Work: I haven't worked in a while… where do I even start?
If you're reading this, you might have been out of the workforce for six months. Or six years. Or somewhere in between, with a stop-start history that feels hard to explain even to yourself.
You might be scrolling job boards and feeling immediately overwhelmed. You might not even be at the job board stage yet — you might just be sitting with the thought that you probably should do something, but not knowing where that something begins.
This guide is for that moment. Before the resume. Before the applications. Just: where do I start?
Start by acknowledging where you've actually been
Before you do anything practical, it helps to name what you've been doing — because "not working" is almost never the full picture.
Women leave the workforce for an enormous range of reasons: raising children, caring for a parent or partner, recovering from illness or mental health challenges, leaving a difficult relationship, surviving something that took everything you had. Often it's some combination.
None of that is wasted time. None of it erases what you knew or who you are professionally. It is, however, a chapter that needs to be understood and framed — by you first, before anyone else.
Take five minutes and write down, honestly, what the last few years have involved. Not for a resume. Just for you. You'll likely surprise yourself with how much has actually happened.
Take stock of what you still have
Skills don't expire the way we fear they do. Some things may need refreshing — certain software, industry-specific knowledge — but the fundamentals of how you think, communicate, manage, problem-solve and relate to people are still there.
Ask yourself:
What did I do well in my last role?
What have I done during my time away that required skill — even if unpaid?
What do people come to me for advice about?
What kinds of tasks or problems energise me?
You don't need polished answers. You just need a starting point for understanding what you're working with.
Decide what "returning to work" actually means for you right now
Returning to work doesn't have to mean full-time employment in a demanding role. It might mean:
Part-time or casual work to start, while you find your footing
Something completely different from what you did before
A short course or volunteer role to rebuild confidence before applying anywhere
Freelance or contract work that gives you flexibility and control
There is no correct version. The question is what works for your life right now — not what you used to do or what other people expect.
Your first concrete step
If everything still feels abstract, here's one thing to do today: look up Workforce Australia at workforceaustralia.gov.au. It's the Australian Government's free employment service, and it connects you with a provider who can help you assess where you are, what support you might be entitled to, and what training or job search assistance is available.
You don't need to have anything figured out to make that first contact. That's exactly what it's there for.
A note on timing
There is no right time to return. There is only the time that is right for you. And if you've found this page, you're already further along than you think.