The Rise of Boomerang Employees: Why Companies Are Rehiring Their Ex-Workers (And How to Become One)

When Jamie left her marketing position at a Fortune 500 company during the Great Resignation, she never imagined she’d return just 18 months later. But when she did, it wasn’t to her old role – she came back as a senior manager with a 30% salary increase, better benefits, and a flexible work schedule.

Jamie is what HR professionals call a “boomerang employee” – someone who leaves a company only to return later, often in a better position. And she’s far from alone in this career path.

According to recent LinkedIn data, boomerang employees now account for 4.5% of all new hires, up from 3.9% before the pandemic. That might not sound like much, but it represents a significant shift in hiring practices and career strategies that savvy job seekers shouldn’t ignore.

The pandemic reshuffled priorities for both employers and workers, creating the perfect environment for the boomerang trend to flourish. Companies facing talent shortages are increasingly looking to rehire proven performers, while professionals who left during the Great Resignation are discovering that familiar territory – with the right improvements – can be the ideal next step.

In this article, you’ll discover what’s driving this trend, whether boomeranging might be right for your career, and the exact steps to successfully return to a former employer with better terms. Whether you’re actively considering a return or simply want to keep your options open, understanding this growing phenomenon could give you a powerful advantage in today’s job market.

What’s Driving the Boomerang Employee Trend?

The surge in boomerang hiring isn’t happening by accident. Several powerful forces have converged to make returning to former employers more attractive and accepted than ever before.

First, the pandemic prompted millions to reconsider their careers and priorities. Many quit jobs impulsively during the Great Resignation, only to find that the grass wasn’t necessarily greener elsewhere. As economic uncertainty has increased, the appeal of returning to a known environment has grown stronger.

Simultaneously, employers are struggling with persistent talent shortages in key areas. Hiring a former employee significantly reduces onboarding time and risk – they already understand the company culture, systems, and expectations. For many HR departments, a known quantity has become far more valuable than an unknown potential.

The stigma around returning to former employers has also dramatically decreased. What might once have been seen as a failure or step backward is now recognized as a strategic career move that benefits both parties.

Many forward-thinking companies have formalized this approach by creating corporate alumni networks specifically designed to maintain relationships with former employees. IBM, Microsoft, and Deloitte have all invested in robust alumni programs that make it easier to bring back proven talent. A Harvard Business Review study found that today, more than a quarter of all “new” hires are in fact boomerang employees, showing just how significant this trend has become.

Interview Guys Tip: Looking to return to a former employer? First, check if they have a formal alumni network. Many companies now maintain these connections specifically to facilitate rehiring former talent. If they don’t have an official program, LinkedIn is an excellent tool for tracking former colleagues who can serve as your connection back into the organization.

The Benefits of Becoming a Boomerang Employee

For Employees

Returning to a former employer offers several significant advantages that can accelerate your career trajectory.

Perhaps the most obvious is dramatically reduced onboarding time. You already understand the company’s culture, processes, and politics – letting you hit the ground running instead of spending months getting up to speed.

Many boomerang employees return at higher levels with better compensation than when they left. Their time away has given them new skills, broader perspective, and often increased market value. Companies are frequently willing to pay a premium for this combination of fresh insights and organizational familiarity.

You’ll also benefit from existing relationships and reputation. Your former colleagues and managers already know your strengths and work style, giving you a built-in support network from day one.

Finally, there’s significantly less risk than starting somewhere entirely new. You have insider knowledge about the company’s true culture and challenges – information that’s impossible to get from job interviews alone.

For Employers

From the company perspective, boomerang employees offer compelling advantages over brand-new hires.

The most immediate is cost savings. Recruiting, interviewing, and onboarding new employees is expensive and time-consuming. With boomerangs, companies can skip much of this process, with some organizations reporting up to 50% reduction in time-to-productivity compared to new hires.

The risk of a bad cultural fit – one of the most common reasons new hires fail – is virtually eliminated. The company already knows how the returning employee works with teams and adapts to the organization’s environment.

Perhaps most valuable is the combination of institutional knowledge and fresh perspective. Boomerang employees bring back their understanding of company systems while adding new skills, competitive intelligence, and industry connections gained during their time away.

Companies also benefit from the positive signal boomerang hiring sends to current employees – people want to return, suggesting the organization is a good place to work after all.

