To the Women Re-entering the Workforce: Stop Calling it "Re-entry"

I'm currently working with two women who’ve been out of the paid workforce for a decade or longer. Their backgrounds are impressive — Ivy League MBAs (Harvard Business School and The Wharton School), experience at top consulting firms, and significant roles at Fortune 500 companies. And yet, they sit across from me, doubting themselves. Like, severe doubt. And aiming very low for their job prospects.

One admits she has impostor syndrome. The other wonders how she can possibly craft a narrative for her personal brand, given that she hasn’t “worked” in so long. These are the same women who excelled in elite academic programs and thrived in highly competitive environments. Both have enviable accomplishments that their companies benefited from. But now, faced with the prospect of re-entering the workforce, their insecurity is palpable.

Here’s how our coaching conversation usually goes:

How are you feeling about your job search? “I’m re-entering the workforce. I will take what I can get. I don’t see how I can be competitive in today’s job market.”

I understand why you may have that perception. Putting that aside, when you read the job description, do you think you can do the job? “ Absolutely.”

So where’s the disconnect? “I haven’t worked in a while. Who’s going to hire me?”

Have you been sitting on a beach with a piña colada for the past several years? Or have you been running households, navigating education needs, managing the care for a sick parent, managing nonprofit initiatives, leading school boards, advising startups, mentoring, fundraising — or all of the above?

You are so much more than a paycheck or a job title. Your skills haven’t evaporated. If anything, they’ve deepened. You are wiser — and wisdom can’t be taught in a classroom. You are more empathetic — a leadership trait that motivates teams rather than intimidates them. You are stronger, more resilient, more strategic. And let’s not forget your earlier career: the results, insights, and leadership you delivered are the foundation of who you are today. That experience doesn’t disappear because you took a career break.

Don't discount what you’ve done just because it wasn’t on a company payroll. Businesses need what you bring at this point in your life. But you have to believe that first — and be able to clearly present how your skills solve real problems and drive results.

You’re not “re-entering.”

You’re advancing.