Tag: resume tips
A Guide For Successfully Returning to the WorkForce
If you’ve been out of the workforce for a while, the idea of returning maybe be intimidating. Technological advancement and social changes have revolutionized the workplace in many ways. The longer you’ve spent away from your career, the more challenging a return to the workforce may seem.
It is possible to return to the workforce successfully and smoothly. Let’s look at some tips and advice for reentering the workforce.
Get Back in the Game
When you’re ready to return to work, begin by reacquainting yourself with your industry and analyzing the current job market. If you’ve been out for a while, no doubt a lot has changed. Taking time to research your industry and how you’ll fit in with your current skills and history is essential.
Speaking of history, your professional information will need a makeover. Your resume, especially, will need to be reviewed and redesigned. A gap in your employment history can raise eyebrows and questions. Still, with some revision to downplay the gap and focus on your skills and experience regarding rising job opportunities, your resume will speak well for you.
Networking
Getting back in the employment game also means networking. Reach out to former colleagues and bosses and pay close attention to your professional networking sites like LinkedIn. Let them know you’re transitioning back into the workforce. Not only can coffee with your former co-workers be an enjoyable afternoon, but it can also provide valuable information about current hiring initiatives, changes in the industry, and company news.
Get a Skills Upgrade
Time has passed since you were last on the job, and your skills may differ from those you need to compete in an intense job market. Before you begin your job search, evaluate your hard and soft skills and see what areas to improve. In some cases, you may even need to develop new skills, especially if your profession is more tech-dependent now or if you are considering transitioning to an entirely new career in a different industry.
Review some job postings for positions in your profession and compare your skills and knowledge with the qualifications they list. You will quickly see what skills keep coming up are skills you need to improve and develop.
Bridge the Professional Gap
Another great way to bridge the work gap on your resume and hone your job skills is to take on freelance, contract, or temporary work. Many companies are open to short-term workers, especially when they have large projects or programs they need help with. Short-term work may also develop into a full-time position down the road.
Beacon Staffing can help you return to the workforce by finding a job you’ll love – browse our open roles to get started!
Can I Return to a Former Job?
You may consider returning to your old job if you recently left your job or have been away for months or years. Perhaps you’ve had second thoughts about the grass being greener in another position, or the reasons you had for leaving in the past have been resolved somehow, or maybe you miss your former co-workers. Whatever the reason, if you want to return to your former job, you need to plan carefully.
Research and Reflect
Before attempting to go back to your old job, you need to consider two things:
- Is it possible to go back?
- Why do I want to go back?
Returning to an old job should be relatively easy if you left your position on good terms, provided the position is available. Reach out to former colleagues you trust to see if it is a good time to return and get any information you can to prepare your approach.
Once you have the information you need, take some time to reflect on why you want to go back and whether you are willing and able to commit to the position long-term. Be honest with yourself and address the issues and motivations that caused you to leave in the first place. Were there problems at work? Was the pay too low? Are the benefits too limited? Weigh all the pros and cons before you decide to move forward.
The Approach
Do your homework, especially if you’ve been away a while. Is your ex-boss still there, or is there someone new? If your ex-boss is still there, you may start by emailing them and letting them know you made a mistake and would like to come back. Don’t call on the phone as this puts them on the spot; email offers them time to reflect on the possibility and discuss it with others as necessary before replying.
If it’s a new boss, consider getting a recommendation from a former colleague. The new boss will readily see that you have a history with the company, and the recommendation tells them you are still well-regarded by former co-workers.
Update Your Resume, Cover Letter, and Professional Media
Your old job already knows your skills and education, how well you performed, and why you left. They need to see what you’ve learned and achieved since you’ve been gone and how you are a better asset to them than when you left. Highlight your best achievements and newest skills in your resume.
In the cover letter, everything comes together. Be somewhat formal and focus on how you are a more significant asset now than before. Direct their attention to the fact that you worked there before, but don’t dwell on it. Instead, be clear about why you want to come back.
Ensure that your professional sites, such as LinkedIn or your website, are consistent with the information in your CV and cover letters.
If you can’t get your old job back, work with Beacon Staffing for a new job!