Re-entering the work force, or Will Work For Food....

[tjdee]

Anyone have any experience with re-entering the work force after not 'working' for years?

I've been freelance writing this past year, but for 3 years previous I've been basically taking care of the kid--I have until about December to finish my MBA. I had planned on kicking up the writing to a respectable level that would mostly support us, finishing my MBA, and starting a business now that she's starting school--and I'd had a good deal to live with relatives for a few years...I've been very lucky.

Problem is, the few years has turned into 'until May or June'. And I've been getting my ass kicked with doctor bills lately (why is it that if you aren't 'working', you have to pay for insurance, but when you are working, you 'don't'?). So my plans are all falling apart, blah blah blah, :nopity: I'm going to be that single parent who works 50 hours a day and never sees their kid....ugh.

Anyways! :-) I went on bedrest right after I graduated from college, so without the MBA finished, I'll be starting at entry level, and as I said, I've not 'worked' for years. Anyone have experience with that? How do you explain the lapse? Is it as simple as saying "I raised my kid, now hire me because I'm a nice person"? To make it worse, my major was....COMMUNICATIONS! Crap. That qualifies me to...um...talk to people....

This is dreadfully long now, but I'd appreciate any tips or insight...

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. Well,

I had to reenter the workforce after a year off, and I wanted to go into a totally different field. I used everything and anything I had done to my advantage. What got me the job as office manager, believe it or not, was my hobby of genealogy. I told the interviewer that I had amassed about ten thousand names (with information) in my family tree database, and if I could do that, I could easily manage the data in this company--and she bought it!

So be creative-show how people skills, which you've learned while successfully raising your child in a loving environment-can help a business in this slack market. How people skills can win clients, set the company apart from those with bad reps, etc. etc.

Good luck!

[tjdee]

2. What a great story!

I would never have thought to talk about my hobby like that. I always think of work as separate from everything else.

That family database of yours sounds pretty impressive, too!

Thank you for the suggestion...I'm gonna think of what I can use....

[MissMillie]

3. I'll feed ya...

If you clean my house.