We caught up with Richa to dive a little deeper into her relaunch story and the advice she has for other relaunchers...
What was different (and beneficial) about returning to work through a career-reentry program?
When I started my relaunch journey, I applied to regular job openings, and I did not hear back about any of my applications because all those job roles required recent work experience. Later when I learned about return to work programs, I found out that these programs are structured and designed specifically for people who have gap in their career. Amazon’s Returnship program offered me the time and support I needed to get back to work. This program was not focused on current work experience – it was instead focused on the learning and curiosity demonstrated by relauncher, for e.g., pursuing some course or certification, volunteer work etc. and how they can add most value to the company.
How did you determine that data analytics and problem solving were the functions of your career that you wanted to pursue? Do you feel that relaunchers should explore which job functions they are most interested in as part of their relaunch journey?
I worked in Banking and Financial services in my prior professional experience where financial data analysis and problem solving were the core skills I was using in my day-to-day work. I thoroughly enjoyed analyzing trends in financial data and making decisions based on the insights. When I was putting my thoughts together to relaunch my career, I realized that if I can upskill my core analytical skillset and interest as per the current job market, that will definitely help me in heading towards the right direction. I strongly believe that relaunchers should explore the job functions they are most interested in as part of their relaunch journey because we thrive when we pursue something we really enjoy doing.
Why did you look to Amazon and iRelaunch to support you in your career journey in 2022? Did anything in particular stand out to you about Amazon?
The answer is simple. Amazon’s Returnship was the perfect opportunity for me to apply my skills in a meaningful way. Here’s an overview of the program: Variety of Opportunities: Amazon offers a variety of Returnship job opportunities both non-technical and technical, which allows for a variety of professionals to restart their careers. Recruitment and hiring: Amazon recruiters help candidates refresh their interviewing skills and translate their competencies into Amazon’s leadership principles, the hiring team interviews assess candidates based on their potential rather than on their resume. Ensuring a smooth transition through mentorship: Once hired, each returner is paired with a dedicated mentor who, in addition to their manager and onboarding buddy that provide coaching and feedback to get familiar with Amazon’s peculiar culture. From recruit to full time: At the end of the 16 weeks, those who excel and ‘raise the hiring bar’ are eligible for an offer for full-time employment and relocation assistance to a hiring location.
Did this story motivate you or inspire you!?
Do you have a relauncher success story of your own to share with us and the rest of the relauncher community?
Sharing your inevitable success is a great way to give back as your story will inspire and motivate other relaunchers, especially if your story is not the typical story that is told.
It is our hope that all relaunchers are able to see themselves reflected in relauncher success stories as we all know how important representation is. We respectfully ask you to share only the details of your relaunch you are comfortable sharing, but to indeed share your story with us so we can be sure to document and feature a more diverse population of relauncher experiences, backgrounds and identities.
