There are many people who have been out of the workforce for many years. They might have taken a break and gone back to university, or they had a family and stayed home to take care of the kids. Now, regardless of the reason, they are ready to rejoin the workforce.
The trick is to find a job when you have a serious gap on your resume. Unfortunately, many HR personnel doesn’t really know what to do with applicants who seem like they should be good fits but have a few years where they weren’t working. When you have a good reason for the break, you may even be a better candidate depending on the reason. Your job now is to help them understand that you are going to be a good hire regardless of the gap. In this article, we will give you some tips on how to do that.
1 – Tighten up your resume
You may think that you can simply bring out your old resume since there hasn’t been another job to add to it in years. The reality is that your resume needs to act as a commercial for you and what you bring to the table. It is very important that you update it.
Even with that gap, you can put a section there that will get noticed by employers. Whatever it is that you have been doing the last few years that has kept you from working is still relevant to your prospective employer. It could even be the key to you getting hired if you were doing something that built up your skills during that time.
Make a point to highlight what you have been up to recently rather than leave the period up to the imagination of whoever is reading the resume. A stay-at-home mom is somebody who is able to multitask like few people can. They can juggle a lot of things at once and manage to hold it together. This is a skill that goes a long way in many businesses.
2 – Start small
There is no question that it is intimidating to think about working again after a long hiatus. Having to stick to a schedule is one thing. Then there is also the fact that you will be responsible for things. Not to mention you have to figure out how to work with other people again.
It might be a good idea to do something like a trial run. What this means is that you should look into getting a job just to get back into the swing of things. Even a part-time job might be a good idea just to get used to having to stick to a schedule and get your feet wet with responsibilities.
The only thing to be wary of is that it might not look great on a resume. It all depends on the type of job you are doing and the reasons for it. What would look great on a resume, however, is doing some volunteer work. This will serve the same effect as a trial run or precursor to working in a career again as it will get you used to the idea of working.
3 – Find your focus
Believe it or not, this is the perfect time to be choosy when it comes to your new job. You can do that thing that you’ve been dreaming of for some time. It will pay off to keep that in mind so that you can stay focused and keep plugging away until you land your dream job.
There are going to be companies that will not even give your resume a second chance, no doubt. However, you don’t have to jump at the first position that looks acceptable just because of that. There are going to be others that are the right fit for you so it pays off to be a bit picky and interview with a different mindset. The mindset is that you are interviewing them. You are the one that is going to decide where to work.
If you really enjoyed working in the industry that you had worked in previously, then the idea is to find a position that you will enjoy more and will be more professionally and personally fulfilling. There is also the possibility of changing careers entirely if you spent some time getting the right degree or certifications while you were on hiatus.
Make sure to set your sights on a specific goal and then work towards that. It requires a lot of focus and even confidence to wait until you find the right opportunity.
4 – Talk to a professional
Think of an analogy of going to the gym after taking a lot of time off. You are a little out of shape and aren’t really sure where to start. Most people would hire a personal trainer to get them a roadmap and start at the right spot. You need guidance if you are going to the gym after a long hiatus.
This means that you should find a professional that will help you by putting you on the right path to get your career going again. They will be able to give you some ideas on how to sit through interviews and even let you know if your resume needs beefing up. In some cases, they can also make sure that you are going for the right certifications that are needed these days to get a specific job in certain industries.
A coach will also help you with the network that they already have in place. You never know if they might have people in the right places that could help you find a job.
Conclusion
It’s never too late to get back to work. If you are determined to make it happen then it will happen. It’s all a matter of making sure that you’re prepared. With these tips in mind then you already know where to start.