Makeover tips for getting back to work

Q: Hi Jill. I’m re-entering the workforce, having been out of the ring for nearly five years, and I wanted some advice on how to present myself. I’m looking for a complete makeover.

I’ll be pursuing a legal career part-time while finding work in the field of financial investments. I’m going to need some support around marketing myself the whole nine yards — i.e. resumé updates, job interviews tips and simply just getting back into some social circles where I can talk shop and feel reconnected to the corporate world.

Any tips on how I can accomplish all of this would be great! I am very excited to get back into the swing of things and have already started receiving fashion tips from my two daughters, who are both in university.

— Caterina Wettwood

A:Congratulations! You’re right — a total makeover is surely in order. You’re going to be busy so you want to make sure you’ve got a great human support system in place as well as a good grasp on your work-life balance strategy. After such a hiatus, jumping in without your life preserver might prove destructive. I’d take one step at a time. Let’s start with the core items like updating your resume and job interview refreshers.

I’m a fan of Resume Solutions, www.resumesolutions.ca. Resume Solutions offers by-appointment-only support to clients and this is really a good feature because you don’t feel like just another one of the herd being pushed through a generic ‘cookie cutter’ system. They are also professionally designated (something you’ve got to be aware of since everyone is a ‘professional resume writer’ these days).

Have you heard ofMarketYourselfSmarter.com? This company, founded by Catharine Fennell in 2001, connects employees with employers and vice versa providing them with seminars, lectures, social events all with the main purpose of teaching people how to market themselves better to their employees or employers. From the executive power seminars to the laid back cafe sessions where business people simply meet and gab about timely, relevant corporate issues, it’s a great place to get back “into the circle.”

As for crowning off your complete corporate make-over, I’d recommend you set up a meeting with a consultant at the Robin Barker Welspa, www.robinbarkerwelspa.ca. Not only can they help you select appropriate styles and colours for the office but they can also recommend this to up to 15 of your fellow colleagues as they do office parties as well. Good luck and have fun!

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