Yahoo Lifestyle How To Make A Career Comeback
When it comes to taking a career hiatus, women are still in the lead – but these days it’s not just because we’re the ones giving birth: everything from travel to caring for elderly parents is giving women of all ages cause to say sayonara to a regular salary.
Regardless of the reason for pressing pause, though, getting ready to reboot our careers can be a daunting prospect – and fair enough, too, say experts, who acknowledge that reclaiming that corner office after time off can be more complicated than a regular job hunt.
“The longer you’ve been out on a career break, the more you feel professionally disconnected,” points out Carol Fishman Cohen, co-founder of US career re-entry program iRelaunch (www.irelaunch.com). The good news? “Every hurdle in returning to work is a temporary situation – the humps are there, but you can easily get over them.”
Confidence Call
To begin with, you’ll need to target how you’re perceived – and we don’t mean by your potential boss. “Women lose their confidence really quickly when they’re out of the workforce, particularly when they have children,” asserts career coach Kate James ([http://www.totalbalance. com.au|www.totalbalance. com.au|target=_blank]). “Working on your confidence is equally as important as working on your CV.” Don’t forget, there is a silver lining, too, enthuses Fishman Cohen. “The career break is actually a gift because it’s the first time for many to stop and evaluate if they’re on the right career path. When you decide you want to get back to work, it’s really important to do a career assessment.” That could mean seeing a career coach, or just having a good hard think about whether you want to return to your specialty. Clarifying your goals and career path can firm up your sense of self.
Required (Up) Skills
The biggest confidence booster of all is to prove to yourself that you’re still a professional. No, that doesn’t mean pulling out the pants suit – it means upskilling so you feel like an upgraded version of your former self. “Some employers believe returning professionals have become tech obsolete; they assume they haven’t kept up – so make sure you catch up,” insists Fishman Cohen. That might mean embarking on coursework through Massive Open Online Courses (free tuition offered by elite universities), getting your software skills up to speed with online video tutorials via Lynda.com, reading about industry developments you’ve missed, or paying a uni student to teach you the ins and outs of social media.
Social Networking
Next, go public. All those ex-colleagues you promised to keep in touch with and haven’t? Get in contact, ask questions about what’s been happening at the coalface, and be clear that you’re gathering information, not asking for a job.
“Returning professionals almost never get hired by blindly submitting résumés through online searches,” reveals Fishman Cohen. “I cannot stress how important it is to get out of the house and tell people about your desire to go back to work – going public is that one change in strategy that can help you get that job.” Tell everyone, from school mums to your barista. “The more opportunities you have to talk about it in a social way, the better you’re going to sound, the more confident you’re going to feel and the better impression you’re going to give in the interview.”
Mind The Gap
Before you score an interview, you need to address that résumé gap. “If you’ve done consulting, project work or strategic volunteering, that can fill the gap,” notes Fishman Cohen. “If you didn’t do anything relevant, you have to make sure that somewhere on your résumé you account for that. If there’s any missing time the recruiter will likely toss it out.” Work experience, or a “returnship”, is another way to make the gap disappear and show your face around the office, offers James. “Unpaid work is always a good option, particularly if you’re trying to enter a new specialty.” Adds Fishman Cohen: “Think of it this way: you could be spending a month on your job search with or without an internship, but with one you have something relevant to put on your résumé and to talk about in an interview.”
So, how do you deal with that moment in the interview when your potential boss brings up your break? “You want to acknowledge it, but not apologise, and move on to why you’re the best person for the job,” advises Fishman Cohen. “Something like, ‘I took a career break to care for my children, but now I can’t wait to get back to work. The reason I’m excited about this position is because when I was at X company, we faced similar challenges and this is how I managed them.’”
And remember the career assessment you did? That good hard think has become an opportunity to show you’re applying for a specific job thoughtfully and deliberately – as opposed to someone coming right out of school who might just be trying things out.
And the only real mistake you can make? “Giving in to self-doubt and not giving it a red hot go,” warns James. “To get anywhere, you have to be brave.”
Break Away
A survey* of Australian career women revealed the pros and cons of taking a career hiatus:
▪ 36% said a break spurred them on to try something different.
▪ 40% said they found it difficult to re-enter the workforce in the same capacity.
▪ 55% believed taking time out enabled them to reassess their lives and careers.
▪ 20% found it difficult to be considered for a role equal to their experience.
▪ 87% agreed parenting responsibilities could be a catalyst to entrepreneurship.
