How to Break Back into the Workforce

The pandemic forced many people out of work. People were let go by their employers and many others were forced to choose between their careers and taking care of family members. The latter is especially true for women who shouldered most of the burden of childcare throughout the pandemic. For them and others wanting to break back into the workforce, there are steps they can take to make the move less stressful.

Audrey Daniels, an expert on inclusive leadership and development, and Susan Rietano Davey, career coach and co-founder of Prepare to Launch, sat down with LinkedIn News editor Andrew Seaman for the latest episode of Get Hired with Andrew Seaman. They discussed the realities of today’s workforce and offered tips on how to successfully re-enter the job market. The three also discussed how people can own and utilize their career gaps with confidence and intention.

Check out the episode on Apple Podcasts or wherever you like to listen. If you like the show, be sure to leave a rating and review. Your praise helps other people find the podcast.

Transcript: How to Break Back into the Workforce

Andrew: From LinkedIn News, this is Get Hired, a podcast for the ups and downs of our professional lives. I'm Andrew Seaman, LinkedIn’s senior news editor for job searches and careers. Each week on Get Hired, we talk about leveling up. Sometimes we talk about finding work, other times we talk about excelling where you are right now. And through it all, we focus on how to stay true to yourself in the process.?

So you may have seen that LinkedIn recently introduced a new career break option for its members. Now, if you take time off from your traditional workplace for whatever reason – to travel, to care for kids or family, take a mental health break or something else entirely – you can show the reason for your gap right there on your profile. Career breaks are becoming increasingly common, especially as the pandemic changed how, when, where and why we work. But as things start to settle after two years of endless shakeups, a lot of people are reentering the workforce, and it can sometimes feel like you're starting from scratch. But that's not true according to my guests today, Audrey Daniels and Susan Rietano Davey. Audrey is an expert on inclusive leadership and development. And Susan is a career coach and co-founder of Prepare to Launch, a company that guides women through work/life transitions, including a return to the workforce. We sat down on my Get Hired live show a few weeks ago to talk about how people can navigate a successful and smooth transition back into the workforce.?

Andrew: What we learned during the pandemic is that so many more women ended up leaving the workforce. Everyone did that, but for some reason, uh, you know, women were hit harder. And you know, Susan, why do you think that is?

Susan: I think there's some gender norms. But also, I think in fairness, some women, because of our nature, we feel like we kind of have to handle that. And because most of the issues that were created by COVID, were childcare and some type of care related. I think women just jumped in. And when they realized they couldn't do both, they hopped out of the workforce unfortunately. And, and as you know, it's been two and a half million and counting.

Andrew: I know that there were some countries that actually put a priority on keeping daycare centers and things like that open, so it didn't hit the economy in terms of women having to leave the workforce.

Susan: Yeah.

Andrew: So, that's really interesting. And Audrey, do you think it's a good time for people who, maybe they've been out of the workforce for a year or two, to get back in?

Audrey: Absolutely, this is a great time not only because of, it's a return back to work, but also it's an opportunity. Right now it is an employee's playing field. And employers need the right people right now. The right people include, um, people who are more well versed with just treating humans as human beings, people who are more open to flexibility. So right now, this is really a great opportunity for you to really research and fill out what you really want to do for the next part of your life, your work journey.

Andrew: And Susan, for people who say, "Listen, I know it's a good time to get back in the workforce, but I don't feel ready yet." How will they know when it's the right time for them?

Susan: Well, I think it's really good to be aware. Like to listen to that voice, because it is a big commitment of time to prepare, and it can be life changing when you return. But I'd say there are three factors that are most important. One is need. So if you have a financial imperative, maybe your spouse has seen a loss in income or your spouse is unable to work, I would say the second thing is more of the personal peace, the desire. So, a lot of the women returners who come through our program, their financial need is secondary. It's “I want challenge, I want human connection that isn't just my kids or my kids' friends’ parents, I want to start being paid for the work that I've been doing as a volunteer in my community.” And I would say the third is just timing. And now there's a fourth, the fourth would be “the pandemic is over and now I can return to work because my childcare is accessible and my kids' schools are open.”

