Debbie's Story - Part 2 - How to Successfully Return to Paid Work

Welcome back to Part 2 of my interview with Brenda James, former Managing Director at Clayton Services. Last week she shared some of the transferrable skills that her star return-to-work hire brought from her experience as a stay at home mom to her experience as a recruiter. If you missed that, then you can check it out here. Sign up for our newsletter to make sure that you don’t miss the next one of these articles. There is so much more to cover!! The interviews have been edited for brevity.

Part 1: We learned about Debbie, Brenda’s star return-to-work hire, and what transferrable skills she brought from her experience as a stay at home mom to her experience as a recruiter. If you missed that, then you can check it out here.

Part 2: In this article, I will share some of the challenges that Debbie experienced returning to work and how she and Brenda worked through them.

Part 3: Next week, I will share some of the benefits that Brenda experienced in hiring a stay at home mom.

Part 4: For the final post, we will discuss how employers can start to think about on-boarding return to work candidates.

Let’s get started!

Anna: Debbie sounds amazing! Were there any concerns that you had around hiring her?

Brenda: One of the things that was a concern for me when she started were her computer skills. At first, they were a little lacking and she was aware of this. She did some work on her own and at work to get up to speed with those skills. Of all the skills that we wanted to see in a recruiter, computer skills were the most teachable. So, this is what I tell my employer clients to keep in mind when hiring. What's trainable? What are those intangible skills that are harder to develop? If it’s trainable, then you can easily work with that.

Anna: What do you think are some important things for stay at home parents to consider when returning to work?

Brenda: Debbie worked through several things before returning to work with us.

1)    Have a Back Up Plan for childcare: One thing that Debbie and I spoke about was what to do if something happened and she couldn’t be at work. Of course, that could happen to anyone: when you have a flat tire, or doctor’s appointment, whatever. Because we were a small company and this was before everything was on the cloud. If someone wasn't there, then it was hard to get work done. Now, people can work at home but back then, we didn't have that ability. We talked about this upfront. Debbie definitely had backup plans in place so that we were prepared.

2)    Shift your mindset & communicate expectations: Debbie also worked through her thoughts around being ok with not being as involved with the children, setting up expectations, and establishing boundaries with them. She communicated with them about her job, what that was going to look like, and what the backup plans were going to be. Debbie realized “Not only is this a change for me. It's a change for my kids.” And they understood. She communicated what she needed from them and held them accountable for the changes that needed to be made. She also thought through her new routines and schedules.

3)    Get up to date on industry trends, professional educational requirements and corporate culture: Today stay at home moms and dads and people returning have got active lives. They stay in touch with their coworkers and they keep up their continuing education. So, just that interacting is good. Remembering some of the personalities that you're going to encounter back on the job and looking at your assumptions and how you're viewing that as you're learning to navigate not only the job itself, the skill set, your boss and your coworkers, but the corporate culture too. Some of the political things that might happen within the company. There's, a return to that type of thinking that you want to be prepared for.

Anna: Do you have any ideas about how they can prepare for that?

Brenda: You know, I think this is a self-awareness. You have to realize how to manage being the new person coming in. Also, getting back into that kind of professional environment and mindset and understanding what that looks like today versus, like with Debbie, 15 years ago. And fortunately for me she was eager to step into that professional environment. She was phenomenal.

Everyone has a different learning style. Identifying what works for you when faced with a new situation. For me, this is reading. I look for books that are going to tell me what I need to know. I research what I need to know and I am very self-aware. I'll ask those questions of myself: What am I going to expect? What is this going to look like? It could be helpful to talk this through with a friend or coach.

Ask questions when you are interviewing around what a day in your life looks like at that company. I like to meet with my supervisor and peer set in person. Often times now we're interviewing via Skype so this can be a challenge. If you get to that point, then being able to come to the physical office and see that and understand the atmosphere. Do a little research. Get your mindset right. Whether it's a coach or a mentor or reading or whatever that looks like for you.

Actually, I hired lots of people re-entering the workforce. And I usually had people be very successful but I was open to that. So finding those companies that are the right fit. Just because you need a job doesn't mean that the company is as open to a return to work candidate. It's not really fair. It's not really realistic on the employer’s part because even if you hire someone who's had no gap in their employment, then it doesn't necessarily mean that they're going to be successful in that company either. So, understanding what's important to you and looking at that companies that have that mindset. If the company is very strict or micromanaging or just not open to allowing someone to get their feet wet and get started, then maybe that isn't the company for you. It's okay. It's like kissing a lot of frogs before you get to the prince but you've got to know what you want to take away from the experience and just as with anything, learn from that. It’s important to know what you're looking for in a company, what their on-boarding process is.

