Returning to Work ~ Advise

Don't overlook signing up with temp agencies. A lot of companies use temp agencies to find employees instead of doing the screening themselves. That way if someone isn't a good fit for the job they can just call the temp agency and ask for someone else instead of firing. A few of my kids and a lot of friends have gotten jobs by working temp to hire.

M,

What did you do prior to being a SAHM?
What are your skills NOW?

First thing I would do is get my resume updated. List any volunteering, etc. I've done over the last 14 years. I would make sure that my computer skills are up-to-date - if they aren't? Go to the community college and take a class on computers. If there are any certifications that I might need to update, see about updating them.

Then the first place I would LOOK?? Locally. In the newspaper, see what is available locally and if it applies to what you did and the skills you have.

There are many sites out there.
LinkedIN - network with people and find jobs
Monster
Dice
careerbuilder
Theladder

If you still live where you worked before? Is the company still in business? If so - reach out to them and start talking.

Find out what you WANT to do and what you are good at.
Update your wardrobe. You don't need suits, but you do need professional outfits to wear to interviews.

Read your resume out loud, in front of a mirror...you will catch mistakes there.

Make sure your resume accurately reflects you and your experience.
There is so much to say!! I don't want to write a book!!

I don't know your background, experience and what you are looking for but maybe this information can help you!

In my experience, the temp agencies are a great way to get your foot in the door, see if you like a company and the company sees if they like you. MANY companies hire from the temp pool that they use. I am ex-corporate marketing for a major salty snack company and to this day, they still hire staff from the temp pool.

If you qualify for an internship somewhere, that is another way to get your foot in the door. We also hired our starting marketing employees from the intern pool we had from MBA schools all over the country.

Set up an account on LinkedIn.com. You can use the free account and they will offer you a trial for the paid account and then you can see if you feel paying for the site will be worth it to you. I am active on LinkedIn.com with our industry and our company. I get resumes daily as well as recruiters posting positions to me.

Next would be word of mouth. Let people know you are looking. You never know when someone may know someone who may be looking for someone like you!

If you have a friend in business, have them look over your resume when you get it updated and get insight on what needs to be added or deleted.

Best of luck to you and I hope you find the position you are looking for!

Contact the college/university you attended. Most university career services centers will provide free or nearly free services to alumni. They can give you advice on resumes, letters of interest, how to get letters of reference, etc. They may also provide advice for how to sharpen your interview skills. I used that service a lot. They also will have job listings and information on internships, job fairs, and other career opportunities. Even if you don't live near your alma mater, most universities would probably have some resources you could use. Good luck!

I would look into making connections on LinkedIn. Look up any former coworkers if you might have kept in touch or even friends that might be out there. LinkedIn also has a premium service that helps and can send you available jobs that fit your profile. If you would be new to the site, you might be able to get a trial period free. Monster and Careerbuilder are still out there but I found that they have too many basic description jobs that pop up plus the "I'm looking for someone in the US" type things get sent to my inbox. Also check out Glassdoor. It has a free service that can send you jobs that atre posted on line for specifica companies that you "follow".

Get your resume down to O. page.
Complete work history, skills, achievements, etc.
No typos. No fluff.
Save as a PDF file. This can easily be emailed or uploaded to any online job posting.

It depends where you want to look, and what you want to do.

Where I work - and many other major healthcare systems and universities - the company has it's own HR website, and you apply online directly to the company. They do not outsource to Monster or any other 3rd party.

Make sure you clean up your pages if you use social media. A lot of places will check you out online.

When you do your resume, do not use a pre-set resume template. Look online for ideas of what current employers are looking for in a resume, but build yours from scratch. A lot of HR workers can tell if a resume comes from a template, and view it as laziness/lack of skills needed to build your own.

With your resume, make sure to include a cover letter, the resume itself, and a references page. The letter is pretty much introducing yourself, saying why you are interested in the position, and throwing out something that you wouldn't really put in the resume.

You will likely send most resumes online, but you will want to print off a few to have on hand. I always take mine win me to interviews, even if I already sent gem one. It came in handy a few times!

Also, send a follow-up letter after your interview. Just a short "than you for your time/consideration", express your interest in the job, then use an active close. (Like, "I look forward to hearing from you.") I never used to do this, then one time I interviewed for a job I REALLY wanted, and decided to give it a shot. I got hired, and my boss told me it was the follow-up that clinched it between me and the other prospect they were considering. :)

Wild Woman knows stuff about resumes. I'd follow her advice. ;-)

I scour Craigslist - they have a ton of postings every day. Also, if you've been out of the workforce for that long, you may want to take a few computer classes - learn programs used in your industry. Power Point and Excel are always in demand. Good luck!

What industry are you in?

To add to Wild Woman's wonderful note I wanted to mention that here in IL, there are resources that are free or close to.Call the state for Employment information. I went to one in Arlington Heights I think after I got my paralegal certificate.