Re-Entering the Workforce

Whether by design (planned re-entry after child-raising, educational endeavors or other leave of absence) or necessity (divorce or spousal lay-off, disability), some individuals find themselves seeking employment after a short or long-term hiatus. Whatever your reasons for returning to work, it behooves you to take stock of your marketable skills, interests, current work values, needs (salary and benefits) and your goals. Here are some tips for returning to the workplace:
 

1. Assess your value in the marketplace. Don’t sell yourself short. Managing a volunteer program, coaching your child’s team, working within local schools, clubs or other volunteer work often requires the same skills of the marketplace. The only difference is that you are not paid for such experiences. Learn to articulate the value of those experiences – YOUR value – to prospective employers by focusing on your strengths, skills, and successes. Help the employer understand how to translate those experiences into value for him/her.

2. Assess your educational attributes. How does your degree relate to your current interests? Do you need re-training or additional skills since your last job? Is this the time to acquire needed skills for today’s workforce? Should you go back to school?

3. Assess your interests, skills, and values. See our resources on Career Change and Assessment.

4. Develop your resume. Has it been years since you’ve had a resume or updated it? Never had one? Begin with a simple list of your experiences and accomplishments. This can include paid, unpaid, volunteer, community service, internship, civic or other leadership experiences. Put them in reverse chronological order with names of organizations, locations, dates, and brief descriptions of your accomplishments. Review samples and develop a draft. A resume is a document in constant flux – it will evolve over time. See online resources for resume construction. The Career Center’s Guide to Resume Writing is a good place to start.

5. Research careers, jobs, companies, and organizations. Also read the Sunday papers and classified to learn what’s going on in your community/region and how the local economy shapes up. Read job descriptions in print to get a sense of what types of positions (and these are REAL, currently open positions) are available and which ones interest you. Are there themes to the positions that appeal to you? Can you categorize you career interests? Are there local companies that beckon? Learn all you can about them via their webpages and business journals. Keep current with trends in your former or targeted industry. Conduct informational interviews with anyone who is doing work that interests you.

6. Set goals for yourself. These can include short and long-term goals with a projected timeline for employment. Delineate steps along the way, such as the number of networking contacts per day/week, the amount of time to be spent per week on networking, research and actual applications, other activities that might combine “business” with pleasure. Maintain the pace but don’t overdo.

7. Think about your networks. Who is in your circle of family, friends, neighbors, medical/legal connections, your children’s teachers, the pet groomer, your hairdresser, massage therapist, and on and on? Who has their finger on the pulse of your community? Who knows everone? Let them know what you are considering and let them refer you to appropriate contacts. Think big! Don’t discount anyone – you have no idea who they know. See Networking.

 8. Consider starting or joining a Networking Group.

9. Use internet resources for most aspects of your job search. From assessments to job postings, from salary surveys to career and company research, use the internet to enhance your job search. BUT…do not rely exclusively on the internet. Get out there, talk with people and follow up on contacts and referrals, using all your resources.

10. Use Duke’s Career Center resources and DukeConnect. Keep abreast of the services and resources available to you through your alma mater.

11. Prepare cover letters that clearly express your interest in returning to work, you fit within the organization, and most importantly, your value to the employer.

12. Prepare for interviews! If it has been a while since interviewing for a position, this step could be quite intimidating. Preparation is the key to interview success.

13. Don't forget to think positively! Set your goal. Do your research on self and careers, the local economy, and use the services provided by the Duke Career Center. Keep a positive attitude throughout the process. Make your next job happen!