How to Return to the Workforce after Kids

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By Lisa Hutchinson

Topics: Return to Work

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How_to_Return_to_the_Workforce_after_Kids.jpgBeing a stay-at-home parent has its ups and downs. On the one hand, you get to raise your children and spend quality time with them. But on the other, staying at home to raise kids could lead to financial problems as well as isolation.

Many stay-at-home moms and dads choose to stay home with their kids until they’re ready to go to daycare, go to school, or leave the nest. But eventually, many want to return to the workforce, to get back into the swing of things, and to earn a much needed pay cheque.

Not sure how to return to the workforce after a prolonged leave to raise your kids? Use these tips.

Perform a Career Evaluation

If you’ve been out of the workforce for some time now, you might not really know where you see yourself working. You could return to your previous career, which could make your job search easier because you’ll already have contacts and experience to count on. But if you know that you want to follow a new career path, start by conducting a career evaluation. Since raising your kids during the past few years, you’ve grown as an individual. You might have new interests and passions that you want to pursue. A career evaluation can help you decide on a career path that is rewarding, challenging, and personally fulfilling.

Update Your Experience and Skills

When you haven’t been employed for years, you might notice that your experience and skills have become rusty and out of date. The world moves quickly and you could find yourself behind the times with computer applications and other things you might have been an expert in before. After all, if you don’t practice your skills regularly, you’ll lose them.

You need to overcome this obstacle in order to prove that you’re still as strong in your field now as you were when you left.

Volunteering can be one of the easiest and most fulfilling ways to improve your abilities. Also, consider taking a class, whether at a local college or online, to get your training up to date. Attend conferences in your industry to get back in the know about the latest happenings in your field. Read industry magazines and research online.

Be Strategic with Your Resume

The traditional resume takes on a chronological order, where your most current work experience is listed first. As a stay-at-home parent, you’ll have a big gap right at the top of this type of resume, which can be a red flag.

So instead, strategically organize your resume in a way that downplays your time off and emphasizes your skills. Put your skills towards the top of your resume, and your work history towards the bottom. List your most impressive work experience first, instead of in chronological order. And be honest—don’t exaggerate or lie about your time off. Be sure to check for errors and avoid common resume mistakes.

Practice Interviewing

Your interviewing skills will likely be rusty now. But the interview is your time to shine, so you have to nail it. Go online and find sample interview questions. Write out your answers. Practice them with a friend or family member through a mock interview. You should also go online to find interview tips that will help you land the job.

Be prepared for a phone or Skype interview as well, since many companies are now using these types of interviews before in-person meetings.

Engage a Staffing Firm

A recruiter at a staffing firm can do many things for you that will help you successfully return to the workforce. They’ll offer helpful career advice to get you on the right career path. They’ll know of many employment opportunities that aren’t advertised anywhere else. They’ll be able to find opportunities that match your needs, such as flexible hours or part-time work, and they’ll go to bat for you, so you’ll have an edge over the competition.

If you’re ready to return to the workforce after kids, contact Liberty Staffing for help.

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Lisa Hutchinson

I started with Liberty Staffing in 2004 as the Regional Business Manager of the London office. I have over 20 years of experience in the customer service and retail sectors, as well as leadership experience including Store Management, People Development and Recruiting. In 2016, our London location moved to a larger office in order to accommodate growth of our business, which included adding a Clerical Division.

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