• Work It DAILY
  • Posts
  • ▶️ How To Restart Your Career After A Long Break!

▶️ How To Restart Your Career After A Long Break!

Plus: What to say & do if you were laid off.

Work It Daily

Hello Everyone & Happy Thursday! 

Today is World Mental Health Day. At Work It DAILY, we see firsthand how job/job search burnout can impact working professionals' mental health. While we are not mental health professionals, we take pride in helping our community overcome obstacles that may be impacting their mental well-being. Click HERE to join the Work It DAILY community. We’d love to see you around!

P.S. - HERE are some tips if you are struggling with job/job search burnout.

Not subscribed? Click HERE.

In Today’s Newsletter:

  • How To Restart Your Career After A Long Break - Tips and resources to help you succeed.

  • In The News - Hurricane Helene muddies the labor market picture & 3 AI skills to include on your resume.

  • J.T. Talks Jobs - What to say & do if you were laid off.

  • Resources We Recommend - Take surveys and get paid with SurveyJunkie.

Resources We Recommend

Sponsored

Earn Extra Cash in Your Spare Time with SurveyJunkie

Are you looking for a flexible way to supplement your income? SurveyJunkie offers a unique opportunity to make money by sharing your opinions on products and services.

As a member, you can:

  • Earn cash and gift cards just for taking surveys

  • Work on your own schedule, whenever it's convenient for you

  • Share your honest feedback to help shape the products you use

Getting started is easy – simply sign up for a free account and begin taking paid surveys right away. 

Don't miss out on this flexible way to boost your earnings. Join SurveyJunkie today and start getting paid for your opinions!

How to Successfully Restart Your Career After a Long Break

Have you been out of the workforce for three or more years? Whether it was due to illness, raising children, or other life circumstances, returning to work after an extended break can feel overwhelming. But here's the truth: you're not starting from scratch—you're starting from experience.

The First Step: Know Your Worth

Before diving back into the job market, you need to answer a crucial question: "What value can I bring to employers right now?" This isn't just about what you've done in the past; it's about identifying your current professional strengths and, more importantly, understanding what you want to do next. After all, you might be capable of many things, but which ones will truly fulfill you?

Assessment Is Your Friend

At Work It DAILY, we consistently see that successful career restarts begin with thorough self-assessment. With our free Professional Strengths Workbook, you can discover where your talents/interests intersect with market demands to find a career that makes you feel satisfied & happy.

If you want a more in-depth assessment, our Choose Your Career Path in Five Steps course inside the Work It DAILY Community is a great resource. Grab a 7-day free trial HERE to get access.

The Power of Strategic Job Shopping

Once you understand your strengths, it's time for what we like to call "strategic job shopping." This isn't about applying to every open position you see. Instead, we recommend identifying 20 companies that align with your values, interests, and goals. These should be organizations that genuinely excite you—because that enthusiasm will become your secret weapon.

Your Greatest Assets? A Fresh Perspective and Pure Enthusiasm

Here's something many returning professionals don't realize: your time away from the workforce can actually be an advantage. You bring fresh perspectives, no ingrained bad habits, and genuine enthusiasm to learn and contribute. While you can't exactly write "no bad habits!" on your resume, you can demonstrate these qualities through your approach to the job search.

The Art of Storytelling in Your Job Search

The key to breaking back into the workforce lies in how you tell your story. Traditional cover letters often fall flat, which is why we teach our members to use what we call a "disruptive cover letter" approach. This method helps you forge an emotional connection with potential employers before they even meet you. When done right, your story becomes so compelling that the gap in your resume becomes secondary to your potential.

Making Your Experience Work for You

Remember, every experience during your time away has likely taught you valuable skills—organization, time management, problem-solving, and adaptability. The trick is learning how to translate these experiences into language that resonates with employers. When you can effectively communicate your unique value add (UVA), that three-year-plus gap becomes less relevant to your future employer.

Getting back into the workforce isn't about picking up exactly where you left off—it's about strategically positioning yourself for your next chapter. With the right approach, tools, and mindset, you can transform what feels like a challenge into an opportunity for an even better career fit than before.

Ready to take the first step? Our platform offers all the resources and strategies mentioned above, designed specifically to help professionals like you make a confident return to the workforce. Your next chapter is waiting—let's write it together.

Click HERE to start a 7-day FREE trial.

You’ve got this!

Cassidy O’Donnell

In The News

J.T. Talks Jobs

Meme Of The Day

Free Resources

Did somebody say FREE? Yup, we did. We’ve got live events, instant access resources, and quizzes all for FREE! Click on an image below to get started!

Career Quizzes

Job Search Checklist

Resume & LinkedIn Bootcamp

Break Through Your Job Search Burnout

Professional Strengths Workbook

My First Job Workbook

Thanks For Reading!

Was this email forwarded to you? SIGN UP HERE to get the ONLY career advice newsletter you'll ever need. (Yep. We're THAT good!)

Interested in reaching our audience? CLICK HERE to sponsor our newsletter.

Are you OBSESSED with our newsletter format and want to build your own? We use a tool called beehiiv and love it. You can use it too. CLICK HERE to learn more!

Reply

or to participate.