Do you have valuable assets?

This is the second of a series of articles for returners, people who want to return to the workplace after an extended period away from it.

The questions we are asked frequently are:

• Are my skills still relevant?
• What if I have forgotten everything?
• How will I be able to catch up with the changes in technology?
• Will I be able to have conversations with colleagues if my recent interactions have been limited?
• What have I got to offer an employer?

The first thing to recognise is these are very typical and, if you have any self-doubts, it is a normal reaction. Don’t beat yourself up for having these thoughts.

You don’t lose skills, albeit they may need to be revisited and updated. What courses could you take now?

Humankind is a species which loves to learn and your capacity to acquire new information has not diminished just because you haven’t been in the world of work.

Perhaps the most important aspect of this return to work to think through is, what additionally have I to offer? Some perspectives:

• Looking after children or caring for others is a huge demonstration of your ability to accept responsibility
• You have been dealing with new challenges every day and doing so successfully
• You have been adapting your communication skills to a very wide range of audiences
• Health and Safety are you raison d’etre
• You have been working 24/7 for years
• You can balance priorities and react to mini crises
• You have become more creative and laterally thinking
• You have dealt with complex logistical issues

In essence, you are remarkable and a hero. Far from lacking self-confidence, you should be proud of your achievements and your successes. The key is being able to describe your extra talents to prospective employers and, crucially, be able to give examples in a manner which demonstrates transferability to the workplace.

In the next article, we will discuss your “Why”.

Work Horizons is an online membership site which gives you career coaching at a fraction of the cost of traditional support             https://app.workhorizons.com/