Life has a way of presenting us with new chapters, each bringing its own set of challenges and opportunities. For many women, the prospect of getting a job after being a stay-at-home mom might seem daunting after dedicating years to nurturing their families.
But fear not, for this journey back to professional fulfillment can be both exhilarating and rewarding.
- How To Easily Land A Job After Being A Stay-