The kids have gone back to school after the long summer holidays, the house feels eerily quiet and you start thinking, maybe it’s time to re-launch your career.
But just how do you go about it?
Here are 3 tips to get you on the right track:
- Know your values
Take time to figure out what it important to you. Why? Because your values define who you are as a person and will help you to make decisions about the direction you want to go in to stay motivated. If you are to be successful then you must be doing things that meet with your values. Throughout your life, your values can and do change so it is well worth taking the time to review them after taking a career break.
When trying to figure out what your values are, think about the things that are important to you in your career, for example is it important that you only work part time so that you can still pick your children up from school? Or maybe you want to do something where you feel you are making a difference and giving something back or where you feel respected for what you do.
- Figure out what it is you want to do
Once you have a clearer idea of what your core values are, it makes it easier to start figuring out what it is you want to do. You will also need to evaluate your skills and achievements which will not only boost your confidence but also give you a picture of what you are good at again helping you to come up with ideas of the type of work you might be interested in.
- Do your research
Start looking to see what companies have vacancies in your chosen field, do their values match yours? Try and speak to people who are doing a similar role, ask for their advice and find out how they got to where they are – this will help you see if you need to do any re-training. Then work on expanding your network as this is the best way to hear about positions before they are advertised.
On a final note, looking to return to work is a challenging job in itself and should be treated as such. Set yourself goals and break them down into manageable, achievable action steps, monitor your progress and of course reward yourself for every step achieved, no matter how small.
© Anne Galloway
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE? You can, as long as you include this information with it:
Anne Galloway is the Careers Consultant for those who want to put the fun and passion back into their working week. Find out how Anne can help you along your path to career success at www.power-to-change.eu
