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AUGUST TOPIC: Returning to the Workforce after a Long Hiatus
Dinorah Nieves, Ph.D.
Development Coach & Behavioral Scientist Photo Credit: Suzanne Bonanno |
OUR EXPERT:
Dinorah Nieves, Ph.D., (a.k.a. Dr. D) is a personal/professional development coach and behavioral scientist who helps people do well and feel well by taking a whole-person approach to wellness. She helps people change the habits that get in their way. Dinorah is a behavioral scientist with a Ph.D. in sociology. She is trained and certified in conflict resolution and mediation, life coaching and wellness. She spent years working as a counselor, professor and leader in executive management. She brings those skills, experiences, tools and techniques to you in her capacity building workshops, presentations, trainings and talks. Dinorah has been featured on ABC’s The Chew, WE TV’s Braxton Family Values and OWN’s Iyanla Fix My Life. Dinorah's research-based advice and insightful commentary can also be found in her lifestyle blogs, which are featured in the Huff Post, Sivana East, Mind Body Green, and XO Necole as well as in her self-help books: Love YOU: 12 Ways to Be Who You Love & Love Who You Are, Love YOU: The Workbook and Love YOU: The Latina Edition. |
“Is there anywhere on a resume where you should state why you’ve been out of work for a long period of time so that a potential employer isn’t turned off by the hiatus? I’m afraid I might not be asked in for an interview if something is not on the paperwork they see upfront.” ~ Phyllis (CA)
Phyllis,
That’s a great question that just takes a little reframing of your experience. One way to think about it is that you have never really ‘been out of work.’ Regardless of your formal employment status, you have always been ‘working’ on something.
Think about what you spent those years working on and give it an honest title – not one that will mislead a potential employer, but one that really captures the work that you did. For example, if you stayed home to raise children for the last ten years, you may think about including in your professional profile something like: Stay-At-Home Parent (2009-2019) – During my time in this role, I have built a wealth of knowledge and experience in time management, team-building, dispute resolution, etc.
“Can I list skills I gained while volunteering as professional skills? I’ve worked on a lot of volunteer committees even though I’ve been away from the workforce – team building, leadership, etc.” ~ Shannon (TX)
Shannon,
Absolutely! You can and should list skills gained from your volunteer experiences on all of your materials. Employers are often looking for resourceful individuals with diverse experiences that have broad perspectives and can still focus on task specifics. Anything you can offer them to demonstrate your capacity to do the job well will lend you a competitive edge. Just be sure, to list the transferable skill (leadership development) and not just the actual task (facilitating board meetings).
“I haven’t been to an interview in over 25 years. Technology has changed immensely since then. What are some of the questions I can expect in terms of ability to use technology? I’m afraid I’m not up on the latest and greatest.” ~ Kayla (MN)
Kayla,
Technology is a key component of most work environments these days. During employment interviews, interviewers will often ask about proficiency in operating systems (Windows/MAC). So you should have a basic understanding of how to work them (on/off; file search and save; app downloads, etc.). They will likely inquire about your comfort with popular software – word processors, spreadsheet programs, presentation design – so it’s prudent to become familiar with those as well. Equally important are web browsers and search engines. Finally, you may want to do some research on the most widely used technological platforms within your field and become current in what your specific industry is using to get the job done.
Remember, when returning to the workforce, people often underestimate the importance of technology and diminish its value. Perhaps this is because technological advances can be so intimidating and overwhelming. I have often seen people respond by throwing their hands up in defeat or adopting a self-righteous attitude about the ‘good old days.’ Neither inspires a lot of confidence. It’s imperative to be honest about the fact that you are learning and to be open to actually learning it. The fact is…although it changes often…technology as a whole is likely to be here to stay.
