I stepped away from my Human Resources career three years ago to care for my elderly parents.

Anonymous

June 16,2023 at 4:24PM UTC

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I stepped away from my Human Resources career three years ago to care for my elderly parents. I do not regret my decision, as I was exactly where I needed to be during that time, but I am now able and eager to resume my career. In anticipation of returning to work, I studied for the SHRM-SCP exam which I passed in February of this year.

I have applied for many positions for which I am qualified, but I have not even gotten a response. I am older, which should not be an issue, but we all know that ageism still exists. I have a lot of talent and energy and simply need an opportunity to prove it.

Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

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Bonnie CoventryJune 16,2023 at 7:08PM UTC
I would suggest revisiting the presentation of your resume.
AnonymousJune 17,2023 at 2:39PM UTC
Career coach to help you overhaul your resume, target what jobs you want, interview prep, etc.
Understand, too, a lot has changed in the last 3 years. If I wasn’t over 40, I’d be looking for a total career change.
AnonymousJune 17,2023 at 6:50PM UTC
I would definitely take a look at your resume. There are so many candidates nowadays, that a lot of resumes simply get denied by bots for not having the right keywords. Recruiters also don't have the time to go through all of them in a detailed way, and may be throwing yours out for various reasons. This can be frustrating especially if you know that you have the knowledge and would do well in an interview! I think a career coach is a great idea, but if you don't have the time or money, there are a ton of youtube and tiktok videos out there, there may even be ones directed at individuals in your field. Here's my top advice for immediately improving your resume.
-Add a 2-3 sentence mission statement at the beginning of your resume stating your recent exam/certification accomplishment and your intention of seeking full-time work (Can even add total years of experience in the field)
-Put your most relevant experience that corresponds to the exam you just passed, maybe 3-4 jobs, just make sure your resume is only 1 page.
-Include a bullet point skills section. Not only does this allow a recruiter to quickly scan a resume (that way they can review potential candidates later in detail) but it also allows bots to make sure you have all the key phrases you need, even if you forgot to put a detail or word in your experience.
Best of Luck!
AnonymousJune 18,2023 at 7:28PM UTC
I think one of the factors that is playing against you for coming back into the workforce is the current economic environment. If you wanted to come back in the HR department about 2 years ago, I think you would have a lot more opportunities and potential employers would be lot more engaged with you since they were trying to hire massive amount of people. There were not enough HR Personnel or Recruiters 2 years ago but now, companies are doing the opposite and laying off a lot of people now. These same companies are reducing the number of people in HR and in Recruitment since they are not needed anymore. I would start thinking about creating your own company and doing some consulting work, your own gig until the economic environment improves. Companies tend to hire gig workers since they want the flexibility of having end dates for contracts rather than dealing with the headaches of hiring employees and dealing with layoffs and severance packages.
With that said, I would also entertain changing of profession, possibly. Perhaps start thinking of using your HR background but concentrating on the growing needs of the senior citizens since more and more baby boomers are retiring. You have both personal and direct experience dealing with senior care and the needs of senior citizens. There will be a growing need for people who can support seniors as more people are retiring and living longer. You might have the opportunity to be the pioneer and ahead of the competition down the road.
I know your pain as I am also now considered a bit "old" for the workforce and have to be on the constant lookout for age discrimination. I have been lucky so far since my background and work experience is valuable now but I am looking to start my own company myself due to ageism in the workplace.
Good luck!
asmith13June 18,2023 at 9:54PM UTC
I would suggest getting in involved with your local SHRM group-maybe even serving on the board to make some connections in the community. It's a great way to meet people you might not normally meet and get connected with recruiters in the area (who are always sponsoring or at these types of meetings).
AnonymousJune 19,2023 at 2:15PM UTC
As an HR professional myself who was laid off in January, this current job market is unlike anything I have ever experienced. I have been searching for a new position for 6 months and have applied to positions that I know I am qualified for (even over-qualified) and can barely get a response. I have had a few phone screens/interviews here and there and then ghosted by the company. My only advice would be to hang in there - it is tough right now!
AnonymousJune 19,2023 at 6:15PM UTC
The HR and Talent fields are on clearance now...I'm not sure it's all about ageism at the moment. Since so many companies are cutting back it's a really slim market.