4 ways to ace it at work after long period of unemployment

There are a number of reasons why people end up unemployed for long periods of time. Maybe you were affected by a restructuring exercise at the company you worked for, or you returned to school, or you took time off to care for a loved one.

Take this scenario: You graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry, a field you are passionate about, but you’ve been unsuccessful in finding a job. Three months down the line, you realise that the bills have to be paid, and you remember your college professor saying that your first degree is meant to open the world up for you, not to limit it. So you decide to broaden your options, and end up working as a digital manager at a law firm.

Then you find another job in the marketing department of a media house. After that you find yourself selling insurance packages. Then one day, five years down the line, it finally happens. You get a job working as a lab assistant at a high profile biodata organisation. Because this has been your dream for years, you take the job without thinking twice, only to realise that because of the lengthy absence from doing any related work, you’ve grown distant from that field. How can you speed up your acquaintance period and ensure that you deliver at your new workplace? Here are four tips to get you started.

Relearn

A career is much more than just the skills you need to deliver on your tasks. Accept that you do not know all the intrigues of this industry that you love so much, and recognise that passion alone will not get you there. Strive to understand how the industry works and how it has evolved, and build new networks. You can’t be the one leaving the office at exactly five in the evening.

Use your networks to gather as much knowledge as possible. Attend conferences, search for interviews given by the talking heads in your area of specialisation, and put yourself in places where you can meet other professionals in your field. Basically, you have to do your research. Find out what professional bodies exist, what activities they engage in, whether or not they can be useful to you, and how you can join them. Also, reach out to former classmates who are in the field you are now getting into. They could offer some valuable insights and advice.

Refresh your skills

Depending on what your job entails, this could mean spending more time practicing the skills required, or reading your college books to familiarise yourself with the necessary jargon. Understand that if you want to prosper, you have to put in some extra effort. A good way to do this is to subscribe to reputable newsletters in your field, or to follow relevant blogs. This will help you get timely updates, and to stay focused on your new responsibilities.

Assess the opportunity

It is normal for any employer to worry about your ability to deliver, especially because you have not been in the field for long. So if you are preparing for an interview, expect questions touching on this and prepare responses that will easily convince the interviewers that you are the right candidate.

Whatever you do, keep in mind that there is a lot of competition for the position you are being interviewed for, and you are slightly disadvantaged based on your long absence from the field. Your potential employers need to be convinced that you are ready and able to deliver on the job, and are willing to learn.

Be realistic

You might have completed your university studies five years ago but if you do not have the required work experience, you may be required to start at the internship level.

You may have five years of experience in a different field, but if you are an accountant who has not dealt with any numbers for years, don’t expect to begin at the same level with someone who has been in the field for those five years. That will be a goal too ambitious, and a fine recipe for disappointment. Take stock, research, seek advice and get whatever necessary training you might need to start off, and then work at growing in your field.