You already have valuable skills. It’s time to recognise them.
Whether you’ve spent time raising a family, caring for others, volunteering, studying, managing a household or navigating life’s challenges, you’ve continued to develop skills that employers genuinely value.
This roadmap will help you identify those transferable skills, understand how they apply in the workplace, and learn how to communicate them with confidence.
Estimated time: Work through at your own pace (around 1–2 weeks)
Before You Begin
A reminder…
One of the most common things we hear from Returners is: “I don’t think I’ve done anything worth putting on my CV.”
The truth is, many of the skills employers are looking for are developed outside formal employment.
Think about everything you’ve managed during your career break:
- Solving problems
- Organising busy schedules
- Supporting others
- Managing finances
- Learning new technology
- Adapting to changing circumstances
- These are all valuable transferable skills.
These are all valuable transferable skills, you haven’t stopped building your experience. You’ve simply been building it in a different way.
✅ Step 1
👉Identify your transferable skills
Skill Finder Workshop with Heather Thompson
Are you returning to work after a career break? Have you been caring for loved ones, managing a household, freelancing, or running your own business? You’ve gained more skills than you realise through non-traditional employment—now it’s time to harness them for your next career move!
Join us for a 60-minute interactive webinar, where you’ll:
- Identify the transferable skills you already have
- Learn how to showcase them in your CV
- Gain confidence in your unique skillset
- Get expert, practical advice to boost your job search
Complete our Transferable Skills Checker and discover strengths you may not have considered before.
✅ Step 2
Build your personal skills inventory
Write down examples of times you’ve:
👉Solved a difficult problem
👉Organised people or projects
👉Supported someone through a challenge
👉Learned something new
👉Adapted to unexpected change
These examples will become valuable content for your CV and future interviews.
Download
Personal Skills Worksheet (future resource)
✅ Step 3
Learn the language employers use
Sometimes the hardest part isn’t recognising your skills—it’s describing them.
Explore our Career Hub articles to see how everyday experiences translate into the workplace.
✅ Step 4
Connect your skills to real careers
Now think about where your skills could take you.
Browse Returner-friendly roles and identify jobs that value the strengths you’ve developed.
Remember, you don’t need to have done the exact same job before. Many employers are looking for transferable skills and potential.
✅ Step 5
Refresh your CV
Now that you’ve identified your strengths, it’s time to make sure your CV reflects them.
Join one of our next CV Review Clinics and receive practical guidance from experienced career coaches who understand the Returner journey.
Explore these recources
Creating An Effective CV: The Dos And Don’ts
How Tailoring Your CV Can Get You Noticed by Employers
Six Tips on Writing a Compelling Return-to-Work CV
Is AI the Future of CV Writing with Laura Griffin
Artificial Intelligence is topical in every arena right now, and recruitment is no exception. The question is: should you be using AI to write your CV?
During this session, we will explore:
- How to use AI to stand out from the crowd.
- Top tips for creating a compelling CV.
- Do’s and Don’ts for using AI effectively in CV creation.
- How to target your job search and maximise your chances of success.
- The role of LinkedIn
✅ Step 6
Keep building confidence
Recognising your skills is just the beginning. The more you practise talking about your experience, the more confident you’ll become.
Take the next step by joining one of our online community events or exploring our 25 Days Back to You Challenge.
Did you know?
Employers are increasingly looking for skills such as:
👉Adaptability
👉Communication
👉Emotional intelligence
👉Organisation
👉Resilience
👉Problem-solving
👉Teamwork
Many Returners develop these skills every single day without even realising it. The challenge isn’t gaining new skills—it’s learning to recognise and communicate the ones you already have.
Community Support
Need a little encouragement?
Our Community Care Team is here to help.
Whether you have a question, need help deciding what to do next, or simply want someone to point you in the right direction, we’d love to hear from you.
Contact Community Care on email at communitycare@backtoworkconnect.ie or mobile 089-4057839
Sign up for our weekly Returner Friendly Job Alert HERE
Remember you’re already making progress, the fact that you’re here tells us you’ve already taken one important step.
Keep going.
Have you completed this roadmap?
Great work!
Every step you complete brings you closer to your return-to-work goal.
There is no perfect timeline. Move through these roadmaps at a pace that works for you.
Continue Your Journey
Ready for your next step?
Now that you’ve started recognising your strengths, it’s time to learn how to present them with confidence.
Next Roadmap
💬 Tell My Career Story
Learn how to explain your career break, showcase your experience and create a CV that reflects the value you bring.
Or continue to
Roadmap – Discover My Skills
or ↓
Roadmap – Explore Careers
or ↓
Roadmap – Prepare for Interviews
or ↓
Roadmap Find Returner-Friendly Jobs