Going back to work after a long break is both exciting and challenging. Re-entering the job market has its own unique challenges, as individuals may struggle with self-doubt, outdated skills, or uncertainty. The good thing is that vocational coaching offers support during this career transition, helping individuals update and gain new skills, get back their confidence, and find a job.
Vocational coaching focuses on guiding people toward meaningful jobs. Vocational career coaches give people returning to the workforce practical tools and personalized guidance for a successful career comeback.
These are the common reasons for taking long employment gaps and how a vocational coach can help in career development.
Why People Don’t Work for Too Long
Shifting priorities in life can put one’s career on the sidelines for the meantime, such as:
- Raising Children: Employees, especially women, quit their jobs to rear their children for the first few years of their lives or possibly until they’re teenagers.
- Caring for a Loved One: Some employees quit their jobs to become companions of their aging loved ones, either parents, godparents, or grandparents. Many people also leave their jobs to care for the sick younger ones in their family for some time.
- Bouncing Back from Illness: Other employees get sick with almost-deadly diseases and must recover for some time. Some quit their jobs completely to focus on their well-being, while others take indefinite leave.
- Pursuing Further Education: Many employees leave their jobs to pursue further education. They have a singular focus than juggling work and study at the same time. Some may return to the company after graduation, while others pursue their passion or get hired by another company.
How Vocational Coaching Helps Returning Employees
Rebuild Confidence and Self-Esteem
One of the common challenges people returning to work face is low confidence. They may feel insecure about their abilities and worry that their skills will become obsolete with time.
Vocational job coaches can address these concerns through personalized coaching sessions. They can shift the individual’s mindset from self-doubt to capability, overcome impostor syndrome, and restore confidence.
Identify Transferable Skills
People returning to work may feel that their skills are outdated, but this may be partially true. Soft skills like organization, communication, and leadership gained during a career break are still relevant in the professional setting.
Vocational career coaching can let individuals sell their value to potential employers with their skills. They can reframe the employee experience the individual once had and highlight these skills during the job hunting process.
Update Skills and Bridge Knowledge Gaps
While returning to work can be exciting, the challenge lies in updating the individual’s skills and knowledge. This is where the vocational career coach can aid clients in identifying and filling gaps in their skills. It involves recommending online courses, certifications, and professional development opportunities relevant to the person’s chosen field.
Tailor the Job Search to Align with Career Goals
High-quality coaching can assist individuals in determining their goals and finding jobs that match their interests, skills, and values. For those returning to the workforce, they need a job that fits their lifestyles and offers long-term job security.
Vocational coaches can help employees by:
- Identifying what they want from their career. It can be a part-time position or flexible work arrangement.
- Guiding clients in clarifying which career path to take.
- Customise the job search according to their client’s needs.
This guided approach can increase the chances of the individual getting an excellent job in a company that values employee retention.
Provide Accountability and Emotional Support
Job hunting can be emotionally overwhelming, especially for those who haven’t worked in a professional setting for a long time. This is how vocational coaches can help:
- They can make clients accountable during the job search by keeping them motivated, setting goals, creating action plans, and tracking progress. They may also help clients apply to a company that values employee engagement.
- They provide emotional support to clients who are drained due to rejections while looking for jobs.
- Vocational coaches listen to clients’ concerns and provide reassurance that they’re doing well.
Preparing for Interviews and Negotiations
The interview process can feel intimidating. Vocational work coaching lets clients prepare for interviews by practising responses to common questions and creating narratives highlighting their strengths. They can also teach their clients to ask the company questions, such as how it values employee loyalty.
Vocational coaches also teach clients salary negotiations and other steps to do post-interview. They can provide strategies to make sure clients can confidently advocate for themselves and secure the best terms for their new jobs.
Final Words
Returning to the workforce after a long time is challenging, but vocational coaching services can help clients get back on their feet. These individuals can take steps toward success by rebuilding confidence, updating skills and knowledge, and aligning the job search with personal goals. Vocational coaching can empower people to confidently steer themselves in the job market and find work that fulfils their passions and aspirations.
