Back to Work After an Absence

7 steps to get back in the game

Q: I have been out of work for some time, but now I need to find a job. How do I successfully re-enter the job market after an absence?

A: Follow these seven steps to successfully re-enter job market.

Step 1
Have a plan with a timeline – otherwise you’ll feel like you’re floundering and as if you’re the lead character in Groundhog Day.
Don’t underestimate the time it takes to find a job in today’s employment market.
Do be optimistic and persistent. Most Americans are employed and many unemployed individuals are finding jobs. It just takes longer and requires a well-planned strategy.
Expected results: An organized process to guide your actions, with a timeline to achieve your goals. If you’re still going in circles after you’ve begun working your plan, stop and revise it.

Step 2
Take time to re-discover yourself and apply this information to your career. You’ve probably changed since your last real job. The world and job market surely have.
Do explore your interests, personality style, values, abilities, work style, desired lifestyle and other factors to identify crucial components of your Best-Fit Snapshot.
Don’t rush through this step or settle for unclear assumptions about yourself. It can result in self-doubt, which can lead to poor interview performance and/or landing in a bad-fit job.
Expected results: A listing of top factors in crucial self-discovery areas.

Step 3
Prioritize the results of your career self-discovery.
Do know which factors are non-negotiable and those on which you’re willing to compromise. For example, are you willing to work nights or weekends? Are your personality and work style a better fit for spending more of your day interacting with people or working by yourself?
Don’t be in the dark about your required earnings and market value.
Expected results: A solid Best-Fit Snapshot, prioritized with your top self-discovery factors.

Step 4
Conduct research to identify active employment segments, using your Best-Fit Snapshot to guide and target your research.
Do know the current job market and projected trends.
Don’t use outdated data and be sure to draw from several sources of intelligence.
Do revise your Best-Fit Snapshot, if necessary, to include realistic parameters for your continuing search.
Expected results: Job market intelligence that identifies active employment segments, with potential opportunities that match your prioritized Best-Fit Snapshot factors as closely as possible.

Step 5
Build your targeted job search campaign, using results from prior steps.
Do create a written marketing plan that includes, at a minimum: job titles, desired employer criteria, key decision-making factors, list of target employers.
Do produce marketing tools, such as your resume and cover letter, to match top requirements of your target employers and job titles.
Do use in-person networking and social networking sites, such as LinkedIn, for job searching.
Do explore evolving Internet sites to showcase your knowledge, such as Squidoo and Prezi.
Expected results: Internet and in-person techniques that communicate in the same language as your target population and navigate a path that connects you to your bulls-eye.

Step 6
Refresh your interviewing skills.
Do take advantage of a mock interview for objective feedback to reveal blind spots, as well as pointers to take you from good to great.
Expected results: Awareness of your interview strengths and areas to work on; tips to present yourself as confident and the perfect fit for the job.

Step 7
Once you’ve landed, stay connected and balanced.
Do maintain key network connections.
Do keep a healthy life balance.
Expected results: Job satisfaction, financial rewards, a supportive professional network and a sense of well-being in your life.

Have a question about networking, interviewing, landing the big job or moving up the ladder? Email minute.mentor@tcwmag.com, and we'll have your query answered by a career pro. Check back every Tuesday for new advice from Chicago's top career coaches and experts. Look for the next post on Tuesday, September 13, for advice on how to stand out among other job applicants.

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