Navigating the Return: A guide for those creating their way back to paid work

Returning to paid work after taking a career pause can be an exciting, overwhelming and often confusing endeavor. Whether you've been dedicating time to raising your children, caring for loved ones, or you've experienced a period of unemployment due to layoffs, the prospect of rejoining the paid workforce can stir up a whirlwind of emotions – anxiety, optimism, self-doubt, excitement and uncertainty. These feelings are entirely natural, especially if you've been away from the professional sphere for an extended period. However, it's essential to recognize that this journey back to paid work can also be incredibly exhilirating and fulfilling if you are willing to dedicate some time, energy and a bit of self reflection to the process. 

In this post we will explore the challenges and opportunities that we face when contemplating a return to paid work. Whether you are considering resuming your previous role or embarking on an entirely new career path, you possess the resilience and capability to succeed, sometimes we just need to take some action to bring those things out in ourselves. 

Throughout this blog post, we'll delve into valuable insights, strategies, and resources to empower and support you on your journey back to your career.

Embracing your return by acknowledging your feelings

It's natural to experience a rollercoaster of emotions when contemplating a return to paid work. Doubts and insecurities may creep in, but that is expected. Identify the feelings, acknowledge them and then figure out how to use them to guide you, or how you can dismiss them. Recognize that many people have successfully navigated this path and emerged stronger for it. You can do the same! Identifiying your emotions is the first step towards embracing your return and the person you are now, after your pause. 

Rediscovering Your Strengths 

Your career pause may have temporarily shifted your focus to those things that took priority in your life- good! That is what you need to focus on and put your energy into. That hasn't diminished your skills or expertise, in fact it probably built a lot of new skills, or continued to develop ones you already had. Take time to rediscover your new strengths and ones you have always had. Both personal and professional skills are used in our careers and often those we use in our personal life that are referred to as “soft skills” (which aren’t soft at all if you ask me) are the skills that most employers are looking for in their candidates. Those are the skills that are harder to teach, so celebrate those, include those and hone those- they will serve you well in the job search process and in the role itself. Reflect on your achievements and remember the valuable experiences that have shaped you. These will be your assets as you venture back into the paid workforce.

Setting Realistic Expectations

Returning to paid work is a journey, and it may not always be a pleasant one. Set realistic expectations for yourself and your timeline. Understand that there may be bumps along the way, and figure out ways to learn from them, grow from them and bounce back from them. By maintaining a flexible mindset and being patient with yourself, you'll be better prepared to overcome challenges and celebrate your successes, no matter how small they may seem. Understanding there will be times when you don’t hear back, when your meeting with a prospective client doesn’t go well or you weren’t as prepared for the interview as you thought. Building some resilience for these events will just make it easier to adjust, learn and improve for the next time. Always learn from what is hard and understand what is realistic for you and your life and you will find your way to the right opportunity for you. 

Networking: Your Bridge to Opportunities

Building and nurturing your professional network is an invaluable resource. Reconnect with former colleagues, friends, and acquaintances in your industry, or create a new network of people you want to be surrounded by and engage with regularly. Figure out what types of people you want to have around you and also who you would like to offer your skills. Relationships are enhanced and cultivated when you have something to offer. If you don’t like the idea of “networking” and meeting people, then start with who you can meet that needs you. Can you volunteer somewhere? Is there a skill you can contribute at your children’s school? Does your aging parent live in a community where you could contribute? Start building a network of people you support and those who support you will be very close behind. 

The Power of Mentorship and Career Coaching

Consider seeking a mentor who can provide guidance, advice, and insights tailored to your career goals. A mentor can help you navigate the complexities of your career path, offer valuable feedback, and boost your confidence during your return to work.

Investing in career coaching can be the catalyst for your path back to paid work. A professional coach can work with you one-on-one to identify your strengths, clarify your goals, and help you to create a customized plan for your return. They can also assist with resume building, interview preparation, and negotiation strategies once you are clear on who you are and what you want. 

Embrace the Journey

Returning to work after a career pause is undoubtedly a challenging endeavor, but it's one filled with immense potential and personal growth. Embrace the journey, acknowledge your strengths, and leverage the resources and support available to you. Remember, you have the strength and ability to achieve your goals, it just takes some time to figure out what those goals are and what you hope to achieve. Allow yourself time and space to do that. 

Your return to paid work is not just a reentry into the workforce; it's a transformative experience that can lead to a bright and empowered future. Embrace it knowing that you are capable of achieving your dreams and aspirations and although your pause is coming to an end, it has given you skills, experiences and abilities to use in your career journey going forward.