If I Had to Return to the Workforce Today, Here’s Exactly Where I’d Start

If I had to return to the workforce today after years away, I wouldn’t start by applying for jobs.  I'd start with my mindset.

When I returned to the workforce 11 years ago after an 18-year career "break," I was in panic mode. My divorce was almost final, my former husband wasn't working, I had five kids, and I needed to pay the bills.

I was desperate, and I think it showed.

When you apply from fear, your energy ends up being scattered. You’re not clear about what you want. You’re not confident about what you offer. You’re just trying to survive and employers can sense that. Instead of letting fear take over, I'd think about taking these steps: 

Step 1: Take a deep breath and grab a notebook.

Take time to write your thoughts down—even your fears. But then remind yourself that time away from the workforce was valuable. Think about everything you learned as a mother like time management, budgeting, conflict resolution, project management, event planning. Give yourself credit for running a household for years and the strength you gained.

Now, ask yourself: What do I actually need financially right now? What kind of schedule can I realistically handle? What kind of work would give me stability, not just a paycheck? This will help give you direction and uncover what you want and need from a job.

Step 2: Write down your real experience.

Most women returning to work skip this step. They jump straight to job boards. But if you don’t know how to talk about your value, your applications will feel weak—even if you’re incredibly capable.

• Volunteer roles
• Church work
• School involvement
• Fundraisers
• Managing a household budget
• Coordinating schedules.

Don’t judge it. Just list it. Then ask yourself: What skills was I using?

• Leadership
• Organization
• Communication
• Budgeting
• Training

You have been building skills this whole time. The problem is that it's just not paid experience. Before you apply anywhere, you need to see your value clearly on paper. Because if you don't believe it, no one else will. 

Step 3: Choose a direction (even if it's just for now)

When you’ve done a little bit of everything, it’s tempting to apply for everything. But that usually backfires. Your résumé feels all over the place. Your interviews feel unclear. And employers don’t quite know where you fit.

So instead of asking, “Who will take me?” ask, “Where do I want to focus?”

You don’t have to pick your forever career. Just pick a direction for right now.

• Maybe it’s operations.
  • Maybe it’s marketing support.
  • Maybe it’s HR.
  • Maybe it’s bookkeeping.
  • Maybe it’s project coordination.

Look back at the list you wrote in Step 2. Where do your skills naturally fit? What problems do you actually enjoy solving?

When you choose one lane, everything gets easier. Your LinkedIn becomes clearer. Your résumé gets stronger. Your networking conversations become focused.

Clarity builds confidence. And confidence is what people hire.

Step 4: Make a LinkedIn profile before you touch your résumé

Before you start sending out applications, take some time to build your profile. Your résumé gets seen when you apply. Your LinkedIn gets seen all the time.

Recruiters look at it. Hiring managers look at it. People you network with look at it. It matters more than most people realize.

YouTube has lots of videos you can watch or you can get LinkedIn profile optimization help. Learn more here.

Step 5: Start conversations instead of applying to job boards

This is the part most people avoid. But it’s the part that works. Before you send out dozens of applications, start a few conversations.

Make a short list of people you already know—former coworkers, friends, neighbors, parents from school, people from church, anyone working in a field you’re curious about. Then send a simple message:

“Hi, I’m exploring a return to the workforce and would love your advice. If you have 15 minutes sometime soon, I’d really value your perspective.”

That’s it. You’re not asking for a job. You’re asking for insight and advice.

When you ask for advice, people relax. They’re more open. And those conversations often lead to referrals, introductions, or opportunities you wouldn’t find online. Most jobs don’t come from submitting applications into a portal.  They come from someone saying, “You should talk to her.”

There are additional steps to the return-to-work process, and if you want additional support to accelerate your return, let’s jump on a call.

Read additional blog posts here.