If You Want to Go Back to Work
Tips For Stay-at-Home Moms Who Plan to Return to the Labor Force
Going back to work after a few years as a stay-at-home parent is easier said than done. According to The Feminine Mistake by Leslie Bennetts, returning to the work force is extremely difficult. She quotes The Times: "Even people who have been out of the workforce for six months have found it difficult to step back in."
Here are some things to consider while you're still working at home raising kids that will ease your transition to the work force later.
Stay connected if you want to go back to work. Stay-at-home moms or dads who drop out of sight after they leave work will find the transition to work more difficult. Schedule lunches and dinners with colleagues, accept invitations to work parties, baby showers, and other social events.
Take professional classes if you want to go back to work. Stay-at-home parents who keep their business acumen current may find it easier to transition back to work.
Create freelance projects if you want to go back to work. Contract work, short-term employment and freelance gigs will not only improve your marketability, they'll also give you a sense of purpose and accomplishment.
Maintain your professional associations & accreditations if you want to go back to work. If you're a stay-at-home mom or dad who has a professional affiliation or belong to a professional group, keep paying your dues. Go to the meetings, read the newsletters, stay in tune with industry fluctuations.
Read professional or trade journals if you want to go back to work. Staying up-to-date on new practices and current research will make you more employable – and make you feel more comfortable in job interviews and at work.
Keep up with current technology if you want to go back to work. If you don't own a Blackberry, at least know what they do. Even if you can't hone your skills on new equipment or practice new techniques, be aware of new innovations and how they affect your job.
Easing the transition back to the work force is really important because, according to The Feminine Mistake, going back to work is difficult. Economist Sylvia Ann Hewlett says, "Two-thirds of all women who quit their career to raise children are seeking to re-enter professional life and finding it exceedingly difficult. These women may think they can get back in, but my data show that it's harder than they anticipate." Hewlett is the founder and president of the Center for Work-Life Policy in New York.
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