I'm Back! Will You Hire Me Again?
by Julie Waters, PHR
Don't you love those moves where you get to say 'good riddance' when you hit the city limits sign? That is, until a few years later when you end up driving right back into town. In my case, this happened when my husband, the student pilot became the instructor and we cruised back into the town I had cheerfully waved to in the rear view mirror. My first thought, at least I know where the "good" Waffle House is. My next thought, maybe I can get my old job back. So many things going through my head at the same time: do I even want the job back, it would be easy to get up to speed at the company, I still know some people there, then finally - what the heck, I'll check it out. It only took a little research to find out that there was indeed an opening, and it is my former manager's position. OK, well now that sounds more like it. Now, how do I make this happen?
Contact the hiring manager immediately with your application. Use your network (your former coworkers) to let them know that you are interested and available. See if you can set up a lunch or coffee with one of those friends to get a feel for the organization as it is now. Ask them what has changed, so you won't be going into the interview using "the way we used to do it" as your reference point. Realize that in the years since you left the organization, it has likely changed. Don't let that discourage you though. Emphasize the advantages you have over the other candidates: your already established rapport with the staff and your knowledge of the industry and company.
In the time that you have been away, what positions have you held that will make you more qualified for a different and possibly more senior position at your former company? Are there similarities, best practices, or even just a fresh set of eyes on familiar tasks that the company will value? Are they looking for a change agent, or do they want status quo? And can you be either of those things? For once you have an advantage in this game. Use it!
For those of you who have interned or worked part time at companies, these same guidelines apply. Having already worked there does potentially give you a step up on the competition. Key to being able to go back to a former workplace though is leaving on good terms and maintaining relationships with your former co-workers and/or supervisors. This is easy to do these days on platforms such as LinkedIn. So as with everything, leave a place a little better than you found it. You never know when you may be back!
Julie was born and raised in Washington State. She graduated from the University of Washington with a BA in English and earned an MS in Human Resources Management from Troy University. She is also a certified Professional in Human Resources.
Over the last 13 years, Julie has held various Human Resource positions starting her career at FHC Health Systems in Norfolk, Virginia, then moving to Landrum Professional Services in Pensacola, Florida, Cambridge Health Alliance Physicians Organization in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and the Military Officers Association of America in Alexandria, Virginia where she served as the Director of Human Resources. Julie currently resides in Spokane, Washington where she is the Human Resources and Operations Manager for a law firm. Julie was lucky enough to choose a career that easily transfers between employers as her husband's assignments moved them from city to city. She holds a special interest in career building for military spouses as she feels it is important to have something personal outside of our military lifestyle.
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