Everyone needs a break from work. Sometimes, you go on a short leave; but there are times when you have to leave work for a long period because of necessity. Now that you want to rejoin the world of the employed, you have to go job hunting again and that means you need a resume.

Here are some things to consider on your return-to-work journey.

1. Make sure you’re ready. The word ready means you should be very certain that you want to go back to work. Be sure that the break you had was enough to get you back on your feet and find the job you want. If you still have some reservations, better step back and think again. You want to re-enter the work force committed, willing and focused. Feeling anything else would be unfair to yourself and to your prospective employer.

2. Start writing a NEW resume. If you had a really long break from work, then it is better to start writing a new resume. Dump the old, probably outdated ones you’ve used before. Try something new. Be more creative. Bear in mind that your resume is the key to getting interviews.

3. Bank on your best skills. Think of the things you do best – things that you do better than most people. Don’t be too modest, just be honest. If you’re really good at something, flaunt it. You have undoubtedly developed a handful of good skills from previous jobs and other endeavors while you were not working. Highlight your best skills in your resume. This gives the impression that you are an experienced individual and that you are going to be an asset to your prospective employer.

4. Develop a tailor-made resume. There’s no such thing as one-size-fits-all, where resumes are concerned. Not all job openings have the same requirements; therefore, the smart move is to edit your resume according to the required qualifications of the job you’re seeking. If the job you are applying for is similar to a previous job you had before, you can mention that in your resume; and more importantly, highlight the achievements you had. Always remember that the information you put in your resume should respond to the needs of the job you are applying for. Just take that extra effort to tailor your resume and you might land your dream job!

5. Keep it short and sweet. Don’t get tempted to put too much information in your new resume. This is quite normal since you might feel the pressure of enumerating all experiences to make it appear like you have better potential than younger applicants. Avoid flooding your resume with too many trainings and seminars that are irrelevant to the job. Stick to the plan: keep your resume brief and concise, yet something you can sell.

Returning to the workforce after a long absence can be daunting, but with the perfect resume and a positive attitude, you have a good chance of finding your niche in the job market again.

Tags: job history, job history in resume, job hunt, Job Search, job skills, job tips, Resume, resume advice, resume help, resume tips, resumes, top resume tips, write a resume

This entry was posted on Friday, May 21st, 2010 at 7:52 am and is filed under Applying for a Job, Resume, Resume Do's and Don'ts, Resume Help. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.