Companies are taking a more lateral attitude to staff hiring - they will look at job-share or part-time arrangements; whatever works. They have to, in order to tap into a latent skilled workforce who need a bit of encouragement before they will take the leap back into employment. Typically they might be women who have been raising children, or older men who have been made redundant and want a change of career.

Whatever the reason, thanks to their lack of familiarity with the current job market, many lack confidence, not helped by the fact that fast-moving technology makes them feel as though they don't speak the language any more.

Once they get over the fear of technology and become comfortable with the new work lingo, they often blossom and can play key roles in companies.

So open-minded are employers at the moment that Kinetic Recruitment's Kate Ross and PR consultant Sarah Paykel have set up a company to equip people with the skills to return to the workplace, then act as matchmaker for them after the course.

"At return2work, we recognise there is a large pool of talent that is not currently employed and therefore under-utilised," says Ross. "If you had a career in the past that you have put on hold to pursue other goals or raise a family, there is good news. Now you can have both."

Return2work is offering a one-week part-time programme to help equip people with the skills and know-how to help them back into jobs of their choice.

Personality profiling, job market information and computer skills assessment will be provided, as well as individual coaching to work out whether participants want to revive a previous career or pursue a new one. Priced at $1200, the course will also offer psychometric testing, and guidance on salary expectations.

"It is very difficult for candidates to market themselves if they don't know what they are doing," says Ross. Many stay-at-home mothers are good at putting obstacles in their way, she adds.

They worry about the cost of going back to work, how they will handle school holidays. Even if they are doing just one day a week, it's a start, says Ross.

"Most people can learn anything. The fact that they were a nurse and now want to work in administration - they are very transferable skills, we can up-skill them. It's about making them feel it's do-able."

In the last 12 to 18 months, Ross says she has seen a turnaround in employers' attitudes. They will look at job shares, and at people who are not in the workforce but who have desirable organisational skills.