If you’ve been out of the workforce for a while, you might be nervous when it comes to finding a new job.

Life is full of twists and turns — if nothing else, the pandemic of a few years ago reminded all of us that nothing is ever foolproof or guaranteed, and unthinkable things can happen out of nowhere. 

  Don’t worry! FurstStaffing is here to help you shore up your confidence, brush up your resume, and find a new career path that will get you back into the swing of things in no time. 

Think about what you want to do.

• Depending on how long you’ve been out of work, your industry might have made some big changes. What did you like about your last job? Was it a particular skill that you enjoyed utilizing, something you’d like to pick up again? Maybe you really enjoyed the work environment, whether being part of an in-person team or working independently, possibly with the opportunity to have a hybrid position with a few days spent in the office and others working remotely. Consider what you enjoyed about the job, as well as what you didn’t care for as much, and make a list of what you want to prioritize in your next job. Be specific about what you want and where you’d like to be. Then, in order to get ready to move forward…

Update your resume.

• You’ll want to make sure your resume lists all your relevant work experience, any training or certifications you’ve earned. List your experience in reverse chronological order, with the most recent experience on top and working your way back. If you worked for a decade or more before stepping aside, you might want to eliminate from your resume any work experience that is further back in your career and might not reflect the job you want or the expertise you now have. Have someone you know well and trust look over your resume to make sure you’re not missing any important details, including any achievements you might have. The more you can quantify your work experience – improving efficiency by 10% through a new system you developed, cutting costs by 20% due to changing an inventory process, etc., – the stronger you’ll appear as a candidate when it comes time to … 

Start to apply for jobs.

• This might be the most overwhelming part of the process, but don’t worry! Send out some resumes by yourself if you’d like, but if you’re unsure where to start or how to get going, consider working with a staffing agency like FurstStaffing. We specialize in working with qualified job candidates and helping them find great new jobs, even people like you who are re-entering the workforce. Best of all, you pay nothing for our services! Our client companies foot the bill because we help them find qualified candidates quickly; we can even help you stand out as a candidate after getting to know more about you and determining which jobs are a great fit for you.

Practice your answers to interview questions.

• When you get that first call for an interview, you might be equal parts excited and nervous. That’s fine! There are so many questions you can prepare answers for ahead of time, including things like what interests you in this position, why do you want to work for this company, where do you see yourself in five or 10 years, what career goals do you have and how does this position fit into that vision. You can also know that you might be asked about the gap in your resume. Don’t worry about that either: If you were out of work due to a personal or family-related or medical reason, you can be honest about it and answer the question directly without having to give all the deep, personal details. If you stayed home to raise your children, you can connect that experience to your job search: managing a household is an exercise in time management, organization, scheduling, communication, budgeting, etc, are all applicable soft skills that can help you a great deal! Don’t worry too much about the employment gap; the right employer will see the value in your experience in work and in life. 

Talk about it!

• When you’re ready to get back to work, it’s time to contact your network. If you haven’t been active on LinkedIn and other professional networking platforms, it’s time to get going. Talk to friends and family too; they might know someone, or know someone who knows someone, that has a job opening you’d be great for. Tell everyone you know that you’re looking for a job and you might be surprised who can help! It doesn’t hurt to ask for help and the people who care most about you will want to help support and encourage you through this process. 

Consider something different.

• If you’re really not sure what you want to do or where you want to go, consider a part-time or even a temporary job. This is a great way to get back into the workforce and maybe learn some new skills while you continue to apply for jobs and weigh your options. FurstStaffing can help with this too! We help companies find employees for seasonal and temporary work, in addition to part-time jobs. We can even help you find something that has a more flexible schedule or hours that allow you to take care of your personal responsibilities while earning a paycheck. 

 Remember, you don’t have to go through this process alone! In working your way through preparing to return to work, you’ll want to be supported and reminded that you can do anything you put your mind to. And if you’re unsure how to get started on anything, you can start by calling FurstStaffing! Our experts and recruiters are eager to help you understand all your options, including finding a temporary or part-time job to get back into old habits. Take a look at the jobs we’re currently looking to fill and see what strikes your interest, then give us a call ! Let’s get you started on the path to a great new job!