Stay at home parents are amongst the most important members of society. Their jobs are very often overlooked. However, if you are a stay at home parent, not only is it possible to regain your employment, it’s possible to do better.
It’s important to remember that previously as a full-time parent, you were engaged daily by one of the most important jobs in the world – raising and shaping the next generation of capable and responsible adults.
Modern employment is very different to what you may have previously experienced, it is not as demanding as you are worried about but equally, it may be more challenging. Now that the kids are older, it could be time to re-enter the workforce.
Self Analysis
As a normal part of a job, self-analysis is important when you are out of work. Ask yourself the difficult questions, “Why do I want to go back to work?”, “Am I ready for a full-time Job?”, “What Job suits me the most?”, “Do I want to be out in the field, clocking in on my mobile phone?”
Whether you’ve been out for 2 years or 10, you need to think carefully about what it is that you want from your next job, or possible career. Your reasons for working at this stage in your life may not be the same ones that drove you in your previous working life.
Career coach and creator of “The Passion Shift” Karen Steele, states “When you become a parent, you experience a shift in your priorities and values. Many stay at home parents don’t want to go back to the high-powered, high-stress job they had before kids” This reality needs to be examined before you re-enter a 40/50 hour a week working environment, do not put unnecessary pressure on yourself.
Get the Word Out.
Your job hunt should not be secretive, in fact, it should be the opposite. The more commonly known your search is the better. The same people you’ve been working with if you were volunteering, chatting with in schoolyards and calling for advice are critical to your job search. Let them know that you are looking for work.
You’ll be extremely surprised by the kinds of job opportunities that turn up when your friends and acquaintances are helping you search. After you enlist the help of someone, be it a former colleague, a college alumnus or family you may be surprised at the reaction you will get. Making connections is the key when it comes to job hunting, and a lot of these connections can come from people you already know.
Finding a new job is all about getting yourself out there and exposing yourself to situations you may find otherwise uncomfortable.
Update your C.V.
In general, your c.v. should communicate your intentions and your initiative. As a stay-at-home parent, you will inevitably have a large gap in your c.v. but these years are not necessarily wasted working time. With companies using Recruitment Software to help the hiring process, it is imperative that you have filled this gap with the skills and experience that you’ve acquired during your time out of work.
These do not necessarily have to be child-related. Most parents have spent a sizeable deal of time volunteering, in the form of their children’s school fundraisers or others initiatives in the community. This shows your relevant experience as well as your proactivity. It gives you contacts that can provide references and networking opportunities.
These are important roles that you should include on your resume as “Relevant Experience,” along with the position you held and your job responsibilities.
If you help out with schools, charities or do PR for a friend, add these to your c.v. as “pro bono” consulting projects. This enables you to get credit for all of the unpaid work outside work you have done during your stay-at-home years.
Practice interviewing.
The old cliché that practice makes perfect is only a cliché because it’s true, so before you go into an interview make sure to practice. If you’ve landed an interview, remember your qualifications must have appealed in some way to the potential employer. Your next objective is to ensure the interviewer that you are the right person for the job, and also ensure that this job is the right one for you.
Before you go into the interview, do as much research as you can about the company and the person who is interviewing you. It’s always a good idea to do a few practice interviews with family and friends before you head to the real one. Do something conductive like preparing a list of questions to ask the interviewer about the company and the position.
During the interview, it’s a necessity that you explain why you want to work for this particular company but more importantly, why you are the best candidate for the job. There are many top interview tips available online. Read them and learn.
Interviews are one of the only places on earth where it’s not only acceptable to brag, it’s encouraged. Be confident, be accessible and be excited, you are more talented than you think.