If you have been away from the work arena for a few years, or even a few months, it can seem a bit overwhelming to think about going back into the fray. You may feel as though you have missed too much while you have been away, that it is hopeless to think you can ever catch up. You may feel just as much panic as you did when you applied for your first job.
But that is just absolute nonsense. You have done this before, you were successful; you are just a little bit older. But even that can work for you; after all you are also more mature. You have more life experience and you have a lot to offer. All you need to do is get back in touch with yourself. Take inventory and determine what you have to offer a potential employer.
What do you want to do? Are you going back into the same field you were in before? Develop a plan of action. Make a list of where you want to apply. Prepare yourself and do not be discouraged. If you do not get the first job you apply for, it just means that there is something better for you. Keep going, after the first interview, you will know what to expect; and you will begin to feel more comfortable. The interviews will get better.
One of the best things you have in your favor is that you have a work history. You have worked before, if you were working in this particular field, it will not matter how long you have been gone, you still have working knowledge of the required basics. And you want to come back, you want to be there; that desire alone can make you valuable to the company.
Of course, you will need to be prepared to answer a few questions about why you choose to be out of the work force. Potential employers will need to be reassured that you are not going to want to leave them anytime soon, if they hire you. A good resume is always an asset, but make a list for yourself. Be familiar with your assets; be ready to make a case to the interviewer as to why they need you and what you can bring to their company.
Even if you have never worked in this field before, your desire to work for this company, combined with the willingness to learn everything you need to be able to do the job can earn you an opportunity to prove to them that you will be a good employee.
It truly all boils down to you. You need to feel confident. And why shouldn’t you? You already proved your worth when you made the decision to apply for a new job. Very few people feel secure starting over. After all, this is a new job, a new job description, new rules, and new people. Pat yourself on the back, it is not easy to ask for a job, no matter how qualified you feel you are.
David Couper is a career coach and writer who for the last twenty years has worked in Europe, Asia, and in the USA with major organizations including the BBC, Fuji Television, Mattel, Sony, and Warner Bros.
He has successfully coached individuals at all levels including CEOs of major companies wanting a new challenge, frustrated souls wanting to make their dream come true, and front-line employees laid off and desperate to get a job.
David has published seven books. His works on interpersonal skills, counseling in the workplace, and management issues (published by Connaught, Gower, HRD Press, Longman, Macmillan/Pearson Publishing, Oxford University Press) have been translated into Swedish, Polish, and Danish, and published in the UK and the USA.
David has a degree in Communication, a postgraduate qualification in education, is certified in a number of training technologies, and has a Masters in Psychology. He is a member of the American Society of Training and Development, Society of Human Resources Professional, Writers Guild and the British Academy of Film and Television.
He has dual US/UK citizenship and speaks French and Japanese.
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