Have you taken a career break after kids?
Perhaps you’re a new mother who took time off to be with family. Or maybe you’re a stay-at-home mom with school-age kids and you’re ready to make the transition back into the workforce. Either way, the stigma of taking a career break can intimidate us, keeping us from making the decision to get back to work. Plus, it’s hard to know where to start the process.
5 Career Tips For Managing A Career Break After Kids
Here are five effective tips for re-establishing yourself after a career break after kids.
Establish Responsibilities at Home
After being at home full-time, most of the chores have likely fallen on your plate. When heading back to work, you’ll need to lessen your workload at home to make up for your workload at your job. Take inventory of the chores you do around the home and delegate to your partner and kids! No matter how small they are, they can help out.
Reflect On Your Career Pre-Kids
What did you like and dislike about your career before kids? Take some time to reflect on your experiences. During this introspective time, identify new passions that could lead to a new career. The sky's the limit for you – this is an amazing time for you to really decide what you want to do and go for it.
Set Goals
Being a mom is a full-time job. So his searching for a job. How can you possibly manage a career break after kids? Prioritize your day-to-day by setting goals. Make sure your goals are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound). For example, updating your resume by the end of the week is a great SMART goal. Another might be to look for job openings for 30 minutes every day, and applying for one job every day.
Network
Tapping into the people you know can be a huge resource when returning to work after a career break. Once you identify your career path and establish goals for yourself, think about who in your network could help you reach your goals. Look for someone honest, straightforward, and seasoned to help you.
Build your Confidence
A career break after kids can leave you feeling like you’ve lost your core skill set and confidence. Not to mention that “mom” is probably now your main identity. Banish this mentality. During your career break, you gained valuable knowledge and skills you can bring to any employer: time management, endurance, patience, problem solving, an dozens of others. Without confidence, you can easily undervalue what you offer to an organization. Assess your skill set, take a course if needed to fulfill job requirements, refresh your online profiles, and stay confident in your abilities. You CAN do this!
Career Coaching Can Help With Career Break After Kids
As you manage a career break after kids, remember that everyone’s path is different. Embrace your journey and cherish the time you spend with family. At Parents Pivot, we help moms discover a career they're passionate about. If you need more guidance on returning to work post-career break after kids, we’d love to hear from you.
