Are you ready to reenter the workforce, but you’re not sure where to begin your job search? Never fear, I have everything you need to know about landing a remote job after a break!
When I quit my full-time nursing job to become a stay-at-home parent, I had no idea when I would return to work or what my next role would be. However, after nine months without a paycheck, I decided to explore remote positions.
While my career break was relatively short, it was still scary reentering the workforce, especially since I wanted to use my talents in a new occupation. What occupation? That I wasn’t sure of which made my job search even more challenging.
All in all, following the steps below, it took me approximately 5 months to land a part-time freelance job I could do from home.
Whether you’ve been out on a short or a long break, these tips, along with a bit of patience, can help you reenter the job market and find a new role that you’re passionate about.
1. Take a Personal Inventory
The road to finding a job starts with a well-thought-out plan. To create that plan, you’ll need to take a personal inventory to uncover your hard and soft skills, your reason for working, and other factors that go into finding the perfect occupation for this stage of your life.
Start by asking yourself these questions:
- Would you like to work a part-time or full-time job?
- Do you need to be a W-2 employee, or can you do contract work (1099)?
- What are your skills, passions, training, and experience?
- Do you want to start your own business?
- What do you absolutely NOT want to do for work?
- How much money do you need to earn each month?
- Would you like to work for your previous employer?
- Do you need a job with benefits?
- Are you willing to take an online course or certification program?
By taking the time to answer these questions, you can start to narrow down which career path to take and where to start taking action. For instance, if you want to be an RN, you have to go to nursing school and get licensed. But in other occupations, like a Freelance Writer, you can more easily break into the field if you’re naturally talented in this area.
2. Freshen Your Skills
Today, if I were to reenter the workforce as a Nurse, I would need to take a refresher course. It’s only normal that after a long absence, your skills are going to get dull. Consider enrolling in a refresher course or certificate program; many can be taken online and are relatively inexpensive. If you have the chance to enroll in a class that requires you to be physically present, this gives you an excellent opportunity to network and connect with other like-minded individuals.
Other avenues to explore include volunteer opportunities, networking events, career conferences, reading books in your area of expertise, and returnships. Yes, many women who have been out of the workforce for an extended period are finding that returnships are an excellent way to gain new experience. For prospective companies that offer returnships, check out iRelaunch, a website dedicated to helping job seekers return to work.
3. Update Your Resume and LinkedIn Profile
For any job search, you need to update and polish your resume. A remote job is a highly coveted position, and employers are looking for the cream of the crop. Update and freshen your resume, references, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile to make sure you stand out from the crowd.
Remember to tailor your resume to each specific job that you are applying for. Resumes are first scanned by ATS (applicant tracking systems) for keywords and phrases used in the job description; make sure to incorporate them into your resume. One easy way to do this is by using a service like Jobscan or ChatGPT. Just copy and paste the job description along with your resume, and get suggestions on what keywords to add.
If you’ve been out of the workforce for a while, remember to add noteworthy accomplishments that may boost your credibility: volunteering with the PTA, helping out with a family business, personal content creation, bookkeeping for your church, coaching your son’s little league team, or being treasurer of your daughter’s Girl Scout troop. The key is not to highlight the absence of traditional work but to focus on your strengths, skills, and achievements.
Most experts agree that if you’ve been out of the workforce for less than six months, you don’t need to mention it on your resume. If you have been out for more than six months, include the dates and title of your gap time on your resume.
Here is an example of how to format your career gap on your resume:
Stay-at-Home Parent, Austin, Texas, March 2007 to January 2009
- Volunteered with the Parent Teacher Association as the Fundraising Chair, and secured $250,000 in donations for the 2008-2009 school year.
- Completed 40-hour Foundations of Digital Marketing and E-commerce training and obtained a Google Career Certification.
If you’re struggling with what to write on your resume and cover letter, get my Ultimate Resume Template Bundle. It will give you everything you need to write a resume and cover letter that gets results.
4. Leverage Your Network
While you may have lost touch with your co-workers, as a mom, you have gained a whole new set of connections, which can be just as valuable.
Talk to the other parents in your inner circle and let them know about the challenges you’re facing. Some may be able to offer advice, others may know of opportunities, while others may be a source of support and motivation.
You should also talk to your friends and family. I flat-out asked friends, family, and former colleagues if they knew of or had any work from home roles that I could do. This was how I landed my freelance gig when I was just starting out. You never know who might know of a position or have one available.
Make sure that you check out resources and professional networks like iRelaunch.com and reacHIRE, as they offer workshops, events, articles, and success stories, as well as a list of companies that offer return-to-work programs.
