If you're a stay at home mom or dad currently on parental leave, you may be asking yourself whether you should be returning to the workforce once your time of leave is complete. The answer is different for everyone, and there's no wrong decision. Some parents have the ability to stay home full time to raise their child. Unfortunately, not everyone has the ability to do this. When you're not working, you have no money coming in, and some parents just don't have the option of staying home because of financial reasons.
Staying home and raising a child has great moments. You have the ability to watch your child grow everyday and develop new skills. You can spend quality time with them. However, along with financial issues, the downside is that some parents feel isolated from society, and removed from the working world. Having been out of the workforce for so long, you may be feeling a bit out of the loop.
If you've decided to return to the workforce after maternity or paternity leave, Liberty Staffing would like to provide you with some tips to help in the transition. We want to make your return to the workforce as seamless as possible.
1. Take a Career Evaluation
While returning to the workforce can be emotionally difficult for a new parent, you should be feeling optimistic about the job that you are returning to, or the new position that you've obtained. If not, perhaps you should evaluate your career options. Often, many parents take a new direction in their career path. Perhaps you're looking for a position with less hours. Or, maybe you're just looking to start a job in a new field to try something new.
Since raising your child, you've grown as an individual. Completing a career evaluation can help you determine what jobs you should be applying to.
2. Update Your Skills
Having been out work for a couple of months, or a year, you may notice that your experience and skills are a little rusty. That's normal. Today's world is fast paced and technology driven. Updates are constantly being made in the working world.
A great way to update your skills is to volunteer your time. Or, consider taking a class (online or what a local university or college). Attend conferences in your industry to stay up to date. All of these things can help you stay on top of trends and advancements that have been made while you've been away.
3. Start with Something Temporary or Part Time
Unsure about whether you should return to work or not? Do you think jumping back in to a full time position will be too much to take on? Start with a job that is temporary or part time. This is a great option for parents who are unsure if returning to work after parental leave is right for them.
Temporary work could refer to a job that's for a couple of days, or an ongoing opportunity for a couple of weeks/months. Temporary work can have full time hours (for example, 40 hours per week). Part time refers to work that is legally less than what is considered full time hours per week. Normally, part time is 20 hours per week, but varies depending on the specific position.
Liberty Staffing currently has many temporary opportunities available throughout Ontario. We also have some part time work available in Guelph.
4. Practice Interviewing
Being a stay at home mom or dad, you've probably become an expert in baby talk. Spending 24/7 with your girl or boy will do that. And that's great! Unfortunately, many parents don't have a window of opportunity for a lot of "adult" talk. This reverts back to that feeling of isolation that we talked about earlier. So when you're returning to the workforce and you go on multiple job interviews, you may be feeling a bit rusty.
Do some practice rounds of interviewing. You can search online for common interview questions. Ask a family member or friend to have a mock interview with you. Practice in a mirror.
5. Connect with a Staffing Agency
Probably the greatest thing you can do when you're looking for work is to connect with a staffing agency. Liberty Staffing offers general labour, warehouse, industrial, and office positions throughout Ontario. We make the job hunt easy and painless. All that you have to do is come in to one of our branch locations, have an interview with us, and we can offer you jobs from there. Instead of applying to job opportunity after job opportunity, you can apply once to Liberty Staffing and we can offer you work, instead of the other way around.
Ready to return to the workforce? Contact Liberty Staffing today!