Andrew: Audrey, when a person is trying to reenter the workforce, usually they have that experience from the workforce from earlier, but things may feel new to them. What should a person be mentally prepared for when they're reentering the workforce?

Audrey: The first part of this is being real about your expectations. There’s this saying: If our expectations are greater than our reality, our reality will always equal disappointment. For instance, make sure that you're looking at the news as far as when it comes to business. Also, it's about pacing yourself. When you're going back into the industry, are you going back to look for a job that is more stabilizing, meaning something just to get my feet wet? Get some income coming in? Or do I really want that career journey? It's about pacing yourself so that you're not worn out or bogged down by all the data that you're getting. And the last thing is, just really, really be honest with yourself, and also be your own self’s best friend. If you have a best friend, they pump you up, right? So, it's time for us to do that as well.

Andrew: There are so many different programs out there that employers have about returning to the workforce, because they know that people who are going back into the workforce after a career break are actually incredibly valuable to their company. How can people find these programs and also evaluate if it's right for them?

Susan: There's a lot of really good online content, but like anything, there's also a lot of really bad online content. So, I think the first place to start is to look on LinkedIn. YouTube has some good content. I would break it into categories. So there are the learning programs, there are coaches out there, there are programs like ours, which is an immersive 10 week course, there are spot courses offered through many different programs. I think the key is to make sure that they have a real understanding, preferably from personal experience, that really know the challenges that are unique to career returning. And then there are returnship programs. iRelaunch of course, is the flagship there, they're out of I think New York. And they have taught a lot of companies how to set up mid career internships for moms returning to the workplace, most of the big financial institutions have those, and a lot of the tech companies now, but we advocate for people just creating their own. I mean, if you're talking to someone, you're networking, you're interested in a certain industry, and you're not quite sure you're ready yet, and you want that little comfort of that extra training, go ahead and pitch an internship yourself. You don't, you don't have to have a program behind you.

Andrew: What can people do to make the case for themselves to sort of pitch their own returnship or their own pivot back into the workforce?

Susan: So you have your prior career and then you have all the work that you do as a volunteer. And of course, I can speak to this cause I have four children, I took a career break. There is not a hiring manager or a recruiter out there who has not benefited from the work that you do in your community. So, the people who are going to work every day can go to work with the peace of mind of knowing that their kids' classrooms are well equipped with technology and books, that their playground is safe and patrolled, that their community library is well-funded and well-stacked with books and other electronics. That their place of worship has a daycare or a Sunday school or heat in the winter, that their trails are clear, there are all of these things that are done by largely the women who take the time off. And they're benefiting the people who are making these hiring decisions so returners gain that confidence from knowing that the work that they've done is important. And just to build on that a little bit more, when you're looking at the work that you've done, you look at your professional work, and you own that. I don't care if it was 20 years ago, it doesn't matter when you did it, it matters that you did it. Right? And then connect the dots to what you've done as a volunteer. So the same way you would present or pitch your professional experience by talking about your results, your accomplishments, by including some context and scale for your work, you'll do the same thing when you're talking about the PTO board that you lead, or the Sunday school curriculum that you've developed, or the social media marketing that you did for the local land trust. And so it's really giving yourself permission to value that time, believing in the value of it, because if you can't pitch it convincingly, no one's gonna believe you, and then going out there and really selling it with great confidence.

Andrew: How do you address a career break on a resume?

Audrey: This is really crucial. For instance, if you're part of the PTA, you can say these are the things I was responsible for: budgeting, event planning, counseling other mothers, whatever that is, put that in that gap. Or maybe you didn't work for the PTA, but you went to do some self development. So it's more about explaining to the employer, I took the time out to really invest in me and my self development. And for instance, this is what I learned.

