Ready to get back to return to work? Local group plans returnship fair for women

Even before the pandemic, it wasn't easy for women to return to the workplace after time at home to care for kids or aging loved ones.

One path back in is through returnships, paid internship-like experiences at companies who often hire the so-called returners after the three or six-month stint is over.

But how do you even find out about returnships? Back to Business Women's Conference, a local group that works hard to get women back in the paying workforce, will be hosting a Returnship Career Fair on April 30 via Zoom.

The event offers women the chance to learn more about returnships and meet with representatives from companies who offer them, including Credit Suisse and NetApp. Participants will have the opportunity to meet directly with recruiters and hiring managers. It's free for job seekers.

Katie Dunn, a local mom who took time away from her career to raise kids before returning to the workforce, is founder of the Back to Business Women's Conference. She shares more about these opportunities on her website.

"Returnships can be an efficient and effective path back into the workforce for professionals who have some professional work experience, even if your work experience isn’t recent," she writes. "Recruiting for a position that actually requires a minimum of a two-year career gap can be a very refreshing experience for people who are job-seeking after a career break and are worried about explaining that gap in their work history to employers."

I'll have more from Dunn about returnships and the job fair in the coming weeks. For more information about the event and to sign up now, check the Back to Business Women's Conference website.