in Belgium were asked whether they would interview or hire a hypothetical candidate who'd taken a career break. The likelihood generally decreased with each month the candidate spent out of work. To the six people who spoke to Business Insider about stepping back from work the risk yielded great results. They either bounced back into their industries or found alternative pathways into new and exciting careers. One was able to build a new business while taking the trip of a lifetime in South America. Another fulfilled her life's greatest achievement: caring for her dying parents. Read their stories, in their own words, be