Susan: Absolutely. So, to continue with Audrey's example of the PTO or the PTA, instead of putting down that you worked at Tootin' Hills Elementary School, which is an elementary school near me, putting down that you were, um, an enrichment volunteer at the Simsbury Public Schools, naming the name of the city or town and then looking again, the same way that you talked about those things that you did in your workplace. So talk about the scale. So, you ran a large event, how much money did you bring in? Often the dollar amount in a volunteer effort is not really impressive. So maybe instead of saying that you raised $8,000, you say instead that you grew the donor revenue by 20%. You have to provide some context, some scale and some accomplishments. You wanna really focus on those things that will be relevant to the work that you want. So before you even start writing a resume, there are two things you absolutely have to know. And the first is your brand. So, for example, I, for fun, I'm a fitness instructor, I've been doing it since college. That wouldn't be on my resume, it might be under my hobbies, but it's not going to be front and center on my resume, ‘cause it's not relevant to the work that I'd be looking for. So be very careful to know what your brand is. The strengths, the skills and experiences and make sure those are the ones that really pop out. And that you're able to connect the dots from. "Okay, this is what I did professionally. This is what I did as a community volunteer or leader. And this is the arc, this is the theme." And then the second piece is you have to know your audience. So you're gonna get a six to eight second read on your resume. So, you've got to be able to capture the attention of the reader quickly, and make sure that they can see, "Audrey is someone that I want to know more about, cause she's someone that could fit in my organization."

Andrew: If you have volunteer experience that you wanna put on your resume, do you put that in the same section, then, as your other experience?

Susan: Great question. Absolutely. We do have a student right now, Teresa, who had a 24 year gap. And she just landed a position at Ernst & Young. And it took her about a year even after graduating for the course. She had a lot to work on, right? But if she had only put her professional experience first and her volunteer experience second, I as the recruiter reading her resume would see that she hadn't worked with 24 years ago, like since the 90s. They would never get past my desk. Put the detail in right under “experience” on the first page, only boldly but make sure that the more easily recognizable experience from your prior days shows up on that first page.

Andrew: We're going to take a quick break. When we get back, Audrey and Susan get into switching sectors post break and the importance of networking.?

We're back with Audrey Daniels and Susan Rietano Davey. Many people are finding themselves reentering the workforce with different priorities or interests. And for some, that may mean changing industries altogether. So, how do you reframe all that work experience you had before your break? Here's Audrey.

Audrey: I switched from human resources to leadership training and development. And you would think they were similar, but they're different in so many ways. It's the psychology of it. Um, the first thing is what I did and I advise others is: seek out ways to volunteer or find a neighbor or anyone that you can show your skills with. Sometimes we don't have the capacity to volunteer, right? So, another way to do this is to find a stabilizing job, maybe for a year. Yes, you can do it. Yes, it does take time, but there are many options you can use to get to that, to where you want to be.

Susan: Kind of along the lines of what Audrey was saying. Especially if you're making a pivot, make sure you're really talking to a lot of human beings, don't do your research online, talk to people, find out what are the pros, what are the cons? What are different ways that this particular career can be played out, in-house, in an agency, big company, small company? The beauty of doing this and asking people, is that those people can then become your network when you're really ready to start going deep and trying to interview. Most people, probably 75, 80% of the population, of the working population has networked to find a job. It's a very small percentage of people who actually get a job by applying online. Usually our students are just astonished by how friendly people are and how willing they are to help them.

Andrew: We've talked a lot about how to position things like volunteer work as relevant experience. But some career breaks don't look productive on paper, especially if you're caregiving for a sick parent, or taking a mental health break for yourself. How do you address that on your cover letter or resume? Here's Susan.

Susan: I think it becomes a little more challenging. But most of the time, if you've taken a mental health break, or you've taken a break to care for an aging parent, you're only out for two or three years. And our general rule is if you've only been out for two or three years, you don't have as big a challenge. And certainly not as big a blank on the resume to cover. You can get away with just putting the career break, it works fine if it's two or three years, it does not work fine if it's 10 or 15 years. So, I think it becomes more problematic if it's been an extended caregiving leave. And then it does make sense to put in, maybe you were a power of attorney, maybe you were a healthcare advocate. You can use some of the things that you did as a caregiver to place on your resume. It is a little more difficult if it's a more of a personal health issue. You can say that you had to take an extended break for a family health related caregiving issue. And you don't have to say it was you.

