Stick-to-it-ness; do you have it? Does your collateral have what it takes to stick to a hiring manager's desk? Do you have what it takes to stick to your career plan?

There are practical strategies for increasing your sticky-factor. . .

If you are a "comeback parent" or anyone who is planning to return to the workforce after an extended period of time, you may find that companies want you because they see you as loyal, motivated, and committed.

There are how-to strategies to get the prospective employer to say "yes" to you. . .for instance:

- Improve your contacts and skills. Reach out to alumni organizations, professional associations, join and/or attend their functions and seminars. Take a course on-line or via an extension university.

- Volunteer where your work will count. Look for opportunities to do the work you'd like to get back into. Not only will it revive your practical use of the skill, it will boost your confidence and give others an opportunity to see your work first hand. Some volunteer positions have become paid positions, and people you volunteer with may be a future referral or contact for you with a prospective employer.

- Market yourself as a proud (business) professional. I don't know how many times I've heard someone introduce themselves as "I am only a stay-at-home parent". Instead, describe yourself as the professional role you want to become/return to, such as "I am a graphic artist".

Make the most of your time and energy by tackling first things first.

If you don't have your priorities set, then this is a great time to get your goals down on paper and prioritize. Even if you already have your priorities set, this is a great time to revisit them. Because after all, things change; including your priorities.

There are many tools available to help you set your priorities. One of my favorites (and that of my clients as well) is the Pair Comparison method of prioritizing tasks, goals, strategies, etc. A colleague of mine (Neil Balholm of Comteam Consulting) shared this particular worksheet with me way back in 1999. And, I've been using it with great results ever since!

As more boomers begin a new phase of their career as an independent contractor or consultant, it is important to understand the distinction between the contractor/consultant and the employee. Many people making the transition from employee to contractor/consultant assume the only difference is in the increased flexibility you can have in your schedule, or the increased rate you can charge. But, it goes much further than that.

According to J. Steven Niznik of Job Searching: Technical, by U.S. law, an employer cannot classify you as an independent contractor, then dictate when, where and how you work, as though you are an employee. It's all about degree of control and independence.

According to the IRS, it depends on behavioral control, financial control, and the relationship of the parties.

Looking back on the last two months, I reflected on how I spent January and February "close to home". I visited with my brother in Hawaii for a week in January, spent a week installing (and un-installing then re- installing) a laptop as my new desktop, and wrote my first article as a new volunteer Legislative Analyst for the Lambda Letters Project. Not my usual networking out-and-about type of activities but actually a game of dodge ball, just like I played as a kid . . .