Know your worth when returning to work

It’s not uncommon for a spouse to leave the workforce during a marriage. Whether it’s to take care of children, elderly family or just generally manage a household, leaving paid employment is a path many people take at some point in life.

After a divorce, it may be necessary to return to work. Your skills are still as valuable as when you left, but time does change most industries. It’s natural to wonder if you can re-enter the workforce after an extended absence. However, you should resist the temptation to let these concerns cloud your perception of your worth.

If you left a job during your marriage, you have something on which to base your re-imagined career aspirations. Think about the position you left and whether or not it’s where you’d like to see your career move toward. Maybe it was an unfulfilling job. Maybe it was a dream job. Either way, there’s a starting point for determining the next step.

Getting back into the field

Some of the steps to take for getting back into work are the same as what you did to get your first job. Some beginning tips include:

  • Find existing networking events for your field
  • Practice interviewing
  • Rework your resume to reflect new skills
  • Use job-search tools such as LinkedIn and Indeed

It isn’t easy to get back into a career field. Additionally, women and men reentering the workforce may see different experiences. Even with the disparity, the challenges of reentering the workforce exist for anyone who took a lengthy leave from employment.

Going back to work doesn’t have to only be a negative and daunting task. Self-esteem and self-worth can stagnate or dwindle during a divorce. Getting back to work and reclaiming your professional abilities can help rebuild some of the waning confidence to help you get over the pain of the past.

Working also provides new connections with coworkers and may even include other people who have reentered the workforce. Look to others’ experiences to help guide the transition back into employment.

If you’ve made it through a divorce or are just starting the process, it’s worth considering the challenges – and potential benefits – of returning to work.

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Have more questions about divorce? Check out our Divorce Q&A.