Parents who take time away from the workforce to raise their children often face an immense challenge when it comes time to jump back into it. This is especially true for parents who didn’t have a clearly established career trajectory before having a child.
Potential employers may look at these parents’ resumes and see a big gap and an unfocused career path. However, there are ways to position yourself as a valuable asset for any organization that needs someone with a strong work ethic, a sense of responsibility and lots of transferable skills.
Below, 15 Forbes Coaches Council members offer their best tips for parents who were at home raising kids and are now looking to rejoin the workforce.
1. Communicate What You’re Passionate About
Be open, honest and clear about what you are passionate about, and then communicate that when you are in a job interview. Being a stay-at-home parent is not something that needs to be hidden. It has given you skills and experience that are very valuable in the workplace. Be real about that. - Nick Leighton, Exactly Where You Want to Be
2. Gain Clarity On What You Want
If you need help gaining clarity on what you want to do when you return to work, then undergo a self-assessment process designed to inventory your skills and strengths. Engage with people in areas that interest you. Upskill by reading and taking courses. Finally, don’t go it alone. Join a group of fellow career relaunchers so that you can be held accountable for taking action and supported. - Carroll Welch, Carroll Welch Consulting
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3. Choose The Path You Liked Best Before
It’s great that you have experience serving in a variety of roles, which means that you could revisit things that have worked in the past. By not settling on one clear career path, it affords you more freedom in deciding how to get back in the workforce. What did you enjoy most about the jobs that you held in the past? - RaQuel Hopkins, RH Life Coaching
4. Update Your Resume And Start Networking
Relaunching your career effectively takes some strategic work. First, update your resume and think broadly about what you have learned from your time at home. Second, look in your community for networks and groups (e.g., Chamber of Commerce events) that can provide opportunities to meet people from different companies and other types of entities. Finally, make sure you are constantly learning and growing. - Susan Madsen, Jon M. Huntsman School of Business
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5. Consider Transferable Household Management Skills
Organizing a household demonstrates organizational and leadership skills. In addition, most of the tasks deal with new and unknown situations, how to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills and how to use them effectively. It’s not about using old playbooks that are not adapted to the situation. I have had very good experiences with returning parents who had this growth mindset. - Michael Thiemann, Strategy-Lab™
6. Identify Your Ideal Vision Of The Future
The key is to design your life around your ideal vision of the future. What kind of work-life balance do you seek, and what things are you great at that give you energy?Recognize your uniqueness and how you can leverage this ability to grow both your employer and yourself while having the life you want. - Brad Cousins, Ingage Human Capital Strategies
7. Seek Career-Life Alignment
I don’t believe in work-life balance; I believe in career-life alignment. With that in mind, you want to first get clear on your desired lifestyle. Ask yourself how much, how late or how long you want to work. For example, is traveling out of the question, or is it something you’re looking forward to? Once you’re clear on the lifestyle you desire, you can then focus your attention on the right career for you. - Carol Parker Walsh, Carol Parker Walsh Consulting, LLC
8. Focus On What Will Help You In The Long Run
Speaking from experience, I would suggest using the time to focus on things that can help you in the long run—no different than what I would recommend if we were not dealing with a pandemic. If we can’t control an external scenario that isn’t ceasing, regardless of the cause, we must continue to work on activities that are within our reach, using the time to support ourselves in seeking our long-term goals. - Kiran Mann, M2M Business Solutions Inc.
9. Keep Up With Your Contacts And Industry News
Stay up to date with your industry and profession by keeping up with your contacts as well as industry publications. Although you may not be active in the office, use your LinkedIn or other social media platforms to share relevant industry articles and events or to congratulate your former colleagues on their promotions. Once you are ready to re-enter the workforce, these contacts will be primed to lend you a hand. - Kelly Huang, Genesis Advisers
10. Think About What You’d Do If There Were No Limitations
Take some time to think about what you would ideally like to be doing if there were no limitations. Often people see stepping out of the corporate world as a negative, but it doesn’t need to be. Think about what you most enjoy doing and what industry interests you, and then go after it. If opportunities aren’t openly advertised, then approach companies directly. - Rebecca Patterson, Rebecca Patterson
11. Look For Training Or Certification Opportunities
Being a stay-at-home parent requires so many valuable skills that translate well into the corporate world. Unfortunately, most organizations are looking for “proof” of your ability to do the job. For them, proof means job-related experience or education. Round out your current skill set by looking for training or certification opportunities that would bolster your résumé. - Cheryl Czach, Cheryl Czach Coaching and Consulting, LLC
12. Reconnect With And Expand Your Network
Reconnecting with your existing network and expanding it are two of the best ways to break back into the workforce. Many of your best advocates will be those who have worked with you, and many companies highly value candidates who are referred by their current staff members. - Dan Ryan, ryan partners
13. Define Your Core Passion And Talents
Define your very own core passion and talents that light you up and have accompanied you throughout your life! Research what up-to-date profession combines most of these talents in one role. If you can’t find it, create it. Gather all relevant information regarding necessary qualifications, outlook, pay, terms and conditions. Then, develop a plan from the end goal backward and start implementing it step by step. - Sharesz T. Wilkinson, The Speech Improvement Company
14. Find Work That Completely Aligns With You
Getting back into the workforce after years out of it can feel like climbing Mount Everest. If you’re looking to get back in, start by figuring out what your unique ability is and determine where your passions lie. Seek to find a job that aligns with these traits, or start your own business. The key to starting back is to find a job that is in complete alignment with you. - Jon Dwoskin, The Jon Dwoskin Experience
15. Choose Your Focus And Go All In
Choose what you want to focus on and go all in on it. The marketplace is evolving more rapidly than ever. There are plenty of roles that don’t require specific experience. Get education and volunteer experience and demonstrate a passion for your focus area. This will go a longer way than the right experience will. - Krista Neher, Boot Camp Digital
