How to Re-Enter the Workforce After a Pause

Throughout the course of 2020, millions of people left – or were forced to leave – the workforce. Corporate layoffs, ailing relatives, and the need to homeschool children combined to drive unemployment to record highs. 

And now, millions are ready to find their way back to work. But jumping back in – finding and landing just the right job – can be challenging after a pause. Uncertainty, anxiety, and overwhelm are present for many.

But if you’ve decided your moment for re-entry is now, then here are some tips to support you on your journey:

Tip #1: Assess your needs 

Don’t assume that jumping back in exactly where you left off is the right move for you. Time has passed and things have changed. You may have changed. And what you need or want (or what you are ready for) may have evolved.

When you’re in the flow of work, autopilot often takes over, leaving us going through the motions without really pausing to reflect on the experience.

Now that you’ve had a break, you have this beautiful opportunity do be reflective. So don’t squander it – be thoughtful about the last role you held and consider how much you want your next role to be similar or different.  

Ask yourself a few questions about your last job:

• Do I want to return to the content of that job – was it engaging, challenging, and meaningful to me?
• How well had I defined and protected my boundaries – was that job working with my lifestyle?
• What have I learned about the culture of a company I want to work for?
• What do I miss most and least about my previous job?

Let your responses guide you in selecting possible next roles or career paths.

How to Craft a Job You Love

Tip #2: Revise history

Now it’s time to begin updating your resume, your LinkedIn profile, or whatever assets you’ll be sharing with prospective employers. Honesty is, of course, non-negotiable. But a story can be told a million different ways, all of them versions of the truth.

Your goal here is to define what from your past you want to highlight in order to position you for your ideal future. In looking at your resume, are the right accomplishments featured at the top? Have you focused on the skills, metrics, and experiences you want to call a new employer’s attention to?

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