Returning to Work- Taking the First Step

As a job search specialist I give a lot of training sessions on finding jobs. They range in content from career assessment to networking and include sessions on resume writing and interviewing. It is from these sessions that I decided to write the book, Job Search for Moms. When deciding whether to jump back into the workforce, many women think all that is needed is an updated resume. Unfortunately, they get to the heading and stop typing. They only know what they “used” to do and they don’t know how to articulate everything that has happened since them. I see this frustration in many of my sessions. What I say is this, “What is it that you really want to do?”

The first big step in any job search or career change is to put away the resume. That is the last thing to work on. You need to plan and dream and take a bit of time to think about you and all that you do. That’s the second step; Planning. There are a couple of things in the planning process and both deal with Focus.

1. Focus on You
2. Focus on the Job

Focus on You: Take some time to reflect and jot down your answers to these questions. Try to do this exercise yourself and then ask friends and family if they have anything to add.
a. What did I like about my last job(s)?
b. What activities did I enjoy?
c. What type of work energizes me?
d. What don’t I like to do?
e. If I could do anything, what could it be?
f. What are my interests?
g. What are my values?
h. What type of personality do I have?
i. What am I really good at?
j. What am I really bad at?
k. What skills do I have?
l. What skills have I developed over the years that I have been at home? (volunteer activities, work with the school, etc)

Focus on the Job: Once you have identified your skills and interests, think about the types of jobs that may interest you.
a. Take a free career assessment. There are many but try coachcompass.com or online.onetcenter.org)
b. Review the jobs defined in the Occupational Outlook Guide from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics.
c. Go to the familiar job search engines such as Indeed.com or Monster.com and look up the various positions that may interest you. Review the wording and match your skills and interests to these.

There are other steps along the way including evaluating your skills, identifying transferable job skills, networking and goal setting. Focusing on you and focusing on the job are two major accomplishments and once you get past these, you will be well on your way to creating a career plan.

For more information on the job search or for a career change, take a look at my book, Job Search for Moms.