11 Tips for stay-at-home mums
Stay-at-home mums : Don ’ t fall for the media chatter that “ opting out ” of work to raise kids will sound the death knell for your career . It IS possible to get back in . You just need some advice and inspiration . Remember , as a full-time mum , you opted in to the most important job in the world – raising the next generation of capable and responsible adults . There ’ s no need to regret your decision ; it was the right one at the time . But now that the kids are older – and you are able to get out of your jammies before noon – you may be ready to re-enter the workforce . While job hunting may seem like a daunting task ( do you even have a copy of your resume anymore ?), these tips will give you some guidance as you begin your back-to-work journey :
1 . Perform a self-assessment
This means asking yourself the question , “ Why do I want to go back to work ?” Whether you ’ ve been out for 2 years or 10 , you need to think carefully about what it is that you want from your next job , or possible career . Are you going back to work for the money ? To be in the presence of other adults ? Because you want to find more meaning in your life ? Your reasons for working at this stage in your life may not be the same ones that drove you in your pre-baby years .
According to Karen Steele , career coach and creator of The Passion Shift , “ When you become a mum , you experience a shift in your priorities and values . Many women don ’ t want to go back to the high-powered , high-stress job they had before kids .”
Your shifting priorities may necessitate pursuing a less traditional career – or a completely new route . With experience and kids under your belt , you may care more about flexibility and work-life balance than a big pay-check . Take time to figure out what matters most to you in your next job . Don ’ t rush this step . You can do this on your own , or with the help of a career counsellor .
2 . Explore your career interests
What do you want to do ? According to Gwenn Rosener , Founder of FlexProfessionals , “ Your time at home with kids is a great time to dabble in different interests and possible career paths .” You can do this by volunteering in fields that interest you . For example , if you are thinking about going into counselling or psychology , intern at a not-for-profit that focuses on mental health . If you want to be a writer , start a blog .
Go for coffee with friends and acquaintances that work in fields that sound interesting to you and pick their brains : How did they get started ? What do they like and dislike about their jobs ? What skills do they need to perform their job ? If you want to go back to your pre-child profession , seek out volunteer opportunities that can help build your resume . Lawyers who want to go back into practice can take on pro-bono projects . If you want to go back into marketing or development , do some pro-bono fundraising work .
3 . Stay in touch
Going back to work often means calling on former work colleagues , so do your best to stay in touch with them during your time off . Today it ’ s easier than ever to connect thanks to social networks like LinkedIn and Facebook . But make sure to get yourself out of the house and meet people in person . Sitting behind a computer does not equal “ networking .
Stacey Delo , Founder of Maybrooks . com , an online community for working mums , suggests that “ you set up informal coffees and lunches with former work colleagues to let them know you are getting back in the market .” If your former colleagues don ’ t have a job to offer you , they may know of other people you can talk to . Never leave a meeting without getting the names of a few other people you can contact .
4 . Update your skills
How familiar are you with the latest version of MS Word and Excel ? What about social media tools ? If you ’ re like me , your kids are probably more tech-savvy than you are . Now is the time to brush up on your computer skills .
Delo recommends reading over job descriptions to find out what skills are required for the jobs you ’ re interested in . Then learn these skills ! You can find classes – often for free or at minimal cost – at local libraries , community colleges , and even online . You will want to create or update your LinkedIn and Facebook profiles , as well as your website if you have one .
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5 . Update your resume
At its core , your resume should communicate your mission statement and your brand . As a stay-at-home mum , you most likely have a large gap in your resume but we all know that these years were not dead time . You need to figure out how to fill this gap with the skills