SourcingSpider

🕵️ Sourcing Tip Day 123 – Find Comeback Talent Using “Career Break” Keywords on LinkedIn

Many skilled professionals take a pause in their careers — for parenting, caregiving, higher education, or personal projects. LinkedIn now allows users to add “Career Break” entries in their profile, helping them explain these transitions more openly.

➡️🚦Although LinkedIn doesn’t have a dedicated “Career Break” filter in Recruiter, you can still find comeback talent effectively using keyword search techniques.

🔍 How to Source Them:

1. In LinkedIn search, include keywords like:

“Career Break”

“took a break”

“returning to work”

“career pause”

“rejoining workforce”

2. Combine these with role-specific titles or skills, e.g.,

(“Career Break” AND “supply chain analyst”)

(“returning to work” AND “finance manager”)

3. Filter for candidates who are “Open to Work” to identify those actively seeking opportunities.

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📍 Why It Matters:

Many organizations are launching returnship programs for professionals re-entering the workforce.

These candidates bring:

✅Strong prior experience

✅Renewed energy and perspective

✅High commitment to restart their careers

This segment is often under-tapped — but can be a goldmine for experienced, motivated talent.

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💡Bonus Tip:

If your company promotes diversity, inclusion, or second-career hiring, highlight those initiatives in your outreach to build trust and engagement.