Many moms (and more dads) take a few years away from their careers to raise their children. But how do you get your career back on track after a few years (or more) at home with the kids?
Give it time. Keep in mind that going from being a stay-at-home parent to being back in the workforce can be a big transition. If it’s been a few years since you last had a full-time job, it might take a while to find the right position. You might have to start at a lower salary level than you would like, or with a reduced amount of responsibilities. You might need to upgrade your skills or get an entirely new degree. Think of this as a longer-term transition – be prepared to spend a year or more finding the right job, perhaps working part-time, before you fully feel like a “full-time” career person again.
Stay connected. Even while you’re home with the kids, it’s important to stay in touch with colleagues in your field – whether you’re a teacher, a school administrator, or other education professional. Just getting together for an occasional cup of coffee or stopping in at the school to see how things are going can be a valuable way to keep in touch and stay “top of mind” for colleagues who might be able to help you get hired someday.
Network. Find people you know who are doing the kind of work you want to do, and learn from them. Whether you want to get back into the classroom as a teacher, run an after-school program, or get into administration, it’s never too soon to start learning about the possibilities. Get together for informational interviews – find out what it takes to do the job that these people are doing. What credentials do you need? How long does it take? What are the pitfalls and drawbacks of the job?
Volunteer. One of the best ways to get back into “career mode” is to start out volunteering at a school. Be a reading tutor, help out in the library, or be a classroom volunteer. There are many ways to offer your services to a nearby school – they would probably be grateful to have an experienced education professional helping them out. And this volunteer experience can help refocus your energies and give you valuable perspective on what your next steps should be career-wise.
Get credentials. Depending on your career goals, you might need to get another degree or some other professional credential or certification. Do you want to teach middle school reading? Music? Get a Master’s degree and be a school principal? Do you want to take your career in a totally different direction? Find out about the necessary credentials and put together a plan to make it happen – it might take you a few years and some student loans, but you’ll be on the right path.
Ben Gran is a freelance writer based in Des Moines, Iowa. He is an award-winning blogger who loves to write about careers, personal finance and the future of work. Ben can be reached at http://benjamingran.com/
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