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Would you
like to return to the work world but are concerned
about how to find an opportunity that will allow you
to fulfill your family or other non-work
obligations, nervous about how to "market yourself"
to potential employers, or unsure about what type of
work you want to do? We know how you feel. We took
time out to be home with our children, and then
relaunched our careers years later. Based upon our
experience, and that of the 100+ women we
interviewed for our forthcoming book, as well as the
career counselors, recruiters and employers whose
advice we sought, we've developed a detailed process
to help you negotiate this major transition. Here it
is in a nutshell:
1. Relaunch or Not: You Decide. If
financial reasons require you to return to work, go
to step 2. If not, determine whether you are ready
to go back to paid work or whether deepening your
volunteer involvement or engaging in a non-work
passion might satisfy your restlessness. If you're
not sure whether or not you want to return to paid
work, visit
www.backonthecareertrack.com and take our
Relaunch Readiness Quiz.
2. Learn Confidence. If a lack of
confidence is one of the obstacles holding you back,
don't worry. You can regain it. Remember, whether
you are a nurse, speech therapist, computer
programmer, scientific researcher, or salesperson,
your former colleagues' and classmates' image of you
is frozen in time. They think of you as a consummate
professional, and as you start to renew your
professional persona and reconnect to the
professional world, your confidence will grow.
Following Steps 3 and 4 will also help increase your
confidence as you update your professional knowledge
and become more articulate in expressing what you
want to do and why.
3. Assess Your Career Options. Don't think
that returning to the conventional full time
workforce is the only way to resume your career. The
moms we interviewed did everything from starting a
home based afterschool enrichment program (former
teacher) to running career services for a law school
on a flexible schedule (former public defender) to
job sharing a hospice administrator position (former
social worker) to creating a marketing campaign for
a new mutual fund from home (former mid level
marketing executive). Break down your old job(s) or
volunteer experiences into their component parts and
focus on what you did best and what you liked best.
Then try to think of new opportunities that build on
those skills and interests.
4. Update your Professional and Job Search Skills.
A sure way to increase your confidence and bolster
your employability is to update yourself. Read
relevant journals, take continuing education classes
and attend industry events. In terms of job search
skills, develop an elevator story (a two minute talk
answering the "what do you want to do" question)
that summarizes your expertise and the kind of
opportunity you seek in a few key sentences.
5. Network and Market Yourself. Order
yourself a business card with your name and contact
information. That way you don't have to scribble on
a piece of scrap paper if you meet someone who wants
to keep in touch with you. Then, start talking to
people, beginning with those you know well. Branch
out to those to whom they refer you, and discuss
your professional interests and the kinds of
opportunities you'd like to explore. These informal
conversations essentially function as interview
rehearsals, as you gradually hone your message.
Prior to formal interviews, make sure you prepare
extensively by studying the employer's website and
practicing answers to the most common interview
questions. When asked about your resume gap, answer
matter-of-factly that you took some time out to
raise your children/take care of an elderly parent,
etc., but that you're now eager to get back to work.
6. Channel Family Support. Get your spouse,
if you have one, on board with your plans as soon as
possible. If you encounter resistance, make it clear
how important this is to you and point out that with
extra income you might be able to outsource some of
the tasks that neither of you wants to perform, such
as cleaning and shopping. The older your children
are, the sooner you should tell them as well. If you
need to change your childcare arrangements, try to
implement the changes before you start your new job,
so you can work out any problems. Streamline your
household routines to maximize time to devote to
either work or family. Develop a support network of
family and/or neighbors to help you out in a jam.
7. Handle the Job or Find Another One. You
found the right opportunity and you've relaunched.
Initially, keep your employer's expectations low.
Better to underpromise and overdeliver, rather than
the other way around. Ask for early and frequent
reviews -- ideally, every six months, because
neither you nor your employer will be able to
predict the rate of your career trajectory. Help
your colleagues whenever possible, so they'll
reciprocate when you need them. And, remember, this
is just your first foray back to the professional
marketplace. If it doesn't work out, you can always
make a change.
Copyright 2007
Carol Fishman Cohen and Vivian Steir Rabin
Authors:
Carol Fishman Cohen, a former
investment banker, is now a consultant to women,
organizations, and employers on the issue of career
reentry. She lives in Newton, MA, with her husband
and four children.
Vivian Steir Rabin, a former
finance and human resources professional, now runs
her own executive search business. She lives in
Clifton, NJ, with her husband and five children.
They are the authors of Back on the Career Track: A
Guide for Stay at Home Moms Who Want to Return to
Work (Warner Business Books; June 2007;
$24.99US/$31.99CAN; 978-0446578202).
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