Norah O’Donnell returns to “CBS morningsseven years after leaving the program, and career experts say her comeback offers lessons for anyone considering returning to an old job.
O’Donnell was co-anchor of the morning program from 2012 to 2019 before taking over “CBS Evening NewsOn Thursday, CBS announced O’Donnell’s return to “CBS Mornings” and that she is expected to rejoin cohosts Gayle King and Nate Burleson on September 8.
Robert Thompson, a professor of television and popular culture at Syracuse University, said the evening news anchor was once the undisputed face of a network, but that in today’s media environment, morning shows offer broadcasters more opportunities to interview guests, cover breaking news and tap into a broader range of skills.
“Twenty years ago, we would have considered returning to the morning show after hosting as a demotion,” Thompson told Business Insider. “I don’t think it’s that simple in 2026.”
“I think it’s a sign that CBS has confidence and commitment in Norah O’Donnell and that they are putting her in an important position to help the morning show,” Thompson added. “The morning show has been struggling for a while.”
Treat an old job like a new one
Career experts told Business Insider that returning employees have the most important advantage understand the work and organization, but cautioned against expecting to step back into the workplace as if no time had passed.
“The premise around boomerangs is that they know the organization and the organization knows them,” says Brad Harris, professor of management and human resources at HEC Paris, a leading French business school. “There can be beauty and baggage in a return.”
“She’s probably closer to a new addition, but definitely more senior new additionthen an insider who took a break,” Harris added of O’Donnell. “To be successful in a return period, you must combine the confidence of an insider and the curiosity of a newcomer.”
Andrew Selepak, a professor of management and media at the University of Florida, said bringing back a major hire on the part of the recruiting firm is “a bit of an acknowledgment of, ‘We were better when you were here.'”
“If you return, keep in mind that one of the reasons they may try to bring you back is because the company and business haven’t been as successful now that you’re gone,” Selepak said. “Maybe the company wants to achieve some kind of former glory.”
Selepak said returnees should consider why they are going back, whether the move could feel like a professional step backwards, and, most importantly, whether the salary is commensurate with a potentially difficult rescue project.
‘You also have to deal with personnel changes and… technological developments and the fact that the position and track have improved in that time,” Selepak added. “As the saying goes, you can never go home twice.”
