My wife has been unemployed for 10 years as she had to resign then to look after our kids. Now she wants to enter the workforce but is afraid. But it seems hard for her to re-enter after so long?

To start, your wife have to be clear of her career interests, values, strengths and the skills you possess. Make a list of the jobs or industries that interest your wife and matches her needs. This will help her avoid being overwhelmed by the many postings available. To have a better understanding of the roles and industries you are keen in, research and talk to friends and contacts who know or are working in these areas. Use this opportunity to network and let them know that she is looking for a job. Next, she needs to think about what she does at home and try to determine some areas that she think will be useful for her job applications. For example, as a homemaker, she is probably organised and detailed because she has to care of the children and look after the household. These may be useful attributes to highlight in her resume. She will also need to practise 'selling' yourself should you get an interview with an employer. She cannot shortcut the process but there are resources online at mycareersfuture.gov.sg/careercoaching which can help her to get started on preparing her resumes or give her ideas on how to kick start in her job search. She can make an appointment at 6883 5885 for further advice with our career experts.​​​