When you constantly find yourself reminiscing about the good old days spent at your previous workplace, you know it’s time to make a comeback. Here is a course of action you need to follow, if you want to get your old job back.
Each one of us, at some point in our lives, have dealt with a moronic stab to a perfectly satisfying career; the one where we chuck our blissful existence in an organization for certain reasons, only to regret it in the months that follow. This isn’t as uncommon as you think it is, considering the temptations that beckon us. You need to get down from your high horse and admit to having made a mistake by quitting in the first place. Once you’ve done that, start organizing your path to a smooth reentry.
How to Get Your Old Job Back
Did you leave your previous job on an amicable note? If not, you may wish to reconsider the whole operation of getting your old job back, your current miserable status not withstanding. Assuming that you parted on good terms, getting back to your previous firm will be a notch easier. Let’s get started on “mission reapplication”.
Step 1: Making Contact
Having been a part of the organization, you are at an advantage. Contact your old colleagues to get an insider’s view on the hiring scenario. If everything appears to your liking, waste no time in establishing contact with the person in charge of hiring. Decide on the most appropriate means of bridging contact, it could be a phone call, an e-mail or a meeting.
Step 2: Update Your Resume
Do not undermine the importance of an updated resume even if you’ve worked for the company before. Your qualifications and abilities may be known to them, but you need to tell them what you’ve gained in the period you were away. It doesn’t matter if the nature of your work was completely different, a good resume will prove how it has helped you enhance your capabilities.
Step 3: Expect Scrutiny
You may be put through a full-fledged interview, in case of a management overhaul. Refrain from harping on your past achievements, focus instead on the current situation. The person in charge will already have an idea of your contributions. Shift to the present and stress on how you see yourself benefiting the organization now.
Step 4: Be Reassuring
You may not have left your previous firm in a lurch the last time you left, but expect to do a lot of reassuring this time around. Your boss is bound to put you on his suspicion radar, at least throughout your probation period. You must not fuel their insecurity by being lax with your tasks. Be on top of your job and make your company feel happy about rehiring you.
Step 5: Fit In
It is a folly to expect that you will necessarily get your previous position back. Thank your stars if it does happen, but be prepared to accept an alternate post with a variation in duties. Although you are returning to the organization, it would be better if you view yourself as an earnest newcomer, eager to learn the ropes.
Step 6: Be Open-minded
Do not sail into this job with preconceived notions and a know-it-all attitude. The organization may have undergone a complete revamp while you were away. Increasing your commitment to the job will help you blend in sooner than you thought it was possible.
Step 7: Keep Other Options
Never make haste in quitting your current position at the slightest whiff of a positive response from your ex-employer. It is possible they could be playing along for politeness’ sake. What could be worse than falling for a delusional offer at this point of time?
Rehiring: The Company’s Perspective
So what exactly does the company think of candidates requesting a return? The answer to this question lies in the manner of your departure. If the company celebrated seeing the back of an employee, it is obvious that he/she would no longer be welcome. There have been instances of employees doing the disappearing act with the slightest sign of a pay rise, only to return with minds full of regret. Are they welcomed back into the fold? There cannot be a definite answer to this. The good news is that rehiring is usually a cost-effective proposition for a company as they will not have to spend on training you as they would for a newcomer. Being a star performer in your previous stint will earn you brownie points and pave the way for a smooth reentry.
Finally, a golden rule that can’t be ignored is that you need to have a plan B in place. Make sure that you have other options open before you plunge headlong into pursuing your ex-employer. A contingency plan will save you from deeper misery, especially when things do not work out the way you expect them to. Here’s wishing you a speedy return!