Tips For Reentering The Workforce After A Break
By Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter
This is a summary based on an article entitled, “Successful Return: Business Leaders’ Tips for Reentering the Workforce After a Break.“
How Far Back Should My Resume Go?
Reentering the workforce after an extended career break can be a daunting task.
From brushing up your skills and preparing an explanation to considering a consulting role, these leaders share their strategies and experiences to help you successfully reintegrate.
When I was coming back to work after a year-long break, the first thing I did was check my skills.
It really helped me get back into the workforce successfully.
One common mistake people make when re-entering the workforce after an extended break is not explaining the reason for their career gap.
Importantly, you don’t need to go into detail why you took a break from formal employment.
You want to ease any worries a potential employer may have about why there’s a gap in your work history.
If you took several years off from formal employment to complete an MBA you can write something like, “Completed full-time MBA program at and completed courses in [topic], [topic], and [topic].” Similarly, if you took a break from employment to care for a loved one, you might write, “Took a purposeful break from employment to care for a family member’s one-time health concern that is now 100% resolved.”
I’ve noticed more candidates coming to me after a long break from the workforce.
If you took your break for family time or even a solo vacation, don’t be afraid to admit it.
Resist the urge to dress it up as a re-education or training period-it will backfire when it becomes clear you only took one part-time online course in the better part of a year.
Navigating reentry into the workforce after a prolonged break can be challenging.
For anyone looking to reintegrate, I’d recommend being proactive in rekindling professional relationships and continuously updating your skill set to ensure a smoother transition back.
Reasons for stepping aside could be to stay at home with the kids, manage a health crisis, or start a business.
One tip for those re-entering the workforce is to focus on the transferable skills acquired while on a break.
New skills are always acquired, even if not immediately apparent.
Thinking about the extra-special skills one possesses is one thing.
A member of my family recently took some time off work for an extended period.
I’ve seen a few people do this after an extended break because of health or parental reasons-it can mean fewer hours and more work on your own terms rather than the day-to-day realities of the corporate grind.
If you’ve managed to maintain some industry connections, this isn’t a bad option to explore in the short term as you get acclimated to the working world.
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He is the host of “No BS Job Search Advice Radio,” the #1 podcast in iTunes for job search with over 2700 episodes.
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