“Almost half of working mothers have taken an extended career break beyond their paid family leave benefits after the birth of their children, and many hiring managers believe the personal skills they develop during that time off make them better employees when they return.”
Did you catch that? Hiring managers WANT YOU, mommas! You are a valuable asset in the working world, and the career gap you now have on your resume, whether it’s three months, three years, or 18 years, will not stop you from finding a satisfying and fulfilling career that you love.
Given the recent coronavirus pandemic, you may be a mom taking an unexpected career break until things get back to normal. Or maybe you are on maternity leave, planning to return in a few weeks or months. Or maybe you are a mom that stayed at home with your kids during those critical, formative years, but now you are ready to get back to work. Whatever your reason for taking a career break, there are things you can do this summer to plan for your future career. Below, you’ll find tips that are stress-free and can be worked into your fun-filled summer plans.
Plan Your Future Career This Summer Without Sacrificing Family Fun
I don’t know about you, but my summer plans include splashing in the pool with my two daughters while relaxing under the warm sun and recharging from a hectic winter and spring. If you are planning a return to paid work in the fall, there is no reason why you can’t plan the future of your career and still enjoy that valuable time with your family. Review the tips below and customize them to fit your family’s situation and your career.
Choose one career skill to work on during the summer. Alison offers free, online courses on a range of topics: health, technology, science, language, business, lifestyle, and more. Choose one skill that will enhance your value at work, and spend an hour or two here and there during your week taking a professional development class. The thing I love most about Alison is that you can enroll in everything from a non-verbal communications class to yoga. Use this season to take classes to develop your professional skills plus you can do new things together as a family (like take a cooking class)! (Note: You do have to have an account to take courses, but it’s free to sign up.)
Network at Every Opportunity. I can’t tell you how many clients I talk to who have struck up conversations with friends at kids birthday parties and found a job lead. Get out there and get comfortable speaking about what you are looking for.
This summer may look a little different than normal because of social distancing, but there are still opportunities to network! You don’t have to wait until the next in-person birthday party to make connections. I’m seeing a surge in zoom meetings and online social gatherings that are great places to network. Drop the news that you are looking to return on your next wine and zoom! Put yourself out there and meet new people, introducing what you’d like to do with your career when it’s appropriate. You never know who might have a connection that will give you that foot in the door.
Practice Your [Adult] Social Skills. Being with kids 24/7 can make being with adults seem like a vacation. But don’t get caught up in wanting to have a non-kid chat so much that you don’t stop talking. (Confession: I’m guilty of this!) Be sure to ask lots of questions and actively listen to whom you are speaking with.
And here’s a social distancing way you can practice: When on the phone, smile! It sounds silly since they can’t see you. But a smile comes across in your tone. Don’t believe me? Give it a try! Call your best friend and do an experiment. Say a couple of phrases twice in a row - one without smiling and one with smiling. Ask which one was with a smile. Was he or she correct? Simply smiling can make a big difference in your career development.
Write out your goals and aspirations. Planning for your future career won't be successful if you don’t set actionable and measurable goals for yourself. Ask yourself where you want to be in five years, then set yearly, quarterly, and even monthly goals to reach between now and then. Thinking long-term first will help you to create smaller steps that are more likely to get you there.
And keep in mind that this process should take some time. Don’t plan to sit down and be done in an hour. Spend 30 minutes a few times a week working on it during the summer. You can even brainstorm while sitting next to the pool or taking a family road trip. And don’t be afraid to get the family involved! They will love that you are including them in such a big move and will likely have some great ideas.
Want more? Here are five effective Parents Pivot tips for re-establishing yourself after a career break after kids. And if you are finding the process of returning to work stressful and overwhelming, I’m here to help you make it fun and successful! Contact me today to set up a one-on-one coaching session to uncover your potential.
