Get back to business this fall

Are you looking to return to work after a career break but don’t know where to start? Whether you’ve taken time out to start a family, travel the world or are looking for your next role after redundancy, there are plenty of opportunities still waiting for you.

Returning to work after a career break can be a daunting prospect. If and when you want to return to work is a personal choice that you have to make as a family. But if you’re considering going back to work, this is the best time for it!

The end of summer is when most children start or return for a new school year. This is also the time when you can get time to focus on yourself, to regroup and get ready for a return to work. So here are our top tips for landing your dream job before 2022 is done!

Reskill and Upskill

Do an honest self-assessment and decide what kind of role you’re looking for. Chances are you may be looking for something quite different from your previous role. The new path you want to pursue may need some reskilling or upskilling. It could be something generic as essential digital skills for a modern career or something more specific to the roles you want to pursue.

According to a LinkedIn survey, 56% of employees who took a career break said they acquired new skills, or improved existing ones.

Upskilling involves building upon your existing skill set and enhancing your existing knowledge and capabilities through training or mentoring. This type of training is typically done to help you perform better in your current role or enhance your career prospects.

On the other hand, reskilling involves learning new skills to help you venture into a new role or follow a different career path entirely.

Update Your CV

Before applying for jobs, ensure that your CV is up to date. There are several useful online resources to help revamp your CV. You could also consult a professional CV writer. Many people looking to return to work struggle with trying to explain gaps in their employment history. There are several reasons why you could have breaks in your career, from illness to time off for caring duties, to travelling or just taking time to reset. They’re perfectly justified life events that you shouldn’t feel the need to apologise for. However, it’s important to be honest about these gaps. Remember, there’s always a way to spin a narrative in your favour.

Consider this example:

‘I took a break between July 2018 and September 2020 to bring up my child. But now I’m ready to return to work. As a full-time mother I’ve picked up a few transferrable skills that I’m sure will be useful in my professional life.’

Business Networking

According to LinkedIn’s global survey 80% of employees believe that business networking is the most successful way to find a job and advance in your career. For those looking to return to work after a career break, business networking is particularly useful. It’s what puts you on the radar of recruiters and other professionals and allows you to build your own grid of business contacts.

From dedicated professional networking sites like LinkedIn to digital events like webinars, there are multiple online platforms that you can successfully use to build your contact base.

Reach out to your old colleagues from the industry. It’s always worthwhile to keep in touch with your co-workers even after you’ve moved on to a different place. Having connections within your industry is very useful because they’re most likely to know of any new roles or business opportunities.

Both in-person and virtual networking events are great ways to meet new people and grow your network. FDM Group’s Returners Programme is a dedicated training programme to help people return to work after a career break. Attend an Open Morning to find out more and register your interest. Meet other Returners like yourself and hear their stories of getting back to work.

Claire Gardener, was a single mum of two when she joined FDM’s Returners Programme after a 19-year career break. Trained as a Business Analyst she said, ‘The training was intensive but excellent – a really great scope of subject matters, some of which were refreshers and others that were invaluable introductions to new systems and software.’

FDM’s Returners Programme welcomes applicants who have had a career break of 12 months or more. Through their renowned training programmes FDM equip you with the necessary skills and knowledge to excel in a role in business or tech before placing you with their prestigious clients. You could be working on leading edge digital transformation projects, cloud computing, and data migration, to name a few.

FDM are committed to help you return to work and help you every step of the way. From guidance on CV writing to interview preps and mentoring, they provide ongoing support even after you’re placed at client site If you’ve had 5 years’ previous commercial experience and are looking to get back to work after a gap, check out FDM’s Returners Programme to find out how  you can land your dream role.

• Vote  
• 0
• 0
• You already voted!