Are You Boomerang Material? 5 Questions to Ask Yourself

Before reaching out to your former employer, honestly assess whether returning is the right strategic move for your career:

1. Did you leave on good terms? The manner of your departure matters enormously. If you left professionally, gave proper notice, and maintained positive relationships, you’re a potential boomerang. If you left abruptly, burned bridges, or were terminated for performance issues, returning will be much more challenging.

2. Has the company culture evolved since you left? If you left because of toxic culture, poor management, or limited growth opportunities, determine whether those issues have been addressed. Research the company’s current leadership, reviews on sites like Glassdoor, and speak with current employees to gauge whether meaningful changes have occurred.

3. What new value can you bring back? Successful boomerangs don’t just return – they come back with added value. Inventory the new skills, perspectives, industry knowledge, and connections you’ve gained during your time away. These will be your strongest negotiating points.

4. Are your reasons for returning sustainable? Be honest about why you want to go back. If it’s purely for convenience or because your current situation isn’t working out, those motivations might not sustain you long-term. Identify positive, forward-looking reasons for the return.

5. Will returning advance your long-term career goals? Consider how this move fits into your broader career trajectory. Returning should represent forward momentum, not just a comfortable retreat to familiar territory.

Interview Guys Tip: When considering a return to a former employer, reconnect with current employees informally first. They’ll give you the unfiltered truth about whether the company has addressed the issues that may have caused you to leave initially. These candid conversations can save you from rejoining a situation that hasn’t actually improved.

How to Successfully Boomerang: Your Step-by-Step Strategy

Before You Reach Out

Preparation is crucial for a successful boomerang. Follow these steps before making your initial contact:

Maintain positive connections with former colleagues and managers. This should ideally begin from the moment you depart, but if you haven’t stayed in touch, start rebuilding those relationships now through professional networking platforms.

Track company developments and understand their current challenges. Follow the organization on social media, set up Google alerts for news, and review their recent press releases and annual reports.

Identify skills gaps you can now fill with your new experience. Research recent job postings from the company to understand what capabilities they’re currently seeking.

Research current compensation standards for your target role. Sites like Glassdoor, Payscale, and industry salary surveys can provide benchmarks for negotiation.

Prepare to articulate why you’re returning beyond mere convenience. Craft a compelling narrative about how your time away has made you an even more valuable contributor to the organization.

Making the Initial Contact

How you reestablish contact can significantly impact your chances of a successful return:

Choose the right contact person. In most cases, your former direct manager is the best initial point of contact, assuming you had a positive relationship. If that’s not possible, consider reaching out to a former mentor, colleague in a leadership position, or HR contact who remembers you positively.

Craft a thoughtful reconnection message. Whether by email or LinkedIn, your initial message should be concise, professional, and specific. Briefly mention a shared positive experience, update them on your current situation, and express interest in exploring opportunities at the company.

Here’s a template to consider:

“Hi [Name],

I hope you’re doing well! I’ve been following [Company]’s recent work on [specific project or news], and it looks like exciting things are happening. Since we worked together, I’ve been [brief overview of your professional journey], which has given me new perspective on [relevant area].

I’d love to catch up and hear more about how things have evolved at [Company]. Would you be open to a quick coffee or call in the coming weeks?

Best, [Your name]”

Address your departure tactfully. If the conversation progresses to discussing potential roles, acknowledge your previous departure without dwelling on negative aspects. Focus on how your external experience has enhanced your skills and perspective.

Highlight your “before and after” professional growth. Be specific about how your capabilities have expanded since leaving and how that growth would benefit the company now.

Navigating the Boomerang Interview Process

If you secure a formal interview, you’ll face unique challenges and opportunities:

Balance acknowledging past history while focusing on the future. Briefly reference your previous contributions, but spend most of the conversation discussing what you’ll bring this time around.

Prepare for questions about why you left and why you want to return. Answer honestly but constructively, focusing on professional growth rather than grievances.

Showcase new skills and perspectives gained during your time away. Provide specific examples of how these capabilities would benefit the company now.

Address concerns about whether you’ll leave again. Companies may worry you’re a flight risk. Be prepared to discuss your long-term commitment and why this return aligns with your career goals.

Use your insider knowledge appropriately. Demonstrate your understanding of the company’s culture and challenges without coming across as overconfident or presumptuous.

For more guidance on handling these unique interview situations, check out our article on Interview Answer Templates: 7 Frameworks That Work for Any Question, which includes specific approaches for addressing your previous departure and return.

