I admire this line of reasoning. Being a missionary or a mercenary, sounds very clear. My only addition to it is that one must also assess if the organization is a missionary organization or a mercenary organization in how employees are managed. Thank you so much for sharing.

Now if one goes to get an offer from outside and then forces their current employer to renegotiate terms, the employer might feel cornered however unwarranted this feeling might be, they might make one a better offer only to frustrate them out of the organization, down the line calling them culture unfit employees, when they the employee have options for replacement. My take is this, you can either be a missionary or a mercenary. Which ever one you adjudge pays you better but you can’t have it both ways. What do you say to this?

Thank you Chidimma for your comment.
This is my thought on this:

Once there’s a gap in your work experience, the market will price you down. It doesn’t matter what you went for. Unless it is a higher education to advance a relevant experience. In which case you’ll need price that into your ask as you come back to the market. In any case, my advice will be to take your best offer and come back into the market. It is easier to negotiate within the system than from outside. If you see it as a strategic plan, you’ll take it, give it 2 years, and then launch your move. If you have the value you claim, you’ll quickly adjust back to your true worth

Thank you Aminat.

Thank you Pendusky.

Question:
How can people who have out of the Job market for while, prove their worth with the self development they have achieved during that break period, get back into the market without selling themselves short?