Career Re-entry

I've been talking with some folks at the college I teach about creating a career re-entry program. A career re-entry program helps professionals who have been out of the workforce for an extended period of time build both the skills and confidence they need to return to work.

There is a Boston-based consulting firm, iRelaunch, that specializes in assisting individuals and corporations with career re-entry. They list several such programs on their website (here).

When returning to work after being at home for an extended period, you must also overcome the barrier of the gap on your resume. This burden is lessoned if you have made efforts to keep your skills sharp while at home. But, as pointed out in a recent Wall Street Journal article (here), you may need to take a different approach in your search.

If you are dealing with a significant gap in your resume, simply responding to online job postings will probably get you nowhere. You need the opportunity to talk with decision-makers and tell your story in order to convince them that you are worth the risk. The best approach to get you to the decision-makers is through networking. Here is some advice on networking from the Riley Guide, click here.

I would love to hear from parents who have successful re-entered the workforce after some time at home, drop me a comment or an e-mail (contact info at www.familyfriendlywork.net).