Getting a Job - Going Back To Work
Going back to work
So the children are all grown up and you’ve decided that it’s time to return to your career or even your old job. Perhaps you’ve taken a sabbatical and the time has arrived to return to life at your desk. Whether you’re planning to return to your old job or about to start a new job, most people find it quite daunting beginning again.
Here’s our top tips to make the transition back to work as smooth as possible.
- Prepare. Look at the advantages to the company of recruiting you on a flexible contract, including issues such as staff retention, motivation or overheads. Returning to work involves a lot of planning before hand so make sure that you manage your time effectively.
- Talk to other people. Learn from their experiences and contacts.
- Decide what working hours you can manage, then negotiate with prospective employers to get those hours. Be flexible and realistic. Some jobs require a nine-to-five commitment, but can be shared over the week. Assess the requirements of the job you want and measure it against your own requirements.
- Sell your skills. Just because you’ve spent some time away from employment don’t forget to mention on your CV and in job interviews what you’ve been up to. Remember to include any voluntary or charitable work you’ve undertaken.
- Don’t forget to find out as much as you can about benefits and what kind of tax credits you’re entitled to. Tell the benefits agency that you are planning to return to work.
- If you are returning to work after having children don’t forget to find out about the kind of childcare you can afford and budget accordingly.
- If you’re returning to the same company remember that a lot might have changed in the period that you were away; familiar faces may have vanished and there’s every chance that you’ll be working with a lot of new people. People that were once junior to you may now be in charge so try to be respectful to everyone.