These steps do not have to be completed in a day. It is better to write down ideas, names of people and past job accomplishments as they come to you, because you are likely to think of pertinent facts over the length of time away from the work force. When it comes time for you to reenter the work force, you will have an advantage because you have already taken steps to equip yourself for your job search. Use the lists you developed to begin contacting as many employers as possible. Be prepared to explain your temporary leave from work and refamiliarize yourself in advance with your prior work accomplishments, so that you can easily talk about what seem the most appropriate to mention in interviews.
Employers often give clues as to what they are looking for.
You need to be flexible in each interview and adapt your answers, within the boundaries of truth, to fit the needs of the company. Regardless of how many interviews you may have arranged in a particular industry, do not assume that every company will have the same needs. If you go into each interview with that assumption, you will probably handicap your own job search because you will be reciting what you assume the company wants instead of finding out what the specific needs of each employer are. Today, more than ever, due to the increasing demands being placed on companies for increasing profits, employers are looking for experienced, bright and capable people who can make an immediate contribution to the company's bottom line. Focus on and demonstrate through concrete examples your proven abilities to do just that, and you will greatly increase your chances of winning a new job.