If you have not been part of the active workforce for over 1 year (for what­ever reason), what have you done in the interim to keep your skills current, remain up to date with your industry and profession, and gain marketable experience?

Self-assessment is extremely important because you may have to look harder for transferable skills. Try thinking backwards: consider all of the skills and personal qualities needed to perform the job that you are inter­ested in. Then think about every activity that you have been involved in— which skills did you use and what skills did you learn recently? Do not ignore volunteer work, charity or religious activities, and classes that you may have taken. Complete the assessment forms in Chapter 6 if you have not already done so. (If it has really been a long time since you worked (over 5 years), refer to Chapter 10 for additional advice.)

Why are you reentering the job market at this particular time? Regard­less of your reason for not working, you will be asked the reason why you are returning to work. Financial reasons are not what the employer is interested in. He or she will want to know why you want to work for that particular organization doing that particular job and why you think you can do it (better than other applicants). You first have to answer these questions for yourself before you can credibly respond to them in an interview.

Additionally, the interviewer will probably ask about other job offers you may have received and where else you have looked. This information can be briefly shared in the spirit of reciprocity and disclosure.