Audrey: It's very important before you get to even into looking for the next career is to take care of yourself and your mental health. And I love that one thing that Susan said, and I say this too, people get hired by people. So, I love what, when we’re talking about grieving and getting back into the work and all those things to remember, remember that networking. Um, you'd be surprised, because how much people want to help.

Andrew: My last question for both of you is basically, job searching is so difficult under the best circumstances. What is your advice for people who, they are trying to get back into the workforce, but they're getting discouraged?

Susan: Just remember that work is work, whether it's paid or unpaid. So, for this population of people, they probably have some unpaid work and just recognize that. I think that the more you can show up confident, really believing in what you've done, really owning what you've done in your opt out, whether it was full time caregiving or holding up your community, you'll be in better shape. And I think, probably the other thing I'd say is don't do it alone. There are so many other people out there, there are people sharing the journey with you, or, or at least pursuing the same journey with you. Partner with them. It's, it can be a very lonely process, and the best of circumstances as you said Andrew, it's not a fun process. I mean, there's going to be rejection, there's going to be sadness, and there's gonna be some grieving when that job you thought you had you didn't get. So the more you can surround yourself with a really strong group of allies, people who trust you, people who want you to succeed, but also people who can push you beyond what you thought you could do, keep you accountable and keep you inspired. So, it's the inward work, and then the using your resources around you, I would say those are the two biggest things.

Andrew: And, Audrey, what is your advice?

Audrey: The first is technical advice. So, if you're applying for jobs, and you're using the internet, the best way to do it is go ahead and go to those job boards that are out there and see what's available. But instead of applying through the job board, I want you to go to the actual company website and I want you to apply. And the reason is that with those recruiting systems, it shows where the candidate's coming from. So, it's better to come from their own website, apply. It shows that I'm even more intentional, which will give me the edge from other candidates. So, that's one of the technical pieces. Also, again, I love what Susan said, is that you're not alone, there are so many different, um, people, professionals who are willing to help you at no cost. Also, it's about, again, ensuring that you understand at this time in your life, when you're returning back to work, that you are doing your best. And sometimes your best may not look good to other employers. Don't take it personal. Be specific to the job when you're applying, and also specific in those interviews with your gaps in employment. It's about being intentional and letting them know that you understand the problems they have and that you can solve them.

Andrew: Thank you both so much. I really appreciate your time.

Susan: Thank you! It was great. So, nice to meet you both.

Andrew: Like Audrey and Susan said, if you're serious about making your next career move, you've got to try not to take minor setbacks personally. But I know that's easier said than done. So, to pump you up, I want to introduce you to our brand new segment, our career coach corner. This week's career coach pro tip comes from Sarah Johnston, who is one of my favorite people on LinkedIn and the founder of Briefcase Coach.

Sarah Johnston: Today, I wanna remind you that consistency beats intensity in a job search. I would rather you dedicate 25 to 30 minutes every single day to your job search, than, you know, really burn yourself out working 18 hours in one day on job search efforts. Be consistent, set daily and weekly goals for yourself. Good luck, and I'm rooting for you.

Andrew: Thanks, Sarah. If you tried out Sarah's tips or another tip you've heard on Get Hired, let us know how it goes. Send us a voice memo to [email protected] to tell us what worked. We'd love to celebrate you on the show.?

Remember, it's up to you to put our advice into practice. Still, you always have a community backing you up and cheering you on. Connect with me in the Get Hired community on LinkedIn to continue the conversation. You can also join my weekly get hired live show every Friday at noon Eastern Time on the LinkedIn News page. And if you liked the episode, leave us a rating on Apple Podcast. It helps people like you find the show. And of course, we'll continue this conversation next week. Right here, wherever you like to listen.?

Get Hired is a production of LinkedIn News. The show is produced by Michele O'Brien with help from Gianna Prudente, Derek Carl and Taisha Henry. Joe DiGiorgi mixed our show. Florencia Iriondo is head of original audio and video. Dave Pond is head of news production. Dan Roth is the editor in chief of LinkedIn. And I'm Andrew Seaman. Until next time, stay well and best of luck.