Back to the future

Hi,

This is starting out as an assignment for my new media marketing class, but who knows - maybe it'll continue way after the course is over. I took FOREVER to decide on what the blog should be about:

Moms?

Families' perspectives on the current crummy economy?

IS being 40 years old the new 30? REALLY?

I finally zoned in on what's keeping me up at night these days: How does someone get back into the workforce?

My last paid corporate job was the position of Corporate Communications Manager for the cornerstone company of the biotech industry. It was my dream job. I managed internal staff and external vendors, multiple employee events ranging from the weekly traditions to milestone events, company newsletters and intranet content, media releases and corporate contributions. The company was very progressive and it was a pleasure to go to work. I was genuinely saddened the day I had to resign.

I left my job because our four year old son Mateo was displaying increasingly odd behaviors and developmental regressions at home and at our corporate daycare and we needed to know what was happening. (Less than thirty days later, he was formally diagnosed by a state regional center as Autistic.)

For the next eight years, I managed my son's physical and mental therapies, state developmental disability individual program plans and special individual education plans and health insurance coverage issues. We've had 40 hours a week of in-home early interventions for a few years, over 260 assessments, thousands of miles and hours logged for resource meetings, conferences, experimental therapies, and support group activities. I don't even want to recall how much we've spent on advocates, attorneys and private experts in our continual fight to get our son the help he needs and the equal opportunities he's entitled to by law and common sense.

But Mateo is now eleven and we are veteran knights in the quest for the holy grail that is learning to live and grow with autism. Our second child, Maya, is four and she is jumping at the bit to be in school. We have relocated from northern California to San Diego and we all love it here. I was really good at marcom. And I can go back to work now.


SO, HOW DOES ONE RE-ENTER THE WORKFORCE AFTER 8 YEARS?

I've read all the 'helpful' articles and after cutting away at some of the more flimsy points, they all seem to agree on the following:

1. Keep up your project management skills with volunteer work. (check)

2. Stay abreast of the current office software programs. (check)

3. Revamp your resume with buzzwords. (check)

4. Post your resume and create searches on the major job posting websites. (check)

5. Join the local chapter of your industry's professional association. (check)

6. Update/freshen your skills with some industry classess or seminars. (check)

AND what seems critical:

7. Keep in touch with your professional network, after you leave the workplace. Surveys show that your best probability for getting that "back into the game" job would be from a personal contact/referral from a professional colleague.

I did try to stay in touch with my professional contacts after I stopped working. At first, it was easy. For the first couple of years the majority were curious about our son's diagnosis and development and the empathy was broad because it was a fresh revelation. Autism awareness and knowledge in 2001 was nowhere near what it is today. We kept in touch with the occasional email, the annual Xmas family newsletter, and many times even a lunch.

After that, notification of new email addresses and new cell phone numbers and even physical addresses started to languish ever increasingly. Now its become a few remote connections with a couple of loose threads from what once was a large, thriving web of contacts. Let's face it, most people stay professionally networked with you when you have something to barter with -- business opportunities, industry gossip and at the very least, your professional recommendation would be worth something.


Back to the overall subject of returning to the workplace: THE OTHER ELEMENTS

* It's a horrible economy, companies are laying off - not hiring.

* You are competing with the young who are savvy and more likely to be unencumbered with families, who are willing to work for less.

* Because of all the current corporate downsizing, there is a lot more than usual competition from your comparable experienced professional peers - and they've been working up until recently.

I know - bummer. But I haven't given up - I'm taking this new media class (and others), aren't I?


I'd be interested in seeing posts from folks in similar situations. Heck, the topic reaches beyond moms returning to work.

What about those who are switching careers? How can you make ends meet with entry-level pay?

Even if you are working, if you are an older* worker (*I'll leave that age-range vague on purpose), what's your take on the young technology-comfortable turks that you are working with (and competing with) for the high-visibility opportunities?

If you are disabled, but able to work, your challenges are exponentially harder (my guess) when it comes to competing for a job. Please share.

And we can't ignore the issue of men vs. women and families. Unless you are a widowed single father with sole custody of your children, men usually don't have to try to convince would-be employers that their family life will not interfere with their ability to excel at their job. There, I said it.

So more observations and updates on the getting back to the office will be forthcoming. Ciao for now.