Anna: Yes, like whether they've hired return to work candidates. Whether they have working mothers and fathers in their group and if they have family friendly work policies. I love that! I think you also started to touch on figuring out the corporation’s values and what they say are important traits to see in their employees. It's something that I discuss with my clients too. Trying to help them figure out what their own values are and how that might line up with a company's values.

Brenda: Yes and there is lots of research that you can do:  Glassdoor, or you can look at reviews for the company, you can talk to employees, go to their LinkedIn, go to their Facebook page. Get your network going. There is probably someone in your network who may know something about this company. Ask your friends. A lot of it comes down to networking. Find a couple of networking groups, get involved and ask questions.  Learn from their experiences. You don't have to reinvent the wheel. There's so much going on out there in the world. And so much of a shift to this way of thinking that, and you can find a lot of your answers and good advice and good insight. It takes a little work on your part, you've got to get out there, but you can do it. 

Chambers of commerce often have different meet ups. The Greater Houston Women's Chamber is going through and taking a look at companies that are great places for women to work. That’s a great place to start. There are companies out there where the dialogue around flex work is starting. Check out networking groups in your industry. If for some reason you didn't stay connected to your network, then reconnect now. Go through your industry, get your skill set up to date. Look at what you need. Is there a certification that you need? Is there a class that you need to brush up on some basic computer skills?

All of that information is available. Look at job descriptions and look to see what companies are looking for.  Take a look at where you might be weak or what you are missing then go ahead and start adding skills that you need. It takes a little work but it's a part of that process of getting the brain, back focused on your career.

Anna: Yes! All of this is part of the work that we do in the THRIVE like a mother group coaching and workshop series at Parents Pivot. And you get the bonus of being surrounded by a supportive community of parents who are going through the same things that you are!

Thank-you Brenda for being honest about some of the challenges that she and Debbie faced and some of the things that stay at home moms and dads can do to explore a return to paid work. What are some of the experiences that you have had as a stay at home mom or dad returning to work? Send us an e-mail or add in the comments below. We would love to hear from you!

We have so much more to share! Stay tuned for part 3 where we will discuss some of the benefits that Brenda experienced in hiring return to work candidates and part 4 where we will discuss how employers can start to think about on-boarding return to work candidates. If you missed part 1 where we talked about the transferrable skills from parenting to paid work, then you can check it out here.

To stay in the loop with great articles, events, and workshops to help parents return to their careers with strength and clarity, join our Parents Pivot newsletter here.

Wishing you all the best!

Anna

Parents Pivot works with parents returning to work to help them reconnect to their careers with strength and clarity. We offer coaching and support throughout the job search process whether it is figuring out what you want to do when you return to work, helping you with your resume and interviews, and coaching you through the on boarding process in your new career. Reach out to learn more about how we can serve you.

Debbie's Story - Part 1 - "The best recruiter that I ever hired"

I recently sat down with Brenda James, the former managing director of Clayton Services (a recruiting company), to talk about her experience as an employer hiring stay at home parents returning to work. She had so much wonderful wisdom to share with both candidates and employers looking to hire return to work candidates that I couldn’t keep this to just one post! I had to break it down into 4 parts and edited to be concise.

Sign up for our newsletter to make sure that you don’t miss one of these articles full of wisdom. There is so much more to cover!! We will explore:

1)    Debbie’s return to work success story and understand the transferrable skills between parenting and paid work that made her one of the best recruiters Brenda ever hired in this article.

2)    Challenges return to work candidates face and what to do to prepare in part 2.

3)    Benefits of hiring a return to work candidate in part 3.

4)    How employers can think about on-boarding return to work candidates in part 4.

Let’s get started and learn about Debbie and how she became one of the best recruiters that Brenda ever hired!

Debbie’s story

Anna: Thanks so much for speaking with me today Brenda! I am so excited about this interview. I can’t wait to learn all about Debbie. Let’s start off with you sharing about Debbie, the return to work candidate that you hired as a recruiter in your company.

Brenda: Thank-you Anna. I am excited to be here! I managed a small staffing company, and because it was small, I didn't always have the budget to hire someone coming in with a ton of experience. I often had to train and develop my own people. For recruiters, I found that they came from all walks of life and they brought all kinds of skill sets.

I found Debbie when she called our company looking for work. She was a stay at home mom for 15 years. Her children were in high school and she decided that she wanted to go back to work. She had been a very hands-on, mom. Raised amazing children, and they are amazing workers today. So, Thank you, Debbie for that!

When Debbie came to me, she didn't know what she wanted to do. She said, “I was a secretary before I stopped working so I guess that’s what I should go back to.” And I said “You know things have changed a lot in that 15 year time period. Are you sure that is still what you want to do?” She admitted that it wasn’t but she didn’t know where to start. We talked a lot and I was interested in her. She had a lot of common sense and people skills. I enjoyed talking to her. She was funny. She was insightful. She was smart. 

Anna: I love that you helped her reflect and think about what she wanted to do. Just because she had a certain job before children doesn't mean that she needed to go back to that. You opened up the world for her and that's amazing! This is one of my favorite things to do with our clients through the THRIVE program at Parents Pivot.

Brenda: Yes, it’s those self-limiting beliefs that we get trapped into: “I guess this is all I can do. ”Whatever it is, I want people to know that that's not true.

I loved all those intangible traits that Debbie brought to the table that a resume honestly just doesn’t communicate. A resume very rarely tells me about a person and what they're going to bring to the company. It’s the in-person meeting and connection that truly helps me decide to hire someone.

So, I said, “Why don't you come to the office and we’ll do a “working interview” We’ll go through the job. I'll let you sit in on what I now call “a day in the life”: sit with us here in the office, watch, ask questions, and get a feel for what we do here. Let's see if there's any interest moving forward that we can all feel comfortable with.” These days, the working interview may be called a return to work program or “returnship” as coined by Goldman Sachs.

Spending 8 hours with Debbie during a working interview gave me so much insight into who Debbie was and what she would bring to the team and the organization. Debbie was curious. She was smart. She took notes. She was interested in what was going on in our office. She was funny. She was a good team player and interacted well with the team. These are all things that you don't see on a resume, whether you're re-entering the workforce or not. Those were the intangibles that are important in this role of a recruiter.

I ended up hiring Debbie and she was one of the best recruiters that I ever hired. 

Anna: I love to hear that! That leads me to another question. What do you think that she did during her career pause for parenthood that helped her be successful in the work that she did for you as a recruiter?

Brenda: She brought so many things to the table that were amazing and helpful to me.

1)    Problem Solving Skills - She raised children for 15 years.She was very involved with her children’s education and the PTA at their school. She learned how to solve problems working with other people.  

2)    Motivational Skills - When you have to look at your own children and figure out how to guide them and mentor them into becoming the human being that you want them to become, that's an amazing feat. Those skills are certainly transferable to work.

3)    Organization - Another thing that Debbie did in her role as a parent was that she organized a lot of the children’s activities in school. She was the one behind the scenes working with the children’s theater productions and sports activities. When she came to work for us she brought tremendous organization to the company. These organizational skills combined with her uncanny ability to connect to people and show empathy for her clients were invaluable.

4)    Fresh Perspective - She was actually the one who pointed out the importance of a well thought out job description that focuses on a day in the life of the employee: what does that really look like, because often times what employers start out with on paper is not what they're really looking for in real life. Creating these tangible solutions to challenges we faced as recruiters was one of the reasons that Debbie became one of the best recruiters that I've ever hired.

5)    Calm under pressure - As a parent she could stay very calm with her children. She could read through to what her children needed and solve a problem with a calm response. Even when the person bringing the problem wasn’t as calm. Debbie brought from her experience as a mother, the ability to stay calm and problem solve.

There you have it!! Several transferrable skills between being a parent and paid work! What comes to mind for you when you think of transferrable skills between parenting and paid work? What are your real world examples? I would love to hear about them in the comments below.  

If you enjoyed this, then don’t worry, this is not the end. I can’t wait to share more insights from my interview with Brenda next week where we discussed some of the challenges return to work parents face and how to overcome those challenges. To stay in the loop with great articles to help parents return to their careers with strength and clarity, join our Parents Pivot newsletter here.

Wishing you all the best!

Anna

Parents Pivot works with parents returning to work to help them reconnect to their careers with strength and clarity. We offer coaching and support throughout the job search process whether it is figuring out what you want to do when you return to work, helping you with your resume and interviews, and coaching you through the on boarding process in your new career. Reach out to anna@parentspivot.com to learn more about how we can serve you.

The Unprecedented, Untapped Talent Of The Stay-At-Home Parents Returning To Work

Pair a thriving job market with growing companies, and you have an abundance of job opportunities. It’s an employee’s market, which means that unemployment rates are low, making it hard to find talent. Unfortunately, hiring managers are missing an entire group of high quality candidates. YOU, the parent returning to work. Despite the gap in work experience on their resume, parents returning to work have unmatched work ethic and have built up the experience companies need for management and leadership roles. All gained within the bounds of motherhood.

Here are the top reasons why hiring managers need to start seeking out parents returning to work to fill their open positions.

Education & Experience

Many stay-at-home moms are armed with excellent education and advanced degrees – Solid Undergraduate, Masters, Doctorates, and Professional Degrees – making them highly valuable employees. Not to mention the life experience of raising kids and caring for a family equips you with practical knowledge to positively contribute to the company’s success. You’ll have your eye out for crises that need quick thinking, individuals who need support, and projects that need completed. A mom's super power is relevant and needed in the workplace!

Vast Experience Level

Moms returning to work usually fit in the toughest experience gap to fill: five-to-ten years experience. Return to work candidates often have a proven track record as successful professionals in the corporate world prior to pausing their career for parenthood. The Applicant Tracking System won’t pick up on this, but that experience makes them knowledgeable about the way the corporate world works, gives them an understanding of processes, and the ability to provide leadership.

Fresh New Perspective

In addition to corporate experience, stay at home moms and dads reentering the workforce bring a fresh, new perspective. They have the unique position of having both experienced the corporate world and taken a break from it. The stay at home parents may see things other employees who have stayed in industry are blind to. This unique perspective can help improve a company.

Commitment & Leadership

Many parents reentering the workforce make a conscious decision to return. They have given thought to what they want to do; they are hungry to make an impact in the world; and they are committed to the right kind of company. Given the cost of turnover, it’s in the company’s best interest to hire committed team members who are in it for the long haul.

Build your women in leadership pipeline

Hiring mothers is also a great way to build your women in leadership pipeline. Moms often have the opportunity to develop leadership, motivational, and emotional intelligence skills during their career pause. They may have held leadership positions within the PTA or a nonprofit board. They may have worked on committees with people of all personality types. They may have researched, strategized, negotiated, and collaborated with others to get the best educational experience for their special needs child. These skills are highly transferable to a paid work situation.

If you’re a stay at home mom wishing to reenter the workforce, don’t let a gap in your professional resume hold you back. Position yourself the right way, research companies open to return to work candidates, and you’ll be one step closer to your dream career. At Parents Pivot, we help women return to work after having children and can do the same for you! Contact us to learn more.

5 Benefits Companies Offer When They Value Working Parents

Juggling going back to work after children is no simple task. On top of finding daycare options for your children, you also must find the workplace that can accommodate your schedule. Finding a great job goes beyond the job description. Find a place where you can see yourself working alongside the people in the organization and chances are it’s a good fit.

In Houston, we’ve seen an exciting shift with employers now offering more flexible work arrangements instead of the strict 9- to- 5.

Here are five benefits you should look for when scoping a potential workplace while returning to work.

• Flexible Work Arrangements - Things can come up and derail your schedule whether you are a mom or not. Flexible work arrangements are becoming more prevalent within organizations today. That may mean working from home some days a week or having flexible hours when you work. Flexible work arrangements have been shown to make any employee more productive and can be a wonderful way to manage returning to work.

• Paid Time Off - With a great time off benefit package, you can take a vacation without worrying about making up the time at work. Some workplaces combine great PTO policies with a vacation stipend. Because when you take time to unplug and spend time with your family, you come back to work refreshed and more productive.

• Childcare Resources - Great companies know the value of working moms. Depending on the size of the company, you may find on-site childcare options or reimbursement packages to help cover the cost. As you research companies, be on the lookout for this benefit.

• Health Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) - This is a tax-free savings account specifically for medical expenses. Contribute to an account pre-tax and use it for those unexpected, out-of-pocket medical expenses. This is a great way to cut down on unexpected medical bills (which you know will pop up with children in the family!) and reduce your taxable income.

• Returnships - These are internships for adults who have taken a few years off. They’re a great resource for moms making a comeback and want to brush up on their skills or gain experience in a new field. Essentially, you get to test the waters before making a full commitment.

Based on our research, these Houston companies have fantastic qualities if you’re a mom returning to work after kids.

1. Houston Methodist Hospital

   If you’re in a stay-at-home mom returning to work in the medical field, Houston Methodist Hospital is a must-apply! They offer great extra benefits like childcare resources, tuition assistance, wellness programs, recognition programs, just to name a few.

2. Chevron

   Not only is Chevron doing amazing things in Houston for the community, the environment, and its employees, they offer an incredible returnship program seeking people who have taken an extended leave of absence from work. Learn more about the program here.

3. Mid-Continent Companies, Ltd.

   This family owned boutique financial services firm provides the perfect environment for a working parent. It has an excellent employees benefits package. Aside from the standard health insurance, paid time off and 401(k) plan, Mid-Continent Companies, Ltd. includes health savings accounts, professional development, life insurance, and a financial wellness program. Family is the name of the game when it comes to their business because it caters to family owned businesses and families. And one of the best perks of all for working parents: the company embraces flexible and remote work arrangements for employees. You can feel confident about returning to work after kids with the right company fit. If you want help with an action plan, we’re here to help! At Parents Pivot, we provide career coaching and guidance for moms reentering the workforce. Contact us to learn more and get started!

How To Build A Strategy For Returning To Work In The Fall

Are you planning a return to work after the kids start kindergarten, head to middle school, or go off to college? Or perhaps your maternity leave will be up soon and you’re starting to think about your game plan now that you are a first time mom. 

Summer is the perfect time to start preparations for your return to work in the fall. Building a strategy for returning to work after kids is never easy, so let the summer with for you and start now. 

Here are our tips for building a strategy for returning to work in the fall.

Plan the Logistics Of Your New Schedule 

Is your child young? Use the summer to vet daycare options. Visit several and find the best situation for you and your kiddo. This process can take longer than you might think, so start now and give yourself the extra time.

If your children are older and attend school during working hours, determine what time they need to be dropped off and picked up and how that will impact your schedule. As you start to have conversations with potential employers, be upfront about any flexibility needs you may have as you nail down the routine.

Secure a Backup

As moms, things happen beyond our control all the time. Think through what needs to happen when your kid gets sick or injured at school and needs to be picked up. Make sure you have a trusted family member or friend you can count on to help out in emergencies in case you can’t get there quickly. Check out your local babysitting services to find options for last minute sitters. Here in Houston, we are lucky to have The Motherhood Center that provides this service. Prepare now and have peace of mind later.

Sharpen Your Skills

If you took a significant amount of time off, you’ll likely need to brush up on some skills. Consider enrolling in “summer school,” and set some time aside to teach yourself what you need to know, or enroll in an online course or two. Set yourself up for success by assessing your skills and where they need to be to excel in your upcoming role. 

Update Your Professional Online Presence & Resume

Update your LinkedIn profile and resume with any new skills, certifications, and information about yourself. Check out our online workshops for these resources. That way you aren’t scrambled when you see the perfect job listing or interviews start rolling in!

Speak With a Career Coach

If you need guidance on setting up your strategy for returning to work, a career coach can equip you with the right tools at the right time in your career to succeed. Summer is the perfect time to schedule an appointment and setup a game plan with an expert. 

At Parents Pivot, we specialize in helping women return to work after having children. Will you be next? Contact us to learn more! 

Easy Checklist for the Empty Nester Mom Returning To Work

The kids have fled the nest and you’re ready to spread your wings as well by getting back to paid work. As you peek over the nest and start to consider the opportunities available, it can feel scary – like you’ll never be prepared to make the jump. 

Fear not, we’re here to help you navigate being an empty nester mom returning to work so you can establish the career you’re passionate about, with confidence! 

Here are a few easy things you can do to feel prepared as an empty nester mom returning to work: 

Reassess your goals and desires 

Just because you left a job in finance when you had kids doesn't mean that's a great career for you now. Take time to really consider what your goals are for returning to work and where you want to be in one year and three years. Consider taking a career or personality assessment to unveil those not-so-obvious aspects of yourself that could help you find your dream career.

Brush up on your skills 

If you’ve taken time away from the workforce for a few years, it’s time to brush up on your skills. The best practices and technology moves fast and doesn’t wait for anyone. Make sure you’re up to speed on all the skills you need to excel at your desired job. If you don’t feel prepared, take a course, earn certifications, or meet with a career coach to help you put together a solid progression plan that will prepare you for success.

Practice interviewing  

Job interviews can make even the most extroverted person feel nervous. As an empty nester mom returning to work, brush up on your interviewing skills. Research commonly asked interview questions for the industry you’re interested in or find interesting companies on Glassdoor to uncover what type of questions they ask. Gather this information and then formulate your answers to each. 

Practicing answering out loud, as if you are really in an interview, is the best way to prepare! Record yourself as you answer the questions or recruit a friend to play the role of interviewer and provide feedback afterwards. 

Ease into it

Raising kids and being a stay-at-home mom is a job in itself but it’s radically different than a desk job. Do yourself a favor and ease back into work. Do some volunteering and shadowing to help visualize what your new routine would look like in that environment. Don’t jump at the first opportunity that comes along unless it truly is your dream job. Take your time and make sure the job is a great fit for you, and vice versa.

Embrace the new normal 

For empty nester moms returning to work, entering the workforce is a lifestyle change that may not be easy, especially after a long break. Try to embrace this new normal and be patient in finding a new groove that works for you. Keep aspects of your old routine that you liked while being flexible to include the new demands of a job. 

Find a career coach 

Navigating the transition between stay-at-home mom and working mom can be tricky. We help everyone from empty nesters to new moms transition back into the workforce. And we provide career assessments to help you move forward in this stage in your life with success and confidence. If you want to connect and learn more about how we can help you, connect with us today. 

Re-establishing Your Professional Life Post Career Break After Kids

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.

1. 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. 

1. 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.

1. 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. 

1. 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.

1. 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. 

The One Thing You Must Do Returning To Work After Kids

Returning to work after kids looks different to every mom.

For some, it’s immediately after maternity leave. For others, it’s when the kids are in school. Or returning to work after kids may not happen until your babies are off to college, leaving you an empty nester.

Whatever your reason, whatever your path, there is one thing you must do returning to work after kids.

Reflect.

Yes, that’s it! It sounds simple, but this is an amazing gift you’ve been given. You have the opportunity to assess your career path in a unique way. 

Sometimes our career before kids worked well for us at that point in our lives, but after becoming a mom it’s a completely different story. With young kids, you can’t be at the office until 8 pm, work during the evenings and on the weekends. New working moms need more work-life balance than before. 

But it’s not just the work-life balance. It’s also who you are and what you want to do. Kids have a way of touching your heart and changing you for the better. What you found fulfilling before may not be the case now. Being a mom changes things.

Career Reflection: Returning To Work After Kids

To help jump start your reflection, consider these questions:

• What did you really love about your old job? 
  Did you work with great people? Did you enjoy the client or customer service communication?
  
  Create a list of the things you really enjoyed and could see yourself doing again.

• What do you not want to do again that you did before? 
  Create a list of things you need to change. Can’t work the long hours or overtime anymore? 
  
  Write it down. Reflect and write down every aspect of your job that you don’t want to take into your future career.

• If you could do anything, what would it be? 
  Create a list of your pie-in-the-sky ideas. This is your chance to really pursue your dreams and passions. You can go anywhere from here. 
  
  Perhaps you loved the work you did but don’t want to be client-facing anymore. Now, you really want to explore the creative side of your old job. Pursue it! Or maybe you’d love to be your own boss and open your own business. Write it down! Don’t let the what-ifs and obstacles keep your dreams off your list. For now, you’re just reflecting.

Consider a Career Coach When Returning To Work After Kids

If you’re struggling to really open up your mind and reflect on where you’ve been to decide where you want to go when returning to work after kids, a career coach could be exactly what you need. At Parents Pivot, we help moms returning to work after kids with personalized 1:1 or groups sessions. We believe when you find a meaningful career that suits your unique talents and needs, then you can lead as your best authentic self, with more natural energy and joy for doing great work. Contact us to learn more.