Ginny Brzezinski on Comeback Careers & Her Comeback Kick-Start

Ginny Brzezinski

Co-author, Comeback Careers: Rethink, Refresh, Reinvent Your Success-At 40, 50, and Beyond

Contributor, Knowyourvalue.com

What's your G.O.A.T?

Definitely my kids.

Last time you were surprised by anything

Definitely election night 2016. It was not a good surprise. And now nothing surprises me. Sad!

The last item you marie kondo'd outta there

A few unopened boxes of teabags dating back to the Bush administration. I did not thank them.

The best thing that happened to you in the 80s-90s

The music. Definitely not the hair.

Benetton or esprit? or ____?

What? They still exist?!

Comeback Kick-Start

We know the narrative: I can’t do it, I’m rusty, now isn’t the right time, I’m too old to pivot/return/start something new. We can be our own worst enemies. Couple that with a work environment that has evolved 180°, and that career comeback can be daunting as we redefine how our skills and interests now apply.

In writing Comeback Careers, my sister-in-law and co-author, Mika, and I sought to tell stories and share the advice I wish I had when I set out in search of a reboot. Like Mika’s best friend Laura, who’d taken a 13-year career break to raise her daughter. Through a focused job search, and by keeping up with the industry on a granular level, Laura was able to channel prior government relations experience into a role as Director of US Government Affairs and Policy for GE Power—which says as much about the wisdom of GE’s HR team as it does about Laura’s savvy strategy.

Here are a few takeaways—a kick-start for comeback aspirations you may be noodling.

1. CONNECT THE DOTS.

Knowing your value goes beyond reciting your resume. Connect the dots between your achievements and skills, and how they apply now. Employers don’t care what you’ve done; they want to know what you can do for them. That’s your value, and when you can articulate it, you can ace an interview, get a job, bring on new clients and grow your business. This takes some self-analysis and may even take some upskilling/refreshing. It also takes a deep dive of the organization, pain points and needs. There is no winging it.

2. TAP YOUR SQUAD.

Gather your friends/board/squad and go for a hike, grab dinner or coffee, and tell them you’re thinking of a career comeback or pivot. You’d be surprised at the conversation this can start—sometimes our friends see us from a different vantage and have ideas we may not have considered. I once got a group of working and non-working friends together for a party, asking each to bring a friend. After mingling, we sat and talked about past and current careers, and what we really wanted to do for the next couple of decades. The ideas and networks that came out of this one discussion were incredible.  

3. MAKE AGE YOUR ASSET.

Know what you bring to the table. Your value today includes being a grown-up—you are mature, experienced, reliable, professional and capable of real conversations. Let that be a source of confidence, and build up your professional confidence further by making sure your skills are up-to-date and your subject matter expertise is always growing.           

Most importantly—just get started. Don’t fear failure. Fear not trying at all.