Women's Life Link Be Well, Be Happy, Be YOU!
It can be daunting and even difficult to go back to work after you’ve had a break from your career. This is so no matter what the reason for your respite. Maybe you have taken time out to raise your children or have had health or personal reasons to lay low from your career. All of these things become priorities when they need to, making it impossible to focus on a career, too. However, when the time comes to get back into full-time work or your career, you want to be ready for the transition. Here are a few steps to help return to your career after a break.
Consider Your Past
Before you dive right back into your job or career, take some time to think about what it was like when you worked before your break. What did you enjoy about it and what did you not like so much? What were your strengths and your weaknesses? Make sure you want to return and are not just doing it because you think you have to.
Consider what you want the next stage of your career to look like? Think about what your original career goals were. Have you reached them or is there much more to accomplish? It might also be worth investing time and money in doing something new or obtaining some new qualifications. For example, maybe you’ve always dreamed of a career in nursing but got sidetracked with family and a paycheck.
You should also be realistic about your return to a professional career if you have been out of practice for years. You may not be able to pick up where you left off, things will have changed. However, this won’t make you unemployable; you just have to think about ways you can appear more attractive to employers.
Get Some Advice and Do Your Research
Making a transition back to an existing career or considering a new one may take some time and serious effort. This is especially true if you quit a job or left a company you’d been with for a while. I recommend that you consider all of your options, including working from home or even starting your own business.
Talk to recruiters, investigate what’s out there, and do some research into the industry you want to pursue. Things can change quickly in some industries and job markets, so learn everything you can before you move forward. You can also get in touch with old colleagues or any other contacts who may help you get a foot back in the door. Industry magazines and forums are also a good source for current topics and information.
Set Achievable Goals
After being off work for a while, you may not be at to top of your game. This isn’t that you couldn’t be as soon as you get back into the workflow again, however, cut yourself some slack in the beginning. That said, you may need to adjust your goals to meet a changing lifestyle or state of health. The things you once could do may not be appropriate or even a possibility.
Focus on What You Can Do
Setting achievable goals will help keep you on track and making positive choices for your present and future. Your previous industry experience along with your current needs should help you flesh out some new goals. Try not to dwell too much on the past, however. Stay focused on what you can do and not what you can’t.
You can always retrain or take a lower-level position until you get in a place where you can do the same job. Additionally, volunteering in the relevant industry or finding an internship could help you get some on-the-job training or a confidence boost.
No matter how long you’ve been gone from a career, you can always work toward returning. It may not look exactly like it did when you were in it before, but that’s OK. It’s time to consider exactly what you want, what you need, and how to get those things. This time of transition is open for a new plan of action that gets you results. Consider who you are now and what kinds of change are in order to accommodate that woman. And, yes, you can return to your career after a break!
