Education, children, travel, health – there are many reasons why people leave a role but no matter how long you’ve been out of employment, returning to the workforce comes with its challenges. At Asset Recruitment, we want to make that step back into employment stress-free and enjoyable, so we’ve compiled our top seven tips for returning to the workforce.

1.Be confident
It may have been a while since you needed to iron a shirt, fill in a timesheet or sit through a client meeting, but you’ve done it once before so be confident in your abilities to do it again.

2.Update your CV
Give your CV a refresh. You may not have any additions to make to your employment history, but there will be skills and/or interests you have developed during your time out of the workforce that you can include.

3.Seek advice
Talk to neighbours, friends, family, fellow parents, others in your network who are gainfully employed. Ask them what the current job market is like, what changes have occurred in the workplace, how company culture is different from when you were there.

4.Prepare yourself for change
Just as your situation has changed during the time you’ve been out of the workforce, so too has the employment market. Working environments have become more flexible, staff well-being is becoming a priority, so be prepared to step back into a very different role.

5.Know what you want
Is the role you’re looking for the same as the last one you had, or do you feel it’s time to take a change of direction? Have a clear idea of the type of work you’re looking for. This will help narrow down the job search.

6.Speak to the experts
Job hunting takes time, but a recruitment company can help you in your search. Just be sure to register with a recruitment company with a recruitment company that represents your values.

7. Be open to opportunities

Do you want to return to the workforce full-time or part-time? On a permanent or temporary basis? Temp work is a great way to test out the employment market and can give you insight into different companies and roles available.

At Asset Recruitment, one of the most common questions we get asked is how do you explain the gap in employment on your CV. Our response is to be truthful. Your reasons for leaving the workforce are completely justified and can be explained in your covering letter. But don’t dwell too much on this aspect of your CV. Instead, focus on your reasons for coming back to work and the challenges you’re looking forward to.