America’s greatest strength, and its greatest weakness, is our belief in second chances, our belief that we can always start over, that things can be made better. (Anthony Walton)
The most common scenario:
“I took 4 years off and started a business. It has been fun, but I want to get back into a real job. I programmed on the old mainframe computers. I don’t want to spend my money getting training. What do I do?”
Two people called me with this basic question last week. There are three things you can do:
- Keep looking for work until someone retires where they desperately need your skills and then hope you get lucky and get the job when 100 qualified people apply.
- Start a new career as a beginner at unskilled labor wages and learn on the job.
- Pay for your own training.
People are successful at all three every day. I help people do all three as a recruiter.
Financially, #3 is the best investment of your time and money. You will earn much more over the next 10 years doing #3.
People do #2 all the time, but it takes a few years more to get to the earning level a person with training is at right away. It really is a good option if you don’t mind taking the extra time to get there.
I know people who are still programming in computer languages that were abandoned 20 years ago. Others are running mainframe computers that are 30 years old. They have good reputations and keep in touch with 20 or 30 companies that occasionally need their skills. #1 is definitely a viable option if you work at marketing yourself.
3 ways to re-enter the workforce. You can do whichever makes the most sense to you.
Something To Do Today
Write a plan. What would you do if you were struck down with an illness and completely recovered in 3 years?
It’s the end of the month. Have you written and handed in your monthly list of accomplishments and projects? Do you have a copy in your job journal?
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Tomorrow: I don’t want to spend my money on training
Later: Make a game out of it
Before you know it
Who is driving?