“I used to be a photographer for a marketing agency. I’d like to open my own business now that my children are grown, but I don’t know where to begin because I need to start my own portfolio. Any tips to getting things going from scratch?” ~ Anonymous (NY)
Anonymous,
Congratulations on starting your own freelance photography business! I think the first step is a website where you can show your work and make yourself easily accessible to potential clients. There are many free services out there, such as WordPress. There are also others that charge a modest rate, like GoDaddy.com. Find the right fit for you and create a site that highlights your best pieces, tells people a little about you, such as your training, experiences and interests, and gives them a way to get in touch. Pricing details might be helpful to add as well.
The next suggestion would be to get active on social media – Instagram, in particular, focuses on photos. Make sure that you have a regularly scheduled social media routine – posts, comments, follows and likes. This will start to push your work out there. You can operate as a sole proprietorship and advertise digitally to start – for instance, through Google Adwords or Facebook promotion campaigns…all depending on your budget.
Phyllis,
That’s a great question that just takes a little reframing of your experience. One way to think about it is that you have never really ‘been out of work.’ Regardless of your formal employment status, you have always been ‘working’ on something.
Think about what you spent those years working on and give it an honest title – not one that will mislead a potential employer, but one that really captures the work that you did. For example, if you stayed home to raise children for the last ten years, you may think about including in your professional profile something like: Stay-At-Home Parent (2009-2019) – During my time in this role, I have built a wealth of knowledge and experience in time management, team-building, dispute resolution, etc.
“Can I list skills I gained while volunteering as professional skills? I’ve worked on a lot of volunteer committees even though I’ve been away from the workforce – team building, leadership, etc.” ~ Shannon (TX)
Shannon,
Absolutely! You can and should list skills gained from your volunteer experiences on all of your materials. Employers are often looking for resourceful individuals with diverse experiences that have broad perspectives and can still focus on task specifics. Anything you can offer them to demonstrate your capacity to do the job well will lend you a competitive edge. Just be sure, to list the transferable skill (leadership development) and not just the actual task (facilitating board meetings).
“I haven’t been to an interview in over 25 years. Technology has changed immensely since then. What are some of the questions I can expect in terms of ability to use technology? I’m afraid I’m not up on the latest and greatest.” ~ Kayla (MN)
Kayla,
Technology is a key component of most work environments these days. During employment interviews, interviewers will often ask about proficiency in operating systems (Windows/MAC). So you should have a basic understanding of how to work them (on/off; file search and save; app downloads, etc.). They will likely inquire about your comfort with popular software – word processors, spreadsheet programs, presentation design – so it’s prudent to become familiar with those as well. Equally important are web browsers and search engines. Finally, you may want to do some research on the most widely used technological platforms within your field and become current in what your specific industry is using to get the job done.
Remember, when returning to the workforce, people often underestimate the importance of technology and diminish its value. Perhaps this is because technological advances can be so intimidating and overwhelming. I have often seen people respond by throwing their hands up in defeat or adopting a self-righteous attitude about the ‘good old days.’ Neither inspires a lot of confidence. It’s imperative to be honest about the fact that you are learning and to be open to actually learning it. The fact is…although it changes often…technology as a whole is likely to be here to stay.
“I used to be a photographer for a marketing agency. I’d like to open my own business now that my children are grown, but I don’t know where to begin because I need to start my own portfolio. Any tips to getting things going from scratch?” ~ Anonymous (NY)
Anonymous,
Congratulations on starting your own freelance photography business! I think the first step is a website where you can show your work and make yourself easily accessible to potential clients. There are many free services out there, such as WordPress. There are also others that charge a modest rate, like GoDaddy.com. Find the right fit for you and create a site that highlights your best pieces, tells people a little about you, such as your training, experiences and interests, and gives them a way to get in touch. Pricing details might be helpful to add as well.
The next suggestion would be to get active on social media – Instagram, in particular, focuses on photos. Make sure that you have a regularly scheduled social media routine – posts, comments, follows and likes. This will start to push your work out there. You can operate as a sole proprietorship and advertise digitally to start – for instance, through Google Adwords or Facebook promotion campaigns…all depending on your budget.
