What challenges are there for moms entering the workforce after kids? This is a topic that’s near and dear to my heart because my mom stepped away from an amazing career in interior design to raise my sister and I, and while I’ve always thought that was admirable, I emphasize with her mixed emotions around returning to the workplace. There is the excitement about getting back into what you love (or something new), but that’s often coupled with shame and/or anxiety about the fact that you have nothing ‘professional’ to show on your resume.

There’s also the stigmas that, unfortunately, are still alive and well about stay-at-home moms and their contributions to family being less recognized than contributions in the workforce.

Regardless of what path moms choose—returning to work right after having kids or staying at home—there’s still judgement. And that’s the hardest part!

But, if you’re someone who’s chosen the latter path, when you’re ready to return, it’s all about using the parenting knowledge and skills you’ve acquired over the years to sell yourself professionally.

Here are some tips!

Choose the Right Type of Career

This is an invaluable tip for moms entering the workforce after kids—focus on a career path that capitalizes on your unique strengths (especially those that have been acquired through your motherhood journey!) rather than trying to pitch yourself for something that you may feel underprepared and/or out of practice with.

There are many options and places to start, one of which is being a caregiver! There are websites such as Care.com where you can register as a caregiver, nanny, part-time babysitter, tutor, or even a foster parent if you’re looking to support another child and/or family in a more significant way.

It’s also important to recognize how being a parent can help in other types of careers, too. For example, project management. A project manager is someone who requires a huge amount of skills to organize and multitask, which is something that comes naturally in parenting.

You may also want to consider servant leadership or another type of managerial position. You may not consider yourself management material (at least not yet!); however, you can certainly achieve this role and other management roles as long as you have the dedication.

Remember: As a mom you’ve already been managing your family! So, as weird as it may feel at first, you have to be confident in your skills and know that your communication, organization, collaboration, and dedication to your family will naturally translate to your work.

Understand Your Skill Set

After being out of the workplace for some time, you may feel as if you’ve ‘lost’ the skills to work in specific environments. But you have to remember that being a parent means having to quickly identify and solve complex problems, which is a valuable skill in many work settings. The resilience involved with parenting is critical, too!

These skills (and many more) are invaluable in the professional world, and because of this, there’s a huge range of industries that can value your input.

For example, if you look at ABCTrainingCenter.com, it shows how being a parent is the perfect training for a role in healthcare. Healthcare is an industry that values people’s transferable skills, not just experience. 

Remember, It’s How You Spin It

What’s important to remember, especially as a mom entering the workforce after kids, is that you need to highlight your strengths in a way that benefits the role/company you’re applying for!

As a mom dealing with the ins-and-outs of everyday life, it’s easy to overlook what you’re a natural in! But if you’re being honest, you know that every day with your kid(s) consists of negotiation, having to find new communication, developing resilience, and so much more!

So, remember that you’re good at what you do—regardless of whether it’s at home or in an office.

 

Featured Image Credit: Vitolda Klein