Dear Dr. Richie,
I have been out of the workforce since 2001, and due to health issues got SSDI (social security disability). I was wondering if a person was ever well enough to return to the workplace, what would be a good thing to say when asked about why you'd been out of the workforce for so many years?
Thank you,
Amy
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Hi Amy,
I hate to sound trite, but I really do believe that honesty is the best policy. I would make it clear that you had serious health issues that kept you from working. The bigger question is whether you are still marketable after so many years out of the workforce. I think you should do whatever you can to increase your marketability, including keeping up in your field by reading journals and going to conferences that relate to your field. If you can do any kind of continuing education courses or other re-training to keep your skills up to par, that would also be terrific.
In addition, whatever you can do to re-connect to your network of contacts in your professional world would be great. Call your old boss and/or colleagues to have lunch and find out what’s happening in the field. Get re-connected with any professional association there might be, or just call people you used to be in contact with regularly during the course of your work. Those contacts will be invaluable when you are ready to get out there to actually look for a job.
Be sure to check out the resources on the Women Work! website about returning to work.
Best of luck with your search,
Beth
Beth Sperber Richie
www.mosaiclife.net
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