We’re so excited to welcome Kathryn Sollmann back to the Path Forward blog. Last week, Kathryn shared amazing advice on working toward financial security with a career restart. Now she’s back to talk about the best ways to prepare for your career restart while on a career break. Kathryn is a career coach, speaker and author of the book, “Ambition Redefined: Why the Corner Office Doesn’t Work for Every Woman &…
We’re so excited to interview Kathryn Sollmann on the Path Forward blog today. Kathryn is an author and speaker who keeps women working toward financial security, alongside child and aging parent caregiving. She co-founded one of the first companies to help women return to work. In her upcoming book, “Ambition Redefined: Why the Corner Office Doesn’t Work for Every Woman & What to Do Instead,” she calls for no-apologies independence…
Earlier this year I was interviewed for the Breaking Into Startups podcast. The episode features Wendy Padua, one of the outstanding returnees from Zendesk. Zendesk was an early Path Forward partner — they really understood the concept and were willing to take a chance on the program. That paid off for them as Wendy was hired into the marketing department where she continues to do a fabulous job. You can…
When women come to me for advice on restarting their careers I always start with same question: “Why do you want to go back to work?” There are a lot of ways to return to work. The path (pun intended) you choose may well depend on what your primary motivation is for returning. Having talked to hundreds of women looking to restart their careers I can say that there are…
Those who’ve been out of the workforce for a few years often find taking a course or two aimed at refreshing your skills can be helpful, especially if you’ve worked in the tech sector. Technology surrounding computer programming and web development can change rapidly. Taking a course can give you a boost of confidence and demonstrates to prospective employers your eagerness to learn new skills. The good news is that…
It’s commonly mentioned that the work that people do outside the paid workforce when they’ve taken a pause for caregiving gains them skills and experiences that are valuable in the professional environment as well. But it’s less common to find good advice on how to translate those experiences in a way that recruiters and hiring managers will understand. The better you are able to articulate how your experiences have gained…
In my house, the “Back to School” checklist for fall starts before my kids have even finished the current school year. When I notice the sneakers are worn out, the sweaters have all gotten too small, and that backpack strap has finally given out on us, I know it’s time to start planning for September. And with a fall game plan ready to go in June, I can enjoy the…
At Path Forward, we often recommend that women restarting their careers research the companies they are considering joining. It’s important to understand what the company does, of course, but also its core values and culture. In our hyper connected, social age getting the inside scoop is easier than it’s ever been. You can, of course, look to the official company materials for their view of themselves. You can connect with…
One question that I’m frequently asked is “Does anyone read cover letters? And, if not, do I need to bother with one?” The short answers are it depends and yes. Talk to a bunch of recruiters and pretty soon you will hear the same thing: they don’t read cover letters. But you still need one, and it needs to be customized for each job. The reason is simple: A great…
One question we are often asked is how do I write a resume when I haven’t worked, professionally, for years. And it’s tough because most “how to deal with a resume gap” advice is aimed at people who have been out of work for several months, not years. So here’s a high level guide to writing a resume when you’ve been out of the workforce for a long time and…