Negotiating Your Triumphant Return

Your boomerang status creates a unique negotiating position – use it wisely:

Leverage your unique value proposition. You offer less onboarding time, proven performance, and new skills – a powerful combination that justifies premium compensation. Come with specific examples of how these factors will benefit the company financially.

Discuss career advancement opportunities explicitly. Clarify expectations about your growth path to avoid returning to a situation with the same limitations that may have prompted your initial departure.

Address flexibility needs upfront. If remote work, flexible hours, or other arrangements are important to you, negotiate these elements before accepting an offer.

Clarify reporting structures and team dynamics. Companies evolve, and you may be returning to a significantly changed organization. Ensure you understand how your role will fit into the current structure.

Create a 30/60/90 day plan that acknowledges your history while moving forward. This demonstrates professionalism and helps manage expectations on both sides.

Interview Guys Tip: Don’t assume your boomerang status gives you negotiating leverage automatically. Come prepared with market research on compensation and clear evidence of the added value your external experience brings. Quantify this value whenever possible – for example, “My experience managing remote teams at Company X will help streamline the transition to hybrid work, potentially saving 15-20% in productivity loss during the adjustment period.”

Real-World Boomerang Success Stories

The Strategic Skill Builder

Michael left his mid-level engineering role at a technology firm to gain experience in an emerging specialty. After three years developing expertise in AI implementation at a startup, he returned to his original company at a senior level, heading a new initiative in exactly that specialty. His strategic skill-building during his absence made him uniquely qualified for a role that didn’t even exist when he left.

The Culture Returnee

Sophia departed a marketing agency seeking better work-life balance. She found it at a corporate role, but missed the creative environment of agency life. When she learned her former employer had instituted new policies around flexibility and workload management, she approached her previous director. She returned as a team lead with a hybrid schedule, combining the culture she loved with the balance she needed.

The Boomerang Executive

David left his operations management position during a company restructuring that created uncertainty. After gaining broader experience at two other organizations, he was recruited back by a former colleague who had risen to the C-suite. His return at the executive level brought valuable competitive intelligence and best practices that helped transform the department he once left.

The common thread in these success stories? Each person returned with greater value than when they left, and each had maintained positive professional relationships that facilitated their return.

Building and maintaining a strong professional network is crucial for successful boomerang opportunities. For guidance on building these relationships, see our article on How to Turn Cold Connections into Job Referrals in 72 Hours.

When NOT to Boomerang: Red Flags to Consider

While boomeranging can be a smart career move, certain situations should make you think twice:

Unchanged problematic culture. If you left because of toxic leadership, poor work-life balance, or other significant issues, verify that meaningful changes have occurred before returning. Surface-level changes rarely transform deep-rooted cultural problems.

Returning out of desperation rather than strategy. If you’re considering a return primarily because your current situation isn’t working out, pause and reflect. Desperation rarely leads to good career decisions.

Significant turnover in leadership or team composition. If most of the people you worked with previously have left, investigate why. High turnover often signals underlying problems, and you’ll have fewer allies upon return.

Company in decline since your departure. Research the organization’s financial health and market position. Returning to a sinking ship won’t advance your career.

Expectation that you’ll return to the exact same role. If the company wants you back in precisely the position you left, with no advancement or growth opportunity, you may be undervaluing your increased market worth.

Conclusion

The rise of boomerang hiring represents a fundamental shift in how both companies and professionals approach careers. What was once considered unusual has become a strategic option that can benefit both employers and employees.

For companies, boomerang employees offer reduced hiring risk, faster productivity, and valuable combinations of institutional knowledge and fresh perspective. For professionals, returning to a former employer with enhanced skills and experience can fast-track career advancement while providing the security of a familiar environment.

Whether you’re actively considering a return or simply keeping your options open, maintaining positive relationships with former employers should be part of your long-term career strategy. The professional world is smaller than you might think, and today’s departure could become tomorrow’s triumphant return.

According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), boomerang employees accounted for 4.5% of all new hires in 2021, up from 3.9% in 2019, showing this is a growing trend worth paying attention to.

Remember that career paths are rarely linear in today’s dynamic job market. Sometimes the most strategic move forward might actually be a return to where you’ve been before – but with new skills, perspective, and negotiating power.

If you’re considering a boomerang move, start by reaching out informally to former colleagues. These initial conversations will help you gauge whether the timing is right for your potential return – and give you valuable insights into how to position yourself for success.

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