BA50 Talkers
More of us than ever before are having to consider a return to the workforce at a later stage in our lives.
This presents a number of challenges, most of which revolve around the need to re-train in order to bring your skills and knowledge up to date enough to make you fully employable in the current workplace.
Here are some tips and ideas on how to construct an action plan to get you on the payroll and earning again.
Get up to date
The world revolves around technology and any gap in your resume since you last worked, will often prompt questions from the hiring manager as to whether you have kept up to date with software and technology developments.
Being totally familiar with Windows Server 2012 and other current applications will definitely help to open as many doors as possible rather than seeing them close on you because of a perceived skills gap.
As well as getting yourself onto some training courses to gain certification and bring your knowledge up to date, you should also ensure that you create a professional presence on the internet, so you can network and also show people you are totally web savvy too.
Familiar territory
Probably the easiest way to hit the ground running and get yourself back into employment, is to consider trying to find work in a sector you have worked in previously.
You may want to consider a career change on your return to work but if you want to find employment as quickly as possible and appeal to potential employers, then it will help if you can demonstrate past experience and an ability to do the job they are advertising, from day one.
Another advantage of returning to familiar territory is that you will probably be able to produce references and talk about past successes in the sector, which will make you more appealing as an employment prospect.
Approaching retirement
If you are currently approaching retirement age and are considering your options for carrying on with work, the best advice would be to try and stay with your current employer.
If you are looking for a part-time position to supplement your pension income, the best place to find that job is actually with your current employer. A large percentage of companies are very open to the idea of allowing older employees to reduce their hours rather than take full retirement.
In recognition of the current trend for older workers to return to employment after they had initially taken retirement, some major employers are setting up special recruitment programs and you can also get some advice or information from places like the National Council on Aging.
Negotiate
When you find an employer who wants to hire you, you should not be afraid to negotiate the right deal without being too demanding or pushy.
Confidence is something that all too easily disappear when you are out of work and in need of any job, but you should always appreciate that the skills and experience you have are worth something and the vast majority of employers do not employ someone because they are a cheap option, they hire them because they want them and think that they can make a positive contribution to their business.
Fill in the gaps
If you have had some time off between your last job and returning to the workforce, it is always a really good idea if you anticipate the questions you might face about this.
Take a proactive approach and demonstrate to a potential employer that you have put your time at home to very good use, by highlighting any training courses, volunteering or other activities you have been involved in, that show you have a good worth ethic and are committed to furthering your education and skills in order to advertise your employability.
Ask about training
If you get asked for an interview, make sure you enquire about any training programs that they are running or what they offer in this respect.
This will help to demonstrate your willingness to learn new skills and stay up to date, and it will also help to reassure the hiring manager that you are determined to keep up to date with new technologies and developments.
The workforce already has 30% more people in employment who are aged over 40 than there were in the 1980’s and that trend is set to continue into the future, with 20% of the entire labor force expected to be 55 or older by the year 2020.
Make sure you are part of that growing number and are fit for work again, even if you were once retired.
Eshna Verma is a writer at Simplilearn. She has done Masters in Journalism and Mass Communication and is a Gold Medalist in the same. A voracious reader, she has penned several articles in leading national newspapers like TOI, HT and The Telegraph. She loves traveling and photography.