Marriage is all about making sacrifices and supporting your partner. In an ideal situation, both partners share this burden equally. Sometimes, however, one spouse makes personal and professional compromises in order to support the career and endeavors of the other. This can be ideal if a couple is planning on starting a family or already has children. It can also be a problem if the couple happens to divorce.
Perhaps this situation sounds familiar and you put your career on hold in order to support your spouse’s. If your marriage is coming to an end, how do you reenter the workforce after years away? Your skills may now be outdated, and restarting your career is a daunting prospect. Follow these steps for guidance.
1. Consider cost of transition
You should first be honest with yourself about the financial impact of your divorce and your impending reentry to the job market. A divorce is a major change in your lifestyle, and as such, you should be prepared for its various costs. Requesting alimony is one way to address these expenses and minimize their impact on your life.
2. Invest in training or education
Once you adjust to your newly single life, you can start thinking about your career. If you previously worked in a specific field or had plans to pursue a specialized position, you might want to pick up where you left off. Perhaps you want to enter a new field, though. Either way, you will likely need training or re-training in the form of a professional program or a college degree. You can request that spousal support cover the cost.
3. Enter the job market confidently
If you have completed a job training program or earned a degree, you have taken steps to compensate for the years you spent away from the job market during your marriage. As such, you should reenter the job market with confidence knowing that your skills are fresh and you are a motivated job seeker. Brush up on your interviewing skills and get ready to restart your career.
