In 2001, Sophie Yazdi had a high-powered job, a growing family, and a schedule that made sleep feel like a luxury. She was working long hours in a fast-paced startup, juggling travel, and navigating the stress of layoffs in the wake of the dot-com bust.
Meanwhile, at home, her toddler was growing up fast, and another baby was on the way. One day, faced with the choice of hiring two full-time nannies or stepping back from her career, Sophie made a decision that many professionals wrestle with: She hit pause.
For Sophie, it wasn’t an easy choice, and it wasn’t part of some grand master plan. She thought it would be a short break — maybe a year or two. Instead, she spent two decades raising her children before re-entering the workforce as an associate vice president at T. Rowe Price. Looking back, she wouldn’t change a thing.
Career breaks can feel like a gamble. There’s the fear of losing momentum, of struggling to get back in, of being seen as “out of the game.” But for some, stepping away is exactly what they need.
So, how do you know if taking a career break is the right move for you? Sophie’s story offers some insights, along with a reminder that careers, like life, don’t always follow a straight path.
Press pause or power through?
When Sophie considered taking a career break, it wasn’t an easy decision. On one hand, her job was demanding — long hours, constant travel, and the stress of managing layoffs during the dot-com bust. “The stress levels were too much,” Sophie says. “I wanted to take some time off. I wanted to spend time with my daughter, who was nearly three, and I hardly had spent time with her because I was working practically from 7 a.m. to 10 or 11 p.m.”
On the other hand, there was the reality of home life. “My husband and I both had very high-level, travel-intensive roles,” she explains. “He was working at the time for a venture capital firm, so he was traveling quite a bit. I was doing a lot of traveling, and it was a startup, so it was really, really hard because the hours were a lot longer.”
With another baby on the way, something had to change. “One of us had to decide to take time off. Or we had to hire two nannies. That’s how we made the decision.”
The practical choice was clear, but emotionally, it was complicated. Sophie had built a career she was proud of. Leaving meant giving up the fast pace, the intellectual challenge, and the identity she had built around work. But the alternative — missing out on her children’s early years — felt worse. “I always feel like if I worked when the kids were little, I would’ve done a terrible job at both,” she laughs.
So, she made the call. “It was supposed to be for a little while, like a year or two,” she says. But as she would later find out, career breaks don’t always go as planned.
Taking a career break isn’t simply time off
Instead of viewing her break as a gap, Sophie saw it as an opportunity. “It was a different challenge,” she says. “I immersed myself in doing things with the kids and their schools. I participated and put myself out there.”
What started as a short break kept extending. “Every time I thought about going back to work, it just became, ‘well, you know, maybe another six months or maybe when they go to school.’”
Sophie ended up trading the boardroom for playgrounds for 20 years.
“I was the lucky one because it ended up being the greatest decision I made,” she said. The experience changed her — not just as a mother, but as a person. “The good thing about spending time off is you realize what brings you happiness and what doesn’t,” Sophie reflects.
Eventually, the question wasn’t just when to return, but what she wanted to return to. That’s when T. Rowe Price entered the picture.
Starting over, but not from scratch
For Sophie, returning to work was both exciting and intimidating. “It was hard to get a job,” she admits. “There’s a lot of rejection, but it makes you stronger.”
Unlike some companies that saw career gaps as red flags, T. Rowe Price saw Sophie’s potential. “I’m so thankful T. Rowe Price was kind enough to give me an opportunity,” she laughs.
And from the moment she joined, Sophie had countless resources at her fingertips. “They have so many things that they can offer as a big firm that will help anybody who's taken time off,” she explains. “They have a great onboarding training. They support you if you want to study a special certificate, course, or get your MBA… It might take me a little bit longer to get where somebody straight out of college is already at, but I’ll get there. And T. Rowe Price was patient enough to give me the time.”
After 20 fulfilling years as a full-time caregiver, Sophie was looking for more than just a paycheck. She wanted a place where her work mattered — and she found it. “T. Rowe Price is actually one of the most amazing companies. I have had an amazing experience, so I would recommend it to anybody who wants to join.”
How to know if a career break is right for you
Taking a career break often brings fear — of what it might mean for your future, your finances, and your sense of identity. But sometimes, the signs are right in front of you.
For Sophie, the biggest clue was that her mind was elsewhere. “If you, as a parent, go to work and you're sitting there constantly thinking about how you want be home with your kids, then it might be time to try out a little break,” she said. Work should be engaging, not something you resent missing out on life for. “If you're going to work and you're thinking, ‘What did I miss today? My kid may have said their first word,’ that’s a sign.”
Of course, the reality isn’t that simple for everyone. “The problem is, I feel, it's so hard for some parents to do because financially you don't have a choice,” she acknowledged. That’s why it’s important to ask yourself some key questions before making the leap:
- Am I constantly thinking about being somewhere else? If work feels like an obligation rather than a passion, it might be time to reassess.
- Do I have a plan for how I’ll stay engaged or return? Whether it’s professional development, networking, or a timeline for returning, having a loose framework can make stepping away feel less daunting. “I’m a student of life. During my break, I read, I did Coursera courses, I took negotiation training,” Sophie explains. “There are so many resources out there to help you learn new skills.”
The biggest lesson Sophie learned? Trust yourself. “I could have gone home and been like, ‘Oh, I cannot do this, and I want to come back.’” Nothing is permanent, and careers aren’t as rigid as they used to be.
“Job opportunities will be there. No matter what anybody says, you can find another job. And that will bring you another new experience. Life, after all, is made up of new adventures.”
Ready to join a workplace that values your unique contributions — regardless of work career journey? T. Rowe Price is hiring! Explore the opportunities here.
