There is lots of talk on all kinds of platforms about the
It is possible as is proven by the countless
numbers successfully launching their careers.
However in order to achieve success it’s important to consider where you
are and what your audience (the potential employer) will see.
As Carol Fisher pointed out in her famous article
the 40 year old intern. There is a gap
or a disconnect between the potential employer and the relauncher. Often the employer can look at people with a
gap on their CV as a high-risk proposition.
The professional in the midst of relaunching their
career may have doubts about their abilities, especially if they have been out
for a long time.
The first thing Carol advises is to get out and
tell everyone you know in your social circle and in your community that you are
in the process of getting back to the workplace. This will lead to a lot of conversations most
of which will end in nothing but some will ultimately lead to a job opportunity.
Its important to remember that when you are talking
to old colleagues and/or old bosses their idea of you is frozen in time. They remember the professional you were
before the kids and before the career break.
They did not see you walking around the house in your pjs because your
little one was up all night with a fever.
In fact very few people actually saw that side of you. So even if your own opinion of yourself has
diminished over time, as happens with a lot of us the farther away we are from
our professional identities, it is not a widespread phenomenon.
The advantages relaunchers offer the potential
employer are numerous. The life stage of
a professional returning to work is one that is settled, there will likely be
few if any more maternity leave, the work experience is extensive, there is a
much more settled and mature outlook on life and there is an energy and
enthusiasm to return to work.
The thing to consider is the digital skill set,
things will have changed in the workplace when it comes to software and an
employer will expect you to be up to scratch with your digital skills. There are currently lots of courses
specifically designed for mums to up skill their digital knowledge in
preparation for today's workplace.
Another consideration is what do you like to do,
are your interests the same as they were prior to your leaving the workplace or
have they changed, one must be able to demonstrate the skills one brings to the
table. This is a decision that should be
made prior to applying for that position; this is not a job for the employer.
Finally there are several global organisations both
in finance and engineering and possibly elsewhere that are offering internships
for professionals returning to work.
These are specifically targeted at the professional with the gap on
their CV. There are proven success
stories from people who have taken this route and the results were a well-paid
position and the successful relaunch of the career.
These internships are not always easy to find but
the temp job that might be on offer is a similar route, the relauncher is
basically being offered the opportunity to come in and show the employer what
they can do, and once the skills are proven then the likelihood of permanent work
becomes greater. In the UK the temp job
may be more prevalent than the internship so why not suggest it to potential
employers who are interested in you but are a little daunted by the risk
factor. What do you have to loose.
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