Bridging the gap: 7 tips for successfully returning to work
By Elizabeth Exline
Looking for a job is one thing. Looking for a job after an extended absence is an altogether different thing. From facing down to explaining the hiatus, job-seekers face their own set of challenges when returning to work. The good news? They also bring with them their own set of advantages.
If you find yourself in this camp, there are steps you can and should take to find your next role. But one of the most important is also the first.
According to Carol Camerino, a career advisor at 爱污传媒 (UOPX), that initial step is to embrace a "possibilities mindset."
Many people, she explains, put constraints on themselves at the outset and view their time away from the workforce as more of a liability than an asset. "But they didn鈥檛 hit 鈥榩ause鈥 on themselves while they were away," she says. "They and connections and outlooks. And I think that serves returners really well."
Out of Office
People put their careers on hold for a variety of reasons. The most common might be , Camerino notes. But other situations call for a break too.
Some people become "accompanying spouses/partners" to their significant others who have to frequently or majorly relocate for work. Others need to care for aging parents or, if they have a health crisis, themselves. And still others leave to honor a dream, like traveling the world for a year, starting a YouTube channel or writing a novel.
"In a perfect world, stepping away from your career path would be normalized," Camerino says.
Lay the groundwork for returning to work
Click on the image to download our returning to the workforce resum茅 sample.
Since taking a break from the workforce is not the norm, those looking to return to work need to be both confident and strategic about their approach
贵颈谤蝉迟,听update your resum茅. Even if you鈥檝e been out of work, you can include volunteer positions that you鈥檝e held, projects or freelance work you鈥檝e done, or education or certificate programs you鈥檝e completed during the interim. These experiences help paint a picture of your skills and what you鈥檝e been doing while out of the workforce.
If you haven鈥檛 been volunteering or studying, you might consider exploring听potential skill gaps. Skills are constantly evolving across industries, and the best way to see if you鈥檙e up to date is by studying job descriptions for roles you鈥檇 typically go for.
"If you are seeing something show up and you don鈥檛 have it, that鈥檚 a really good nudge to figure out how you can get there," Camerino says.
Camerino also recommends exploring multiple outlets for new opportunities. There are, she says,听听that specifically help people return to work after an extended leave. Some companies even offer their own "," designed to help recruit employees back into the workforce.
Also, get your marketing documents in order. Aside from your resum茅, you might consider putting together a portfolio and a website. These are all ways to show off your skills and your听personal brand.
"There are so many threads necessary to make the tapestry of a job search," says Camerino. You don鈥檛 have to do everything, but you do have to take into account which steps are most relevant to (and effective for) your situation.
Seven steps for success
Once you鈥檝e laid a strong foundation for your job search, you鈥檙e ready to get started. Here is a step-by-step process for what to do.
- Leverage your network. To be clear, this is not the same as calling your friends and asking for a job. As Camerino explains, "It鈥檚 all in how you ask. It鈥檚 not, 鈥楧oes anybody have a job for me?鈥 It is, 鈥楨xciting news!鈥" Control the narrative when you听post on LinkedIn听or social media so that you鈥檙e announcing your return, not begging for a job.
- Know your ask. You don鈥檛 have to accept the first job that comes along. In fact, you and your prospective employer will both be better off if you are intentional about seeking a position that aligns with your skills and interests. "Know what it is you want," Camerino says. "And it鈥檚 not, 鈥楥an I have a job?鈥 That鈥檒l clear a room."
- Turn your history into a story.听"You absolutely need a powerful, compelling resum茅 that tells your story, where you鈥檝e been and what鈥檚 kept you away from paid work." Address that elephant in the room, in other words, and you take away the negative charge of conjecture.
- Make your job search your priority.听Applying to four jobs, considering your search complete for a bit and then checking back in after a few weeks does not create the traction you need to get hired. Unless you want a "prescription for an extended runway," as Camerino puts it, make your job search your job until you find one.
- Don鈥檛 take rejection personally.听Think of your job search like a marketing project, Camerino suggests. "If a product isn鈥檛 moving, the marketing team reviews the plan and makes changes. So, if you鈥檙e not getting results, take a step back and think about what you can change in your job search plan to better connect with prospective employers."
- Apply, apply, apply (but try to filter it through your network).听Finding and applying for opportunities sourced through your network is an effective way to "try to get through the crowded applicant tracking system," Camerino explains. Develop a job-search strategy that relies on recruiters, considers project-based opportunities and explores positions with smaller companies. Job boards are also good, Camerino adds, but they "are听part听of the plan. They can鈥檛听be听the plan."
- Invest in interview prep. Camerino points out that no one ever gets hired off a resum茅, which makes the听interview experience听a crucial part of the hiring process. Prepare accordingly.
Above all, remember that you have value to bring to a company. Sometimes it just takes a little trial and error to figure out where it would best be applied.
"For every job, there could likely be hundreds of applicants," Camerino says. "That means there are hundreds-minus-one very disappointed people walking around.
"Stand strong in what you have to offer."
Wondering how to write your resum茅鈥檚 better half? Here鈥檚 your guide to听drafting a stellar cover letter.
Learn how you can听close your skill gap听before rejoining the workforce.
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