Breaking back into workforce

By ESTELLE SARNEY

After four years out of the Auckland corporate scene raising two children, Carin Hercock was nervous about re-entering the workforce.

But having left work as Tip Top's trade marketing manager and with seven years' experience in the fast-moving consumer goods industry, she did not think she would have any trouble finding a job.

Four months and several knockbacks later, Hercock's confidence had taken a blow.

"It turned out to be harder than I thought, and I became quite despondent for a while," she admits.

"There were a couple of jobs I should have got, and it got down to me and someone else, and someone else got it.

"I'm sure it was because I had been out of Auckland for four years and now had kids at home, and they didn't know how committed I would be."

Hercock eventually called an old contact at Cerebos Greggs. Within a week she had contract work and a month later the company offered her a job as sales and marketing information manager.

After three years in that role she moved to the Newspaper Advertising Bureau as research manager.

"I feel like a different person now," she says. "I felt rusty and lacking in the social confidence you need to feel comfortable in an office, and felt the pressure of wondering if the kids were all right in day care.

"Over time things got better, and I became confident that I was not only delivering what my boss wanted but adding value to the business.

"I stopped feeling like they were doing me a favour by giving me a job."

Her bosses were family people, too.

She was not expected to work long hours, and could take days off to look after sick children and during school holidays.

Hercock never consulted a career counsellor, but her experience highlights several of their key recommendations regarding returning to work.

Lee Brodie of Career Dynamics says just 30 per cent of jobs are gained through advertisements, which are aimed at people already in good jobs.

"Seventy per cent are gained through networking - through someone you know or by cold calling a company," says Brodie.

Attitude is as important as skills. Be open-minded and prepared to swallow your pride for an entry position rather than holding out for your ideal job straight away.

Paul Look of Skill New Zealand cites a client keen on getting into the film industry. He took a lowly job as a film cutter and two years later is an editor with plans for producing.

Brodie says, "Think about where you want to be in two or three years and make a logical progression in small steps, rather than giant strides."

Jon Vincent of Selector Group says the difference between getting one job and not another can simply be temperament.

"A receptionist might have all the right skills, but if she has orange hair and a ring through her nose she's not going to get a job at a law firm.

"Go down the road to a hip advertising agency and she'll fit right in. The key is not getting a job, but getting a job to fit you."

Look at it from the employer's perspective, says Brodie: "They seek to employ kindred spirits.

"In many interviews it is taken for granted you have the required skills. What they're studying is your personal attributes."

And never despair that you haven't gathered new skills in your time away from the workforce.

Isabel Evans, Auckland central commissioner for Work and Income New Zealand, says parenthood develops superb time management and organisational qualities.

Hercock couldn't agree more.

She feels she can now balance her workload and prioritise better than before.

"I find the parents at work tend to be the ones who don't get really stressed and lose perspective, because their work is no longer their life."

Tips on returning to work:


* Think about what you would love to do, not just what you could or should do. Passion will have a job interview half won.

* Network with old contacts about vacancies and what's been happening in the industry during your absence. One of them might offer you contract work to get your foot back in the door.

* Update yourself on your chosen industry by reading trade magazines, visiting university or polytech libraries and searching the internet.

* Cold-call companies you want to work for and ask a boss for face-to-face advice on how to get into their industry. This is less threatening than asking for a job and flatters them with the implication that they have knowledge and experience.

* Offer to work for free for a while to gain experience and a referee. It could lead to a part-time or fulltime job. You can prove your worth to an employer, and you can see whether that company's culture fits your personality and lifestyle.

* If you can afford it, consult a career counsellor. If not, Work and Income New Zealand and Career Services may be able to provide you with free advice, and put you on to return-to-work courses aimed at enhancing confidence and motivation, skill identification, CV and interview preparation and other skills.

* Lift your skills with courses that build on what you already know. For those with low qualifications, Skill New Zealand organises courses and on-site training in jobs from office roles to welding, early childhood education and forestry.