Job Seeker Blog - Spark Hire

How to Get Your Old Job Back

None of us like to admit that we’re wrong, but sometimes we need to suck in our pride and admit when we’ve made a mistake. If you’re thinking about getting your old job back, then that is exactly what you have to consider doing.

Don’t think you’re in the clear once you’ve begged and pleaded for your old job. Chances are good your old job won’t take you back with open arms. Although it’s easier for them to re-hire an old coworker than hire and train a new one, there are still risks involved. What if the reasons you quit in the first place creep up again? How can they trust someone who left them? This is when leaving on good terms is really important.

When it comes to getting your old job back there are few things you must consider first. Ask yourself why you want to quit your current, new job. Will going back to your old job be any better? Ask yourself why you left your old job in the first place and think about how you’ll change the old things that bothered you so when you return you won’t be compelled to quit again.

The last thing to consider, the most important, is did you leave your job on good terms? Have you been keeping in touch with your former boss and coworkers? If you have, then there’s a good chance of getting your job versus someone that left with some bridges burned. Establishing a relationship with your boss even after you leave them will make it easier to ask for your old job back.

Now that you’ve got your foot in the door, there’s the interview. Here’s where you want to prove that you’re worth re-hiring. Think about the good qualities your old job had and why you like the company- whether it’s because of their missions, their passion in the industry or the good people in the office. Make sure you’ve amped up your resume with strong references that you’ve picked up at the job you left your old job for. Make yourself more valuable and bring new ideas to the table by picking up new skills and attending conferences in your industry. Showing your commitment to your job and its industry will show your old company how committed you are. Sell yourself as being the best person for your old position by highlighting the weaknesses of hiring an outsider. You’re already trained in the field, know everyone at the office, have experience and you save the company time and money from hiring and training a new candidate.

Be prepared to ask the big question, why did you leave your job? This is the time to show some integrity and shallow your pride. Admit you made a mistake and explain how you’ll solve the issues that made you leave your job. Tell them how you learned from your mistake. Once you’re in again and back at your job, don’t think it’ll be easy. You’ll have to work hard to prove yourself and make an impression on the company again. They’re taking a risk re-hiring you and you need to rise to the occasion and show them that they made the right choice.

Source: CNBC
IMAGE: Courtesy of About.com

Hanna Guerrero

Hannah is an intern writer here at Spark Hire. She is from the northern suburbs in Chicago and is currently studying journalism at DePaul University. She has always had a passion for writing which is why Journalism has proven to be the perfect career for her. She has written for the DePaulia Online on various topics such as fashion, music, movies and television. She loves living in Chicago because it offers exciting events to write stories on. In her free time she enjoys going to music concerts, watching movies with friends, cooking vegetarian food and walking her adorable Cocker Spaniel Coco.

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