Updated September 2026.
Starting digital marketing after a career break can feel daunting, and Santhoshi Rekha knows that feeling well. When she first came to Digital Market Academy in Bangalore, she brought her husband along, and she was honestly skeptical: after a career gap, would anyone actually hire her again? An MBA and a genuine willingness to work were not the problem; the worry was the gap on her resume and whether she still had job-ready skills. Today she works as a Social Media Executive at RDS Digital. This is how she got there.
Her story sits alongside our guides on upskilling with digital marketing after a career break and how homemakers can resume their careers. If a career gap is holding you back, Rekha's journey is proof it can be closed.
TL;DR
- Santhoshi Rekha returned from a career break and was unsure she could get hired again.
- She retrained at DMA on live local projects, not just theory, in a small batch.
- She built a real portfolio: Local SEO, Google Business Profile work, keyword research, on-page SEO and a Meta ad campaign.
- She is now a Social Media Executive at RDS Digital, doing the work for real clients.
- The lesson: a career gap is not a dead end. Current, practical skills and a portfolio reopen the door.
The fear every career returner knows
Rekha did not lack ability. She holds an MBA and was ready to work. What held her back was the same fear that stops many talented people after time away from work: that a career gap makes you unhireable, that the industry has moved on, and that no employer will take a chance on you. She was honest about it when she walked into DMA with her husband, more hopeful than confident.
Why does a career break feel so hard to come back from?
Because confidence fades faster than ability, and skills feel out of date. After a break, most people do not actually lack talent; they lack current, demonstrable skills and recent proof of work. Digital marketing is well suited to a comeback precisely because it rewards what you can show today, a portfolio, live projects, real results, far more than an unbroken timeline on paper.
What changed at DMA: real work, not just theory
Instead of passively watching lessons, Rekha worked on live local projects from early on. She optimised Google Business Profiles, did keyword research and on-page SEO for real Bangalore businesses, and designed a Meta ad campaign for a local saree boutique. In a small batch, with founder-led teaching by Rajesh Menon, she could ask doubts freely and practise until each concept clicked. Session by session, the skeptical returner became a confident practitioner.
She said it best in a public Google review while still a student:
"I recently joined Digital Market Academy to learn Digital Marketing. I can confidently say it was one of the best decisions I have made for my career... This course is extremely practical and up to date... Rajesh sir makes you work on live projects... the batch size is small, the class room environment is energetic... The team is genuinely helpful with placements and internships."
Rekha Ravisankar, verified Google review
The portfolio that made the gap irrelevant
The turning point for any returner is having something concrete to show, and that is exactly what DMA made her build. Rekha left with a real portfolio: Local SEO and Google Business Profile optimisation, keyword research, on-page SEO, and a live Meta ad campaign, all done on actual businesses. In an interview, that portfolio answers the career-gap question before it is even asked, because it proves she can do the work now.
The comeback: Social Media Executive at RDS Digital
The doubt she walked in with did not survive the training. Rekha is now a Social Media Executive at RDS Digital, doing real digital marketing work, the very thing she once feared was out of reach. The career gap that felt like a wall turned out to be a pause, not a full stop. What changed was not luck or a second degree; it was rebuilding current, practical skills and having the proof to show for them. You can see her professional journey on her LinkedIn profile.
What Rekha's journey teaches anyone returning to work
- A gap is not a dead end. Employers hire current skills, not an unbroken timeline.
- Practical beats theoretical. Live projects rebuild both ability and confidence.
- A portfolio is your best answer. It proves what you can do now, before the gap even comes up.
- Support matters. A small batch and patient teaching make restarting far less intimidating.
If you are planning your own comeback, start with our honest look at whether digital marketing is a good career, our how to become a digital marketer guide, and our portfolio guide to build proof of your skills.
Start your own comeback at Digital Market Academy
Rekha is proof that a career break does not have to be the end of your professional story. At Digital Market Academy in Bangalore you learn SEO, Google Ads, Meta, social media, analytics and AI tools hands-on, work on live projects, build a real portfolio, and get placement support, all in small batches with founder-led teaching by Rajesh Menon. See how it is taught in the student portal walkthrough, explore the course syllabus and classroom courses, and see more outcomes on our placements page. You can also read more student reviews from Bangalore.
A1. Yes. Digital marketing values current, demonstrable skills over an unbroken work history. If you rebuild practical skills and create a portfolio of real project work, employers can see you are job-ready. Santhoshi Rekha did exactly this and now works as a Social Media Executive at RDS Digital.
A2. It is one of the best, because it is skill-first and always hiring. You can learn it hands-on in a few months, show your work through a portfolio, and start in roles like SEO, social media or content. It also offers flexible and freelance paths that suit people easing back into work.
A3. No. A degree helps but is not required. What matters is practical skill and proof of work. Many successful returners, including Rekha, already had a degree and simply added current, hands-on digital marketing skills and a portfolio to become hireable again.
A4. A portfolio shifts the conversation from your timeline to your ability. Instead of explaining a gap, you show real work, such as SEO projects, Google Business Profile optimisation or ad campaigns. That visible proof reassures employers you can do the job today, which is what they care about most.
A5. With focused, hands-on training, many learners become job-ready in a few months. The key is practising on live projects rather than only watching lessons. Rekha rebuilt her skills and confidence through real project work at DMA and moved into a Social Media Executive role after her training.
A6. Yes. DMA teaches in small batches with patient, founder-led guidance, has every student work on live projects and build a portfolio, and offers placement support. This structure is especially helpful for returners who need to rebuild both skills and confidence, as Rekha's story shows.
In short
Santhoshi Rekha walked into DMA unsure that a career break would ever let her work again, and walked out with the skills, the portfolio and the confidence to become a Social Media Executive at RDS Digital. Her story is a simple, powerful reminder: a gap on your resume is not the end, it is just a pause you can close with current, practical skills and real proof of work. If you are ready to restart your own career, begin with the course syllabus at Digital Market Academy, Bangalore.
Rajesh Menon is a digital marketing trainer and strategist based in Bangalore, with over 15 years of experience in SEO, paid advertising, and digital growth planning. As the Founder and CEO of Digital Market Academy, he combines hands-on execution with long-term strategy, and is known for turning complex marketing ideas into skills his students can actually apply.
At the academy’s Kasturinagar centre, he leads classroom training programmes and digital marketing bootcamps, and mentors undergraduate and postgraduate students through on-campus sessions. He also delivers corporate and government digital marketing training, including digital skilling programmes for central government organisations such as India Post, along with digital enablement workshops for MSMEs and startups, a client list that continues to grow.
He writes regularly on the Digital Market Academy blog, breaking down real strategies, tools, and case studies for learners and business owners across India.
