4 Steps to Get You Back to Work

You need to get back into the job market after you have been away for a while – either because you went to study abroad, or because you had a serious personal problem, or simply because you haven’t gotten a replacement yet. “Pay attention to these four steps to turn around and start over in full force.” says Paulo Dias, Recruitment Selection Specialist.

How to get back to the job market?

1. Reactivate your contact network

This is undoubtedly the first step to return to the job market. After all, people who know you in some way, whether personal or professional, can best indicate your name. Those who have worked with you will be able to talk about your skills and how much you can count on in challenging times.

“A former colleague or former boss can indicate your name for an opportunity and not just pass along your resume,” says Dias. Personal contacts are also interesting, according to him, because nowadays this type of referral is highly valued by companies. “Who recommends a friend can attest that he is reliable and deserves credibility,” he explains. That is, to get started, let your network know that you are ready to go back online.

2. Prepare your “sales material”

Of course, it’s no use being highly recommended and not being prepared to take the opportunity at the moment it arises. “Your resume needs to be well-crafted, well-presented, highlighting the main results of your career and everything you’ve experienced so far,” he says.

3. Invest in social media

Nor is it enough to prepare your resume and leave it on your computer waiting for a miracle. “You need to share and keep information up to date on professional social media,” recommends Dias. Not to mention that being active is also an efficient way to activate your business contacts.

4. Show your reasons

Explaining your withdrawal in most cases is necessary – though not always easy. “If you went away to do a full-time exchange or specific course abroad, it is important to value it in the curriculum in some way,” says the expert. The information may come at the very beginning of the document, in the “professional summary” or in the “experience”. “It’s interesting to say objectively that at such a date you took a certain course,” he says. “The recruiter should automatically understand why you were away from the market.”

On the other hand, if you walked away for personal reasons, the way to tell it is another. “If you stopped working for three years to have two children or had a health problem of your own or family, explain it more informally, not exactly in the curriculum,” recommends Dias. If there is no room for this, the alternative is to explain what happened at the end of the curriculum, in an item like “Additional Information”.

If it is simply a matter of career transition, it needs no further explanation. “Anyone who has been out of work for months because he or she hasn’t got a replacement yet should not detail it in the curriculum,” he says. “It is best to wait for the moment of the interview and comment personally on what is happening, making it clear that you are interested in seizing the opportunities that arise.

According to Dias, none of the above affects the image of the candidate. “These are noble reasons for removal,” he says. A short, well-planned and structured sabbatical period does not “burn the film” either. However, he warns, those who drifted out of the market simply because they got tired and decided to pursue a hobby for a few years could lose points, yes. “Anyone who does such a thing can cause a certain insecurity in the recruiter, who may think it will happen again at any moment.”