Re-entering the workforce after a long break is no easy task. Jobs can be hard to come by for active professionals, so having a recent gap in your work history makes your skills a tougher sell. However, there are ways to turn this daunting task into a life-changing experience if you have the right approach. Consider these tips for re-entering the workforce.
Get Your Bearings
If you are a stay-at-home mom looking to re-enter the workforce, or an early retiree looking to get back into a profession, consider the state of the job market and the industry to which you wish to join.
What technologies have impacted your field in the past few years? If you have moved since you last worked, how does that change the function of your profession? Familiarize yourself with the modern business world before you start applying for jobs.
Re-educate Yourself
Once you have familiarized yourself with today’s business world, you will probably find that your skills need a little polishing. Modernize your skills, take classes, attend seminars and work towards building an up-to-date portfolio. This may mean taking on less ideal side jobs initially.
Build Yourself up for Something You’ll Love
Build up your confidence by refining your skills and practicing your pitch on family and friends. Set yourself up for success and sell all the soft skills you have developed as a stay-at-home parent, volunteer worker or organization member. Above all else, be fierce and show employers how hungry you are to re-enter the workforce. That desire and tenacity will go a long way towards reestablishing yourself as a dynamic professional.
Take Time to Re-evaluate Your Career Path
Before you jump into the same industry you left, consider a few points:
- Your industry may have changed A LOT.
- Did you leave the workforce because you hated the industry you were in?
- Have your skills changed to better suit a different industry?
- Is another industry more suited to your current lifestyle (parent, spouse, resident of another state, etc.)?
The best career advice is to find a job you can be passionate about. A travel healthcare assignment could be the excitement you need, a general labor job could provide the stability you’re looking for, an HR job could give you an opportunity to help others or an IT opening with the right organization could suit your personal and professional needs.
Whatever your professional needs, Management Registry, Inc. can help you find the perfect job and provide support to get you back into the workforce. Start a new chapter of your life by contacting MRInc today.