Web Resources for people returning to the workforce

For all of those mums (or Dads for that matter) who are looking to return to work after a career break, I recommend that you use some of your (spare??) time to learn more skills and find useful advice through surfing the web. The Internet  is an
invaluable asset to help people, particularly women, who have taken a step back from the
workplace. 

One of the many issues I’ve come across is that people often feel very alone when they are considering a return to the work force; they don’t know where to look for good advice. One of the  comforting aspects of the internet is that you will find oh so many others in your position - you are not alone. Once you find some good forums, you’ll find that there are many other people with similar questions and concerns, and with luck, you’ll find some great advice and make some useful contacts.

Although many of the websites I’ve quoted are US based, much of the advice given on there is pertinent to most job-hunters, even with the cultural aspects taken into account.

I came across a helpful New York Times - Q and A article by Eilene Zimmerman  that offers some good advice on re-entering the work force. It’s worth
a read if you are weighing a job search after a break from your career.
Zimmerman recommends writing an "accomplishments-oriented resume" that
highlights skills and projects accomplished through volunteer work
during your years at home to fill in the gaps of your out-of-office
years.

For those of you in the UK, I would recommend having a look at the following websites:

Flexworks!: this is  a site which places  workers wishing to work flexibly. 

Working from home forum: for those of you who may wish to stay at home and work, this is an excellent site which gives sound advice about working from home, together with all the potential pitfalls and necessary considerations to bear in mind. Given that it also is a forum, it helps those who are new to home working with some advice from those who are old hands at it.

For those of you in the US,  try these web sites and resources:

Jobsandmoms.com - A web site for professional women looking for flexible work.

Mom Corps
- A staffing firm that specializes in placing women who have been out
of the work force in project, part-time, and consultant positions.

Lynda.com
- Take stock of your skills as well as a gap in your skills that you
think you’ll need to fill to pursue the work you want to do outside the
home. Check out Lynda.com
for a rich library of every kind of IT course you want to take. You can
also check with your local—and far-flung colleges—that offer online
courses that you can work on when your time (short as it is) allows.

WomenatWorkNetwork - Connects women interested in part-time and full-time work and employers.

Knock ‘Em Dead
- Martin Yate provides some of the best resume-writing advice I’ve
seen, and some specific advice to women returning to work on this page.

Job-hunt.org - A great overall job-search web site filled with links to good job-search advice, web sites, and resources.

I will add more of these links to another post in due course. In the meantime, grab your coffee and get surfing whilst the kids are still at school……

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