Whether you’ve been with the same company for five, ten, or more years, or you’re working to re-enter the workforce after a lengthy hiatus. The process of securing a new position can be incredibly challenging. You may be unfamiliar with today’s job search processes or hiring manager expectations, leaving you feeling unprepared.

Ultimately, even if the idea of reigniting your career seems daunting. That doesn’t mean it has to be difficult. By using the right approach, you can expedite your results. Whether you’re looking for temp consulting jobs or permanent positions, here are some tips that can help you re-enter the workforce painlessly.

Update (or Create) Your Master Resume

If you haven’t updated your master resume recently, or don’t have one at all, now is the time to get this critical document in order. With a master resume, you aren’t worried about length. Instead, you want to capture all of your achievements that are relevant to your field and career.

If you’ve been at one company for a lengthy period, make sure to break out the various roles that you’ve had over the years. This allows you to showcase accomplishments as well as growth, which can work in your favor.

The benefit of using a master resume is that you usually have all of the content you’ll need when it comes time to target a resume to a position. You simply remove the bullets that don’t align with the priorities listed in that job add, reorder the points if necessary, and tweak your professional summary to create a stronger match. It doesn’t require creating new content; you’ll just adjust what’s already there.

Conduct a Social Media Check

Today’s employers do review candidates’ online presences when recruiting. Ensure you conduct a thorough social media check before you launch a job search, allowing you to refine your profiles.

When you make updates, do so methodically. Your goal is to create profiles that reflect well on you as a professional, focusing on adjustments that align with your career goals. Additionally, if any content on your professional or personal profiles may be considered inappropriate, either remove it or set that profile to private.

Strengthen – Then Tap – Your Network

Your professional network is a powerful resource when you’re looking to reignite your career. Spend some time cultivating critical relationships. In some cases, this means reaching out to contacts who fell by the wayside or reconnecting with professionals you haven’t spoken to recently.

When your initial new conversations, focus on relationship-building first. If a person hasn’t heard from you recently and you immediately begin asking for help in finding a position, your request may seem like an imposition or might be completely ignored.

However, once the connection is strong, requesting assistance with your job search won’t be viewed as a burden. As a result, the odds of you learning about unadvertised vacancies or receiving a referral goes up dramatically.

Ultimately, re-entering the market is daunting. However, by following the tips above, you can make it simpler, potentially shortening the timeline and increasing your odds of success.

Ready For Your Next Contract Position?

If you’d like to learn more, the team at Alpha Consulting can help. Contact us today.