Q. I am a writer/editor/researcher who had a brief career in magazines awhile back, then veered off into a variety of other communications endeavours. I now want to get back to my roots and am seeking advice as how to break into the publishing market as a mid-careerist, rather than as a recent grad.

A. Many of the strategies to break back into the biz are the same as for those just starting out. Make contacts through networking, set up information meetings and put together good application packages. Some of the tips I mentioned in yesterday's post are useful, too.

Your one advantage over newbies is that you have a wealth of other experience from which to draw on. In your cover letter and résumé, be sure to highlight your transferable skills, showing how your talents learned elsewhere are applicable to magazines. For example, interpersonal skills, leadership and time management are valuable in any job. Just be sure to connect the dots – the person looking at your resume shouldn't have to work to figure out how your experience is relevant. Be specific about how your skills will be useful in the position. For more on how to portray transferable job skills, look here.