1. Gap
Returning to
Work After A
Break
with Rachael Ellison
@reworkingparent
Rachaelellison.com
Presented by
www.flexjobs.com
“Forget about moving in
a straight line.”
-Herminia Ibarra,
Working Identity
7. It’s a Journey Not a Job
Work-Life As We
Know It
You are your last job title +/-
Network with old colleagues,
industry contacts
Resume tells your past & can
predict your career future
(RE)working
Parenthood
Craft Experiments
Shift Connections
Make Sense
10. In Practice: What’s
important now?
Best
possible
position
for you
Task
•What do you
want/like to do?
Role
•What role best suits
you strengths?
Context
•What type of
organization will be
the best match?
Flexibility
•Working hours
•Commute time
•Coverage needed
Income
•What do I need to
make for my family?
•Cost benefit analysis?
CRAFT EXPERIMENTS
11. Include Past
Experiments:
• List consulting gigs,
volunteer
opportunities and
other projects
• Use the STAR
method
(Situation, Task,
Accomplishments,
Results)
Corinna Anton
11726 San VicenteBoulevard • LosAngeles, CA 90049 • 310-555-1234 E-mail: coran@one.com
Objective To contributestrong leadership and interpersonal skills, aswell ashighly applicableexperience,
to your firm in amarketing-management capacity
Professional Profile
Goal-driven professional with 10 yearsof significant, progressivemarketing experienceand expertisethat is
highly applicableto marketing-management, including ability to deliver superior, personalized client service,
cultivatestrong businessrelationships, makereal-timedecisions, and resolveissuesin away that propels
innovation and growth.
Excellent team player who listens, thriveson collaborating with diversely talented team members, and
integratestheir divergent thoughts, opinions, and perspectivesinto meaningful action.
Highly effectiveverbal and written communicator who isfluent in both English and Spanish.
Energetic, competitiveachiever who can inspireand motivateteam members, successfully managemultiple
priorities, and perform under pressurein afast-paced, rapidly changing environment.
Visionary and global thinker who isdegreed in management and adept at training, developing, counseling,
and coaching team membersand clients.
Computer-proficient performer with expertisein MSWindows95, 98, NT, 2000 Pro, XP, MSOffice97,
2000, XP (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Outlook), MSInternet Explorer, AdobeAcrobat, and Quicken.
Highlightsof Professional Experience and Accomplishments
All experienceattainedduringcareer withStover MartinBank, 1993 toPresent
E-Commerce ~ Web Marketing
Tapped emerging market of PC and Internet usersby simplifying approach and training on complex
electronic-payment products, persuading management, and restructuring risk parameters.
Designed and changed Web sites; created interactiveWeb demosfor product launches.
Participated on coreteam that delivered first-in-market Internet Automated Clearing House(ACH)
Origination.
Marketing ~ Marketing Communications
Oversaw strategic marketing planning of eight electronic-payment productsthat generated $10+ million in
revenue; focused on commercial banking customers, including Fortune500 companies, aswell asretail and
small-businesscustomers.
Implemented pricing strategies, costing models, and waysto bundleproductsprofitably; madeprofitability
and pricing review recommendations.
Conducted competitor and market research; developed strategiesto convert other banks’ customersto
Stover Martin productswhen Stover Martin bought thosebanks.
Optimized departmental advertising budgetsand consistently developed marketing plansto implement
projectseffectively; designed marketing materials, including salesbrochures, user guides, training materials,
and onlinedemos.
Collaborated with advertising vendorsfor product launchesto writecustomer-focused product
brochures/ letters.
Created and/ or oversaw all product-launch internal training materials, presentations, memoranda, and
marketing/ salesinformation, including memos, masse-mails, and teleconferences.
Streamlined marketing materialsfor productsmanaged, providing automated mechanism for delivery that
ensured consistent brand image.
Successfully launched small-businessproduct bundles, amarketing initiativethat targeted small-business
clientswith cash-management services, including training salesforceof 200+.
Developed target marketing lists/ call listsfor salesforcethrough information gathering and databasemining.
Designed and implemented new salesproduct information catalog.
CRAFT EXPERIMENTS In Practice:
Resume Tip
12. DARIA
Job Status: 4 years out of F/T, project work only, 4 yr old
son
Background: Journalism, Corporate Writing
“old-world media skills in a new-media era”
Most
common
thought:
“Work is extremely important to my self-esteem.”
Experiment: Explore the digital domain/start up culture
Case StudyCRAFT EXPERIMENTSCRAFT EXPERIMENTS
13.
14. In Practice:
SHIFT CONNECTIONS
Offline Networking:
• Meet other parents
• Join Meet-ups
• Continuing education
• Take on local projects
• Find consulting
opportunities
15. Online Networking
• Explore: Twitter,
LinkedIn Groups
• Present: Linked In,
About Me
• Connect: Contactually
In Practice:
SHIFT CONNECTIONS
18. Before: IRIS SARAH
Job Status: Laid off from start
up, varied resume
Out of work for 9
years
Background: Reporter, Copy
writer, Advertising
Education/
Helped son with
special needs
Most common
thought:
“I don’t know what I
want to be doing and
have no confidence
that I could get it.”
“I am unqualified for
any job. Out of work
so long, basically
unemployable. “
Case Studies: A Tale
of 2 Moms
SHIFT CONNECTIONS
19. Case Studies: A
Tale of 2 Moms
SHIFT CONNECTIONS
After: IRIS SARAH
Actions Online presence
based on interest
Made online
connections
Identified her key
strengths: advocate
& community builder
Alerted network
Results Recruited for and
obtained online
Creative Director
position at new
agency
Title and salary
bump
Development officer
for community
private school
20.
21.
22. Make Sense
Make Sense
In Practice:
Questions to Ask Yourself
• What motivates/excites
me?
• What do I want to
learn?
• What tasks, roles,
contexts appeal?
• What strengths/skills
am I most proud of?
• How does my total life
experience give me a
unique competitive
advantage?
23. Make Sense
Make Sense
In Practice:
Questions About Others
• What challenges are
potential
employers/colleagues
facing?
• How can my background
and experience help them
to overcome their
challenges?
• How can I deliver
tremendous, measurable
value to the people I want
to work with?
• How can I speak directly
to their concerns about
the resume/skill gap?
24. In Practice:
Story Telling
A compelling story can be woven together
by connecting defining moments.
I’ll be the case study.
Make Sense
26. • Do your research
• Authentic/engaging
story
• Don’t apologize for
gaps, talk about value
add
• Connect the dots
confidently
In Practice:
Interview Tips
Make Sense
27. Conclusion
• Growth mindset vs Fixed
• Parents have an advantage in the new
economy
• Practice reinvention
– Small steps and deep shifts in perspective
• Craft Experiments
– Follow your interests in task, role, context
• Shift Connections-
– Your best resources are pushing the next swing.
• Forget about straight line
