Re-Entering the Workforce
by Janet Farley, Ed.M.

You can plan your future all you want to but sometimes things turn out differently. The detours can be endless.

• You choose to become a stay at home parent for those fleeting precious years.
• You move to a new duty station and grow ever so weary of job searching.
• You turn your attention to full time school thinking that is the path that calls you.
• Your world takes a turn for the surreal and you become a caregiver for a loved one.
• You are forced to sit life out and sort out your own physical, mental or emotional demons.

Life, it would seem, happens to all of us and when it does, your career can be derailed by days, months and even years. When (and if) you finally decide to return to the work place, the obstacles may be daunting.

• Your resume may be sorely outdated and costing you potential opportunities.
• Your skills may be rusty or worse, obsolete rendering you unmarketable.
• Your network may be full of cobwebs.
• You may not have a clue where to start or even what to do.

If you find yourself at the edge of a return to the working world, the following may help you.

Revive your old resume or create a new one.

You will need a competitive resume. If you have an old resume, review it and figure out what is worth saving and what isn't.

Assuming you've been out of a job for a while, you may need to get creative and construct a whole new resume that that highlights your skills and abilities over your work history. A combination or functional format may do the trick.

Don't neglect to include volunteer experiences. They most certainly count.

If you're confused about what to include on your resume, then give it the acid test.  Ask the following question:  “Does X support my new direction?” If the answer is yes, it stays. If no, then it goes.

Inventory your existing skill set. Identify and obtain those skills that are lacking.

Looking over your old resume or creating a new one will give you the opportunity to assess your marketable skills. Compare the ones you have with the ones needed for the jobs you want today. If you see a big disconnect, then you may need to update your skills.

• Visit your local state labor department workforce center and inquire about free classes, state provided funding for re-training, on-the-job work experience and paid internships.
• Connect with the employment readiness program at the military family center on the installation nearest you.
• Access Military OneSource and the Spouse Education and Career Opportunities (SECO) program.
• Check out any area non-profit organizations that offer employment assistance to service members, spouses and veterans.
• Sign up for a class or certification program at your local community college or military education center. Use MyCAA (if you're eligible) to offset any costs or search out spouse-specific scholarships and grants.

Step out from the shadows.

You may be incredibly qualified and have all the skills you need to land a fantastic job but (and here's the bitter truth), you're not the only one. Your community is full of talented and qualified individuals.

The difference between the ones who get hired and the ones who don't comes down to good old fashioned networking, online and off.

If you've been sequestered out of the work force for a while, you need to work extra hard to re-energize your network.

• Actively participate in NMSN events (online and off).
• Volunteer in your target career field while you're job searching. You'll get to meet new people, learn new skills and add a new work narrative to your resume. It's a win-win-win.
• Attend community based networking events. Mingle. Do the small talk. Be genuine.
• Reconnect with people from your past or people in your present who can potentially help you.

Work with a job coach and/or mentor.

A job coach or mentor won't get your job for you, but they can help you to get it for yourself faster. Consider hiring a job coach (the good ones are well worth the expense) or connect with one at the employment readiness program for free.

A carefully selected and willing mentor, on the other hand, can also provide you valuable insight and wisdom.

 

Janet Farley, Ed.M. is an employment specialist at Mt Carmel Veterans Service Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado and the author of several books, most recently Mission Transition: Managing Your Career and Your Retirement (Rowman & Littlefield, 2017).

 

Have an employment question for Janet? Ask here. Your question/answer may be printed in a future issue.