Career comeback women bring value to the workforce

Dina Azrina Mohd Husin was at the peak of her career when she quit her job. She rejoined the workforce a year later, thanks to supportive colleagues and company policies that supported women making a career comeback.

Back in year 2015, Dina Azrina Mohd Husin was at the peak of her career in human resource (HR) development, as head of compensation and benefits at Petrosains Sdn Bhd. Her husband was then offered a good career opportunity in Johor Bahru, and she made the tough decision to leave a career she had built over 14 years and followed him, as "family comes first". Dina shares,

I have no regrets in taking a break. I'm glad to have spent more time with my four kids, to see them progress. My second child is dyslexic and had a lot of problems coping in school. When I had that career break, I focused on him and he excelled. I'm so grateful to have helped him develop his social skills and improve his level of confidence.”

She even ran her own small online business during her career break, selling shawls under her own brand.

Just as when Dina was content being a full-time housewife, the family relocated back to the Klang Valley. Despite not wanting to get back to work yet, Dina reported for her new job two days after at Eastspring Investments Bhd, the Asia asset management business of Prudential plc.

 "I told them I wasn't looking for a job and they said 'it's just a six months contract, why don't you give it a try'. So, I did," she says. After three months at Eastspring, she became a permanent staff member.

 
Dina did not feel like she lost ground even after having been out of the workforce for a year. This was due to Eastspring being very supportive, appreciating her highly valuable skills and experience.. Besides herself, Eastspring has hired two other women who have taken a break and are now returning to the workforce - the head of IT, who had a 14-month career break, and the manager of compliance, who had a 15-month break.

Eastspring is a participant of TalentCorp's Career Comeback Programme, an initiative that encourages companies to recruit and retain women who have taken a career break by providing grant incentives of up to RM100,000.

Dina urges Corporate Malaysia to be open to hiring women on a career comeback.

Career comeback women bring value to the company because they have different experience and exposure. Their knowledge does not remain stagnant when they leave the workforce, but continues to grow through their own challenges and personal growth/development.”

 
As an example, she says, her exposure to the world of entrepreneurship expanded her networking skills, made her more confident and helped her develop a different skillset. Even now the changing of hats between working full-time and taking care of her children has challenged her to grow and learn more.

Passion underlines Dina's resolve and her passion for her job was clear as she spoke about the company's various staff engagement programmes, which are under her purview.

I do it all with passion. I believe that whatever you do, you need to put your whole heart on it. It will work somehow.”