I was honored to be quoted in this article recently about returning to the workforce and the typical challenges people face doing so, Goldman Wants You Even If You’ve Been Unemployed Five Years. As I mention in the article, I find that lack of confidence is usually the biggest obstacle people face in re-entering the workforce.
We all discount our natural talents to a certain extent. I do this all the time. My mom has to remind me and she quotes me sometimes. I ask her who said that, and she says she got it from me! I discount my ability to make connections between career ideas that other people wouldn’t. To hear what a career coaching client isn’t saying or is afraid of, or to help them identify what’s most important to them, for example.
When we do something that comes so naturally to us, we often assume either 1) it isn’t a true talent or 2) others are as good at it as we are just because it comes so easily to us. When you’ve left the workforce, this becomes worse because you either haven’t used those talents or skills at all. Or if you have it might not be in a traditional work setting so you overlook them because you think they don’t count. You need to realize they DO count. Maybe your skills are rusty, but if they’re something that comes naturally to you, they’re not gone.
Perhaps you need to take a re-fresher course in presentation skills, Microsoft Excel or other software. But it’s like riding a bike, if you’ve done it once, you can do it again. You also need to realize that re-entering can be a chance for you to re-invent yourself as well. This might be your opportunity to enter into a new field or use your skills in another way. So think positively, and figure out how this can be an opportunity rather than an obstacle.
If you’d like more help with returning to the workforce, contact us today for a complimentary consultation.
Hallie Crawford
Job Search Coach
P.S. Be sure to check out our LinkedIn Consulting Program where you can learn how to effectively leverage your LinkedIn account for your job search and ongoing professional development.
