One common way for people to restart their careers is as a freelancer.
You can freelance in almost any field. For example, you could use your background in marketing to take on freelance projects or your project management experience to help clients on a contract basis. Writing and graphic design are other common fields for freelancers. If your ultimate goal is a full-time job, freelancing is a good way to beef up your resume and gain fresh contacts in your field – and maybe even work a gig into a job.
Freelancing has a lot to offer, particularly if you still have kids at home or other family responsibilities that require flexibility in your work schedule. Running a freelance business is not everyone's cup of tea, however. You'll need to be comfortable hustling for potential clients and living with some financial uncertainty, particularly at first.
In addition, you'll need to take care of the financial and legal aspects of running your own business, such as paying estimated taxes, getting a business license, and buying insurance. If that's not for you, there are still many options to return to the workforce after you've been away.