Getting Back to Work After Raising a Child - CareerAlley

Getting Back to Work After Raising a Child - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. Taking care of children requires a lot of time and effort, and many parents have to stop careers for a certain period of time to raise their children. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 56.5 percent of mothers with infants are in the labor force, and the number rises to 63.9 percent for mothers with children aged below 6 and more than 70 percent for those with children below 18. This means that mothers are likelier to get back to work as their children become older. If you are planning to return to work after taking extended leave to take care of your child or children, you are bound to face some challenges. Being away from work for a long time may make you lose touch with the working world, and constant worries about your children can affect your ability to stay focused at work. So, how do you get back to work successfully after raising a child? Choose the Right Career Many stay-at-home moms and dads decide to resume the careers they had before they took time off to raise their children. This may not be the best option for you, because you have developed new knowledge and skills, and grown as a person while you were raising your child or children. With a different outlook on life and new priorities, you may find another career more appealing. In order to select the right career, you need to take many factors into consideration, including salary, work hours, commuting requirements, job role, type of organization, work environment, professional development, career advancement opportunities, personal fulfillment and others. Make a list of all the factors that can influence your career choice, ranking them in order of importance. Update Your Resume Since you have been away from the workforce for a long time, there will be a big gap on your resume. A work history gap can hurt your chances of getting hired, and you need to fill it as best as you can. If you have done any work or attended any event that is related to the job you are applying for, you should include it in your resume. Examples of activities you can list in your resume include home-based or freelance work, part-time work, volunteer work, courses, conferences and others. If you cannot come up with anything relevant, you may want to consider taking a class to update your knowledge and skills. Learn about the Latest Trends Trends and practices can change dramatically in just a few years, and the knowledge and skills you have may not be as relevant as before. In order to return to the workforce successfully, you have to learn about the latest trends and practices in the industry you wish to enter. You can do so by getting in touch with people who are in the industry through social media, taking courses, attending trade shows and conferences, and reading the latest blog posts and news about the industry. By following the tips above and maintaining a high level of confidence, you can improve the odds that you will land your dream job and be a successful careerist and a great parent at the same time. Career Tip of the Day: Suggested Reading: We are always eager to hear from our readers. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or suggestions regarding CareerAlley content. Good luck in your search,Joey Google+ Visit Joeys profile on Pinterest Job Search job title, keywords, company, location jobs by What's next? Ready to take action? Choose the right tools to help you build your career. Looking for related topics? Find out how to find the opportunities that help you grow your best career. Subscribe and make meaningful progress on your career. It’s about time you focused on your career. Get Educated Contact Us Advertise Copyright 2020 CareerAlley. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy + Disclosure home popular resources subscribe search