Lastly, get involved on LinkedIn in a big way. Connect with former employers and employees, as well as target and follow companies you’re interested in working for. LinkedIn not only allows you to update your virtual resume, but you can showcase your work, highlight recommendations, and search their vast bank of available jobs.
5. Where to Start Your Job Hunt
One of the biggest challenges for women when searching for remote jobs is finding legitimate job postings. While Indeed and LinkedIn have a wealth of new job listings, there are also a lot of fake listings, employment scams, and, not to mention, you’re competing with a massive pool of other job applicants.
Using a niche job board like The Work at Home Woman, FlexJobs (paid subscription), The Remote Nurse, Real Ways to Earn, Rat Race Rebellion, and Hire My Mom (paid subscription) can help you connect with more targeted remote job leads, legitimate companies, and less competition.
Besides looking at job boards, take the time to create a dream list of companies you’d like to work for (be sure to include smaller, local companies). Once you have your list, look at each company’s website for its career page. You can usually find this page located in the footer of their website. Figure out which companies hire remote workers and for what occupations. If they don’t currently have an opening that is a good fit for your skills, consider signing up for job alerts or sending them a message of interest.
6. Consider Doing Informational Interviews
Remember how I talked about creating a dream list of companies? Sending a message of interest isn’t the only way to build connections. You can search LinkedIn for employees of the prospective company and ask whether they would be available for an information interview.
Informational interviews are informal conversations that are had with current employees who are employed in the position you’d like to obtain or with an employee of a company you’re interested in targeting. The great thing about informational interviews is that you get a chance to find out all about the company or occupation without taking the risk of actually going down the path yourself. If done right, informational interviews can lead to valuable new connections and sometimes employment opportunities.
One thing to remember is that this person is doing you a favor, so it’s a thoughtful gesture to buy them coffee if you meet in person, or give them a small gift card if you talk on the phone or via email. If you’re in a financial situation where you’re able to do this, be sure to send a thank-you email.
7. Applying for the Job
After you’ve applied for a job, give it a week, then send a follow-up message. If you were referred by a friend, family member, or colleague, wait a few days, then follow up. By doing this, you can ensure your resume reaches its intended destination and demonstrate that you’re the kind of person who takes initiative.
If you receive a rejection email, take the time to thank the Recruiter for their consideration and time, and let them know of your continued interest in the company. This is a simple way to stand out and build connections in the job-hunting process.
While it is fine to check in periodically if the process is taking a while, don’t be pesky. Most importantly, keep searching for new jobs and submitting applications. According to this Career Pivot article, it usually takes between 6 months and 2 years to find a job. A couple of other considerations are those who are older (55+), and those looking for higher-paying jobs ($100,000+) tend to take even longer. The key is to be patient and persistent.
Lastly, be sure to keep track of your job applications, follow-up emails, interview dates, and thank-you messages. Using a spreadsheet or my WFH Career Planner will help keep you organized and on top of todos. It also protects you from unsolicited job offers, as you’ll be able to identify fake job offers from real ones clearly.
8. Be Ready for the Call
Even before you get an interview, you need to practice your interviewing skills. One of the best ways to do this is to gather a list of common interview questions and practice answering them out loud. Do this over and over again until you’re confident in answering them on the spot.
Additionally, you need to research the company thoroughly and have some background information on it. Many companies will ask you, “Why do you want to work for us?” and you will need to come up with a good answer. Having this background knowledge will not only help you answer the question, but it will also show the interviewer that you’re well prepared.
Upon completion of the interview, thank them for their time and ask the hiring manager when they will make their final decision. This gives you a time frame on when it’s appropriate to follow up. Remember to send a thank-you note promptly after the interview. Handwritten notes tend to score the most points with managers, but if they are making a decision quickly or you don’t have a physical mailing address, an email will work just fine.
9. Exploring New Career Paths
When I started my remote job search, I assumed I would work for a company, but because I was willing to try new things, I ended up becoming an entrepreneur. Exploring different roles and career paths, such as freelancing, temporary work, odd jobs, or a side hustle, is a great way to bring in some income while gaining new skills and connections. You never know when one opportunity will lead to another.
Make sure you’re thinking outside the box and considering all your options. Try searching for jobs by your skillset, not just your occupation. Your prior experience, paired with your passion, in a different industry, may make you the perfect candidate for a remote position in that industry.
Reenter the Workforce After a Break: Conclusion
Finding a job after you’ve been out of the workforce for an extended period can be a daunting task. Try to stay positive and keep forging ahead. Your dream job is out there!
Good luck with your job search!
What tips do you have for reentering the workforce? What advice or inspiration can you offer? Drop us a note; we’d love to hear from you!
