How to Reapply for a Job after Quitting
The question of how to reapply for a job after quitting can be a touchy one to answer. How you should approach this situation should be delicate, and you need to take into consideration the events surrounding your resignation from this employer. No matter how complicated your exit may have been, it can still be broken down into two main categories...did you leave on good or bad terms?
The good...
How to reapply for a job after quitting when you had left on a high note may not be as easy as you might imagine. The most obvious issue to consider would be the amount of time that has passed since you left; more importantly who is still there from when you were? Perhaps you had an excellent rapport with your supervisor or boss while you were employed but if he/she has since moved on themselves, you're now dealing with a completely different person who may have a different viewpoint. When managers take over a position they have a lot less to go on than their predecessors, namely they lack the personal experiences and first hand knowledge of what has taken place before they got there. Even if they have been promoted to the position from the lower ranks, it's a lot different viewing it from a manager's perspective.
If you left on good terms it may have been that you were avery strong worker and valued employee, but your reasons for leaving were not as admirable. Hopefully you respected the basics of leaving an employer and provided sufficient notice, trained any required replacement(s), and refrained from bad-mouthing your employer or its staff in any way. If any or all of these issues are not the case, be prepared for explanations to be requested of you when you reapply. Be sure that you have justifiable reasons for your past actions. For example, if you had to leave without providing sufficient notice to start a new job, at least reassure your employer that you had tried your best to work around this.
When you reapply for a job after quitting you're still going to have to sell yourself a bit, even if you were a good employee and left on good terms. When you are brought back in for an interview (whether it's your old boss or someone new) reassure them that you will not only be the reliable, steadfast worker you proved to be before, but that you've gained new skills and abilities along the way that will be an asset to the business. Clarify any and all issues surrounding your previous exit from the company, the last thing you want is unresolved resentment or confusion.
The bad...
How to reapply for a job after quitting if you weren't such an angel to begin with is a lot more difficult. Perhaps you hadpersonal conflict with co-workers or your supervisor, you weren't understanding or able to handle the workload, or there were scheduling issues that made it difficult for you. In this case, if you're dealing with new management it could very well work in your favour. Without a doubt, these problems will be brought under the spotlight during any interview but having a fresh face asking them gives you a better opportunity to explain your side.
If you weren't the strongest employee in the world while you worked for this employer the first time, the obvious question you're going to want to answer is: why is it going to be any different this time? If there were staff conflicts you were involved in, especially with your boss, you're going to want to explain your reasons of why and how they were an issue for you and how you will handle them this time around. If you want your job back, you're going to have to show that you will be an active team player and able to work smoothly with the staff.
You have the benefit of inside information from your previous experiences at your job and know what to expect with regard to schedules and workload. If there were issues with how you were scheduled in the past, whether from family, transportation, or other reasons you would be wise to have these issues resolved before you reapply. The same goes for any problems you had with work performance; you know what was expected of you before so make sure you take any required training and do some extra research to ensure you're up for the task at hand. Show your employer that you've taken steps to improve yourself since you left.
The ugly...
The ugly truth of the matter is that you may not receive good news when you reapply and you have to be prepared for that. You may have been the best employee in history but if you're position was filled you may have to take a different one to work your way back up. You may have a different schedule until you claw back up the ranks. You may not have as many hours as you did when you left. These are all things to be expected because an employer isn't going to wait around for you... you have to prove yourself.
