Bounce Back into Your Career
Do you have that niggling feeling you could be doing more with your life? Maybe you have a family that is growing up and no longer needs you as much, or perhaps you’re craving the perks and comradeship of the awesome career that you left behind. Whatever your reasons for looking ahead, make the most of your ideas and allow yourself to feel excited. No matter how long you’ve been out of the workplace, bouncing back into a career isn’t as hard as you think. All you need is a bit of gumption, a touch of good old female motivation and a boost in the form of an online course. We have 5 top tips for you.
- Feed your self confidence
Taking time out of work can be a killer for self-confidence but there are ways to deal with this. The first step is to recognise this lack of self-confidence as the root of the excuses that are preventing you from leaping back into your career. Next take a careful look at what you’ve been doing over the past few years. You can bet your bottom dollar that your abilities to multitask, manage your time, manage new situations and learn new skills have improved since you were last in the workplace.
- Open up those networks
With the onset of social media, networking is easy. Use your social networks, particularly LinkedIn, to get back in touch with old business contacts, find new support within your current network and reach out to new possibilities. Respond to comments and blog posts, ask interesting questions and generally get your name known again. Making contacts will be stimulating and reinforce your interest in your chosen career. Once you’ve reached out on social media, establish face-to-face meet-ups with people who are on your wavelength and moving in circles you wish to enter.
- Maximise on research
If knowledge is power then up-to-date knowledge has to be the most powerful tool you have to push yourself back into the workplace. The great thing about research is that, when done online, it can fit in with a busy home timetable. In order to keep your research specific and yourself focused, create a list of all the things you want to find out and keep a record of useful. Research topics could include industry breakthroughs, company policies on flexible working, current wage structures and alternative opportunities around your previous career.
- Talk to your support network
The more you talk to the people around you about your plans and hopes for the future, the more they will want to support and encourage you. A support network isn’t just about the physical, lift-giving, child-caring, housework-helping side of your life, it is also there to push you forwards when you stop making progress, notice when you are doing too much and ask awkward questions that you might be avoiding. Once you’re back in your career you’ll develop a new, different kind of support network but for now, give your existing friends and family the chance to help.
- Take an online course
By taking an online course you won’t just gain vital knowledge about your chosen career field, you’ll gain confidence and make yourself instantly more attractive to prospective employers. Employers don’t mid career-gaps on resumes if they include evidence that the candidate has demonstrated some level of motivation and perseverance. The range of online courses out there is vast and courses are available at all levels from Certificate to Bachelor and above. As you study for your new online qualification, for example a Diploma of Business, you’ll notice that you’re gaining both personal and industry-related skills, make a note of these, as they will be really useful to refer to at interview. An online MBA is another good option to future-proof your career as it is an incredibly versatile business course that integrates easily with technology.
You’re wondering now aren’t you? The answer to the question in your head is ‘yes’! You are going to get an interview and you are going to bounce back into your career. All of this may not happen in exactly the way that you planned but by taking the right steps of networking, researching and gaining an online qualification now, you may well be surprised at where that next leap could take you.
Author bio: Fi Darby is a working mum, and freelance writer; she specialises in education and outdoor web content and covers a wide range of topics for online education provider Upskilled.
