How to mention sabbatical leaves in a resume?

What are sabbatical leaves?

Before starting off with things, the mind first wonders what exactly is a ‘sabbatical leave’, right?

It’s nothing folks! It’s merely an extended period of break from work taken for either

Pursuing a degree
Volunteering for a personal project
Travelling
Mental detoxification
Even spending quality time with kith and kin!

Do companies really offer such an incentive?

The answer is absolutely yes they do!
For the facts, depending upon the policy of the company, some go an extra mile and even offer paid sabbatical leaves.

When is it applicable?

Still, it pretty much depends upon the policy of the individual company, yet just for an approximation it won’t be wrong to say that on average, a person who has completed service of five years or more is eligible for a six months plus leave.

Enlisting some of the renowned companies offering sabbatical leaves:

While most companies do offer sabbatical leaves which are mostly unpaid but you will find yourself fortunate enough to be an employee of some of the few enlisted companies which are generous enough to offer paid sabbatical leaves!

Paid sabbatical leaves granted by:

Adobe System, one of the leading software company worldwide;	Genetech, San Francisco based biotechnology corporation;
Arthrex, the orthopaedic supply manufacturer;	Hyland Software, the developer of OnBase content management software
AutoDesk, a software company;	Baker Donelson, a law firm;
Deloitte, a Newyork based professional services firm;	Boston Consulting Group: BCG

If you aren’t employed in any above-given company or the company you work at doesn’t offer paid sabbatical leaves, it’s time to chin up and stay content with the fact that at least you are given this facilitation to have a ‘sabbatical leave’!

How to mention ‘sabbatical leave’ in a resume?

Now that the burning question is brought forward, the answer lies in just two small steps!

Step number one: Honesty is the best policy!

While many will argue that a sabbatical leave mustn’t be mentioned in a resume, I am of the view that one must remain honest while typing out a resume!

In today’s world, none of the companies would mind hiring a person who took a sabbatical for a known cause that can alleviate the person’s rank and add value to their company with the added skills learnt in the given period!

Step number two: Mention the benefit of Sabbatical taken

You travelled? Mention about the experience and cultural interaction or any new language skill/photography passion followed upon

Focused on freelancing? Mention about the financial security and talents attained

Volunteered for a personal project? Mention the ideas and skills acquired

Spent time with family? Mention the detoxifying experience and added advantage of a fresh and stable mind!

Resume formatting:

It’s wise to mention the sabbatical leave below the subheading of experience along with the added benefits and a small conclusive statement about how the newly acquired skills may assist the company by hiring you thus acting as a cherry on top!

Example:

After working for five years for the Ormond Hospital situated near London, I took sabbatical leaves of two weeks

Cause: Volunteering for a free medical camp in Madagascar.

Benefit(s) attained:

a) New experience;
b) Cross-cultural interaction;
c) New medical skills;
d) Bringing smiles on the ailing ones thus assisting humanity within the confines of my power;

Conclusion:

Here was the squeeze of what sabbatical leaves are and the way they are mentioned in the resume!

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