Back to Work? 2017 Is The Year of the Comeback Career

The economy is bustling and the job market needs your skills and talents; 2017 is your year to get back in the game.

You may be concerned that the professional world has moved on while you’ve been on hiatus. Perhaps you’re worried that your resume and your tech know-how are too outdated to revive. Plus, even if you score a job, your family is accustomed to having your attention centered around their needs. How can you find a position that suits you both personally and professionally?

Don’t let self-doubt paralyze you. In a TED talk she delivered on the topic of “relaunchers,” Irelaunch CEO, speaker and author Carol Fishman Cohen said:  “I believe relaunchers are a gem of the workforce . . . We’re in a more settled time of life. We have great work experience. We have a more mature perspective. . . Plus we have an energy, an enthusiasm about returning to work precisely because we’ve been away from it for a while.”

You have a lot of offer. You just need to find your starting point:

1. Learn about your industry

In order to figure out where you are going, it helps to examine where you’ve been. So refresh your knowledge of your industry. How have things changed? What does the corporate landscape look like and who are the players? Read about the functions you used to enact. Does your former title still exist or is that function referred to differently now?

Reconnect with professional societies in which you used to hold memberships. These are often rich news sources that offer helpful details on how work is getting done in the industry-what kind of tools are people using, who are the reigning experts in the industry, etc.  

Get reacquainted, and revive your sense of the basics.

[Related: How To Use Your Skills And Connections To Get A Job]

2. Re-establish your networks

Important connections are still made by word of mouth.  Reconnect with formal colleagues via social networking sites. It’s a good strategy to see where your former colleagues have landed. Reconnecting with them also puts you back in touch with your former self, and this is confidence building. You need to muster up your old work voice and your professional persona to remind yourself of where you’ve come from and what you’re capable of.

[Related: How to Network Your Way to a New Job –Through Email]

3. Target what you want

Use Glassdoor to see what jobs are available. Study postings. Visit company websites. Thoroughly embrace the project of learning what is available and figuring out what could be a fit for you and your family.

Also, pursue informational interviews.  They give you the chance to participate in a low stakes interview where you meet with a professional and learn about what they do and what kinds of opportunities are available. Although the meeting isn’t likely to yield a job offer, it presents an opportunity to network, learn about positions and employers that you may be interesting in and refresh your interviewing skills.  

[Related: See Open Jobs In Your Area Hiring Now!]

4. Evaluate your materials

When you upload your resume to Glassdoor’s site, you have the option to request a free resume review. It’s helpful because an individual resume reviewer gives you feedback about your resume plus tips to improve it. Knowing that your correspondences are fresh and current helps boost your confidence. Glassdoor also has a helpful tool to help you understand your professional worth. Great to know as you get started with your search.  

5. Define what balance means for you

Work with your co-parent to figure out how you might balance the demands of having a second job in the family. Make sure that you know what you’re looking for and aim to find a company that offers family friendly options, especially if your co-parent’s employer tends to be more rigid.

Source: Glass Door