Is it possible to return to a previous construction employer?

If you're looking for a new job, don't rule out companies where you worked before. They might be more interested than you would think.

Former employees, once spurned as damaged goods or disloyal, are increasingly getting a warm reception -- or even a recruiting call -- from many companies. The attitude shift is prompted by an unemployment rate that's been below 5% all year, a shortage of skilled construction executives and the need to control labor costs in the face of globalization.

construction managers have come to appreciate that returning employees generally require less training and are likely to get up to speed more quickly than a fresh hire. So-called boomerangs already know a construction employer's systems, policies and culture.