Are you a stay at home parent planning to return to work?
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Many professionals have to take time away from work to care for a young family member. If you stayed home with your kids for a few years or had to take some time off due to childbirth, you may feel intimidated by the idea of going back on a job hunt.
Consider these things before starting your job hunt
You can’t jump at the first job you see without considering your situation carefully. Ask yourself these three questions before you start the job hunt.
1. What is your work availability?
Do you want to go back to work full-time? Or do you want to start with a part-time role to make the transition easier for your family and yourself? Some stay at home parents find that they prefer to take only remote roles.
2. What fields are you planning to work in?
You can decide to start over in a new industry after your career break. Whether you go back to the same field or choose a new one, it’s important to define your target industry before starting your job search.
3. What are your career goals?
What’s the reason you want to go back to work? We understand that the financial goal is strong, but what else is motivating you to re-enter the workforce? When starting your job search, it’s essential to start searching for the kind of jobs that will get you closer to your career goals.
How can you have a successful job search as a SAHP?
Many professionals feel anxious and worried when they embark on a job hunt. These feelings will be common for you too. However, you can take some small steps to ensure success in your job search as a SAHP.
Plan your job search ahead – Instead of waking up one morning and deciding that you will start looking for a job (This is also a great way to get a start, after all, there’s no better time like now), do some planning ahead.
Upskill yourself for the market – Technology is constantly evolving. Do some research on the industry you are interested in and learn a new skill relevant to it.
Go through your social media – Cleaning up your online presence is a natural next step. Adjust privacy settings so that curious employers won’t be bombarded with five different pictures of your toddler when they search for you online.
Update your LinkedIn profile – Refresh your LinkedIn profile and give it a little makeover before your job search. Add all your relevant qualifications and upload a recent professional photograph.
Get talking to your network – Other SAHPs returning to work can be a great source of help for your job search. Also, your friends, family, and coworkers who are currently in the workforce can give you referrals and news about new roles that pop up.
Write a killer resume – Your resume and cover letter are very important for the job search. At Resume Mansion, we have created winning resumes for hundreds of parents returning to work. Visit us and get yourself a winning set of professional documents.
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