Seven Ways to Get Confident Before Going Back to Work

Posted on

19 May 2015

| Last updated on 26 May 2015

Seven Ways to Get Confident Before Going Back to Work

A lot of expats have been out of work for some period of time because moving countries usually entails someone having to leave their job. Combine this with raising kids, being in places where expats aren’t allowed to work, taking time off for travel and the months (or years!) out of work can add up quickly!

If you’re one of those people, you may be ready to go back to work but questioning your qualifications. Self-confidence is tough to access when you feel that you’ve been out of the loop.

Here are seven strategies that will get you ready to jump back in and know for certain that you have something to offer:

1. Make a list of the skills and experience you already have.

The easiest place to start is to take an inventory of the skills and experience you already have. When you’ve been a stay-at-home mom for five years, it’s often tough to recall immediately what skills you have that apply to your career. Block thirty minutes and ask yourself, “What am I really good at? What experience do I have that could be relevant?” Then write down every single thing that comes into your head no matter how true or related it is for 20 minutes. After the 20 minutes are up, review you list and pick the top 10 that you think make you qualified for the job that you plan to look for. Don’t forget about the great experience you have gained as an expat. This makes you unique!

2. Ask to your friends about the special skills you bring to the table.

Sometimes it’s hard for us to step out of our own heads and realize what we are truly good at. It’s great if you can come up with a list of skills you really excel at but if you have a tough time doing that, get some help from friends, family, and former colleagues. Ask them what they think makes you unique and what you are especially good at.

3. Practice your skills.

Being out of practice and not having been in the workplace for a while can make you feel rusty. The easiest way to get over this is to jump right back in. Find a part-time job, a place to volunteer, or take on a role in an organization that allows you to use some of the skills you plan to use when you go back to work. Going back to work as a lawyer? Volunteer at a non-profit that needs legal help or help a friend out with some legal advice. Going back to finance? Try keeping the books for a non-profit or social organization like a parent-teacher council. Getting ready to go back to teaching? Teach a class in your home for the age-level that you plan to be working with.

4. Make connections with former colleagues and others who are interested in a similar field.

Just getting back into a group of people from your field can do a lot to make you aware of what new technologies and methods everyone is using, what the hot button issues are that everyone is talking about, and what the future of the field looks like. You can do this through in-person events related to your field such as conferences or seminars or networking events. You can also do it online by joining Facebook or other social media groups relevant to your field or professional associations that maintain an online presence.

5. Read up.

Reading and learning about what’s going on in your field is probably the easiest place to get started before you’re ready for some of the bigger steps. You can stay at your house and read online before you put yourself out there. Start reading trade magazines and relevant blogs and even academic articles in some cases. Doing this allows you to reconnect with your field at your own pace and provide you with some fodder to talk about when you are in a professional environment.

6. Learn the new skills that you need.

If you’ve been out of work for a while, there will probably be new skills you need to learn or some old skills you at least need to brush up on. Take a class, teach yourself online, or ask someone to tutor you on the newest technologies and methods so you don’t feel like the ‘old lady’ at the office.

7. Create your resume.

Writing your resume can be a confidence builder (and also a confidence killer, but more on that in a sec). Once you see all you have to offer on paper, you can feel a little bit better about yourself. Also, having a resume in hand makes you feel one step closer to the job you want.

But, don’t be surprised if you find that creating your resume sends you on a downward spiral. A lot of people start worrying when they see a “hole” in their resume or perceive that their resume will not be as strong as others. This is the time to use that list of skills and experiences that you wrote in step one to fill in your resume. Add a key qualifications section to the very top of your resume to set the right tone and don’t forget that relevant volunteer experience can be included under professional experience in some cases.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, enlist the help of a friend or coach to help you get your resume to a place where you feel proud of it.

Anna Sparks is a career coach who helps professionals create attention-catching resumes and prepare for successful interviews. She works with people with international experience and those who need help fitting a unique job or employment gap into their work history. She has lived and worked in six countries in the last fifteen years. Anna currently lives in Quito, Ecuador. To learn more visit www.anna-sparks.com.