by Heather Greenwell The Working Mom: How to Re-enter the Workforce
Raising a family is more than a full-time job. It requires strength and unyielding patience, even when it feels like we have little left to give. For some mothers, taking time away from work to have a baby, or to focus on family, can be just the separation needed to regroup and get back to the basics. However, when circumstances require us to re- enter the workplace, the idea alone can feel daunting. Balancing work and parenthood requires a huge lifestyle shift. As mothers, we know how to get stuff done. But sometimes, we need a little extra guidance to get there. Here are a few tools to help navigate through this transition. Take a Personal Inventory Always remember that you are your greatest asset. Identifying what you want to do, and places you want to work will help you determine where to start taking action. Which industry falls in line with your skills, passion, and experience? What kind of hours will you want to work? Will you need a job with benefits, or do you want to run your own business? By starting with these questions, you can narrow down the right career path. Update Your Resume As an HR Manager, I look at a lot of resumes. Your resume is one of the first impressions your potential future employer has of you. No matter how long you’ve been out of the workforce, whether it’s months or years, it is important that you acknowledge the gap in your employment history. A great way to share this detail with a recruiter is by letting
them know that you had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be a mother and you seized that opportunity. Keep in mind, it is your story, and you should tell it in the most
positive light possible. Ask for What You Need
It’s not a secret that flexibility is one of the top five things that appeals to most applicants looking for a job. Flexible work schedules, remote work, or unlimited paid time off are common practices throughout several industries these days. So, if you need to pick up your children at a specific time, go to a doctor’s appointment, or utilize a mother’s room for pumping breastmilk, make sure to directly ask for what it is that you need up front. Give Yourself Some Credit One thing that really helped when I was looking to return to work after my first maternity leave was practicing my interviewing skills. I took a list of common interview questions and reviewed them out loud to myself. Practicing my answers and hearing them helped build my confidence before I met with anyone. Behavior-based questions are frequently used by employers during interviews. (Think, “tell me about a time when…”) Knowing what to say so that you feel comfortable with your answer is half the battle. The other half is recognizing that you did the best you could to prepare for spontaneous questions. Remember, this is a good opportunity for you to demonstrate confidence under pressure.
20 | THE MOTHERLODE
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