Re-entering the Workforce

Have you been away from the workforce for an extended period of time?  There are many situations why a person would be out of the workforce including being a stay-at-home parent, extended unemployment (over one year), illness or other personal situations. 

When making the decision to re-enter the workforce, a person may feel that they are out-of-touch with the current trends in their industry or may be rusty in the necessary skills for their ideal position.  Below are several tips to follow when making the move back into the workforce:

Update your skills before your job search
Take some time before embarking on your job search to brush up on some skills that you may have fallen behind in.  You can do this by volunteering, taking a class or even doing an internship.  These opportunities are also great to add to your resume to show that you have kept active. 

Categorize your resume
When structuring your resume, categorize it by experience rather than chronologically.  For example, you could categorize it by "sales experience" and "goals achieved" rather than dates.  This will emphasize your experience more than how long you have been away.

Take your job search into your own hands
Once you have uploaded your resume to the job boards and started applying for positions, take the initiative to contact potential employers.  If you are interested in working for a particular company, call their HR department to see if they have an opening in your field.  This proactive approach will open more doors for you in your job search.

Preparation
Have your resume critiqued by a professional or a former colleague. Once you land an interview with a company, practice your interviewing skills with a family member or friend.

Interviewing
When interviewing, only briefly discuss your time away, making sure that most of your interviewing time slot is emphasizing your work ethic and skills.  If applicable, draw comparisons between the job you are interviewing for and your real-life situation that highlight different skills and abilities you may have learned. 

Be open to all possibilities
Open yourself to part-time and temporary opportunities.  These positions can be great experiences that you can add to your resume.   They can also potentially lead to full-time and permanent opportunities.