Returning to the Workforce Tips for Stay-at-Home Moms Starting the Job Search

Returning to the Workforce Tips for Stay-at-Home Moms Starting the Job Search If you’re a stay-at-home mom and thinking of re-entering the workforce, your nerves may be a wreck. Being out of the workforce loop for any amount of time can leave you feeling unsure. Besides who has time to know what goes on a resume when you’re busy learning how to use a diaper genie. I know firsthand how this feels. I was a stay at home mom for 5 months and even though that time was short I had cabin fever and felt totally  out of touch with the working world. If you feel the same I’m here to tell you please don’t worry. You’re not the first woman to leave the workforce to take on the role of being an amazing mom and you won’t be the first to find her way back. Tweet this now! As Dorothy would say follow the yellow brick road! Seriously if you want to know if you’re on track take note of these tips to ensure you have working mom re-entry success! 1. Make a List of Everyone You Know Networking, networking, networking! Yes you must network to find work. This is how 80% of jobs are found yet most people dread the thought of it. Networking is not the awful sweaty handshake and practiced speech that most think it is. It’s simply sharing resources with people you know. You do it everyday! Think about when you told another mom about the best baby food brand or baby comfort toy because you thought it would  help her. You’ve done this countless times even today I bet. If you want to find your next opportunity you have to make it known that you’re looking for one and the best way to do that is list and contact everyone you know. Did you know everyone you know also knows another 150-200 people? Tapping into that many connections could definitely end your job search today. 2. Value the Work You Do as a Mom I work with clients all the time that say “Sarah I’ve been out of my career for a while and I just don’t have the confidence to get out there again. All I’ve been doing is parenting.” Sometimes I just want to yell at them like I’m their parent and say “are you kidding me!?” Parenting is a real job and probably the toughest one in the world. There is no rulebook on how to parent. It’s never ending even when your baby is past 18 years of age. Furthermore to be a successful parent I’m convinced you have to give all of yourself even if that means missing lunch breaks (by the way that’s definitely illegal at a “real” job). Valuing all that you do is so important if you want to have the confidence to get back out there and effectively articulate what you’ve been doing since out of the workforce. No employer will want to hire someone who holds their head down as if they are ashamed when explaining they have been a stay at home mom. That attitude can surely tarnish your ability to give your best at work. Be proud and confident because not only does the work you do matter, you have little people looking up to you too. 3. Get in the Know Ok you may have been out of the loop a while but there is always hope. Take a job readiness refresher course by visiting your alumni career placement office. Google articles like this one on how to prepare for your job search or invest in yourself by hiring a career coach. You can even call up some close friends and ask them how to go about your search. You don’t have to do this alone and there is hope even if being a stay at home mom is all you know.   4. Update Your Branding Documents Don’t wait until the night before your interview to update your documents. Start now! Ask yourself: What has changed?  How do I want to articulate that I’ve been a stay at home mom on my resume?  Clients come to me frequently with that question and it is most enjoyable finding creative ways to help them title their position as stay at home mom. During one of my coaching sessions a client and I agreed “Domestic Engineer” would be the title of her position as a stay at home mom. Not only did it describe everything she did, it caught the employer’s eye and consequently she was called for an interview and complimented on her creativity. Remember to update your Linked in profile and if you’re wondering what that is, now is the time to hire a coach to help you. Most importantly make sure every document is current and tells a consistent story of who you are and all you have to offer. If youre a stay-at-home mom returning to the workforce, were here to help. Check out our career coaching services  and get started today!