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Reinvention & Money : Careers & Work

Getting Back Into the Job Market: What I Wish I Had Known

Whether you enjoyed an extended maternity leave or a decade-long office sabbatical, chances are the job landscape has changed since your last full-time stint. MORE talked to “return-to-work expert” and co-founder of the career re-entry website iRelaunch.com, Vivian Rabin, about her top tips for anyone transitioning back into the workforce

by Lauren N. Williams

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Be open to interning

If a prospective employer seems unsure about hiring you full-time, suggest taking on a single project or working for two to three months in a non-binding trial arrangement to test the waters. Use that time to demonstrate your work ethic and strengthen your long-term candidacy.

 

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Take a class

If you want to learn a new design program or brush up on your Excel skills, classes can work to strengthen your resume. “I’ve never met anyone who’s regretted taking a course,” says Rabin.

 

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Step away from the computer

Combat ageism by meeting people in person versus networking online. If you project energy and enthusiasm, you’ll debunk preconceived notions that employers may have had about you based on your age (or the graduation date on your resume).

 

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Don’t ignore the gap in your resume

Play up your time off by focusing on your hobbies. Managing the PTA or serving on a philanthropic board show organizational skills, good judgment and maturity.

 

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Learn how to adapt

Midlifers who re-enter the job market often find that they’re working with younger people almost exclusively, so be open to new ways of conducting business. Plainly put, Rabin advises, “Never begin a sentence, ‘This is how we did it in my day.’”

 

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Next: 10 Ways to Get Your Job Skills in Shape


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