Are you thinking of going back to work to pursue your career? When my youngest son was born, I had to opportunity to step back from my career. The decision wasn’t easy and nothing I ever expected, but it made the most sense at the time. It was a scary step, but one I will never regret. Being a stay-at-home mom was a blessing. The ability to care for the kids full-time without the pressure of a full-time job is something that I will forever treasure.
My time as SAHM was extremely busy. I was able to keep what I think was a healthy balance between being a mom and caring for myself. I had the fortune to engage in different projects that kept me engaged and provided me a vision outside of parenting. Something that turned out very helpful for my sanity. When the pandemic hit, I was happy to not have the stress of juggling work and distance learning. I have a special admiration to all families that managed everything at the same time. It was not an easy period for parents in general.
Heading Back to Work
After a couple of years, and as the kids got older and more independent, I started exploring opportunities to get back to work. The transition back did not look easy, and I was specially interested in maintaining a healthy work life balance. Job searching was intimidating since I constantly doubted my abilities and was not interested at starting back from zero. I was lucky to get support along the way to bring me closer to the place I am now. Looking back at my days as SAHM, there are some great steps that allowed me to jump start my career.
1. Polish Resume
Before you transition into SAHM, prepare your resume. Think about being ready to interview as soon as you can. This will allow you to easily add new skills and experience. By having it ready, you will not miss big details on what you are or were doing. Starting with a good base will relieve some anxiety that comes from resume building.
2. Build Skills
It is not the easiest idea, but not only would learning keep your brain engage and hopefully provide you with satisfaction. It will also add to your toolbox. Take advantage of online learning and virtual platforms to meet you where you are with your family and allow the flexibility you need. I am glad I joined as a Contributor with DC Area Moms nearly 5 years ago!
3. Join a Board
Forget the PTA, when you are looking for key elements to make you employable, think about a non-profit board. There are lots of options for all types of organizations with different levels of commitment. By joining a board, you will be able to get business experience, access training, and expand your network.
Being a SAHM is great and very rewarding. For those of us returning to work, it is not easy. SAHMs are sometimes penalized by the job market, which makes it difficult to consider the transition. Hopefully the market will start to understand the value and skills we gain over our time at home. After all, being the CEO of a family is not an easy task.
Share your experience with your transition back to work in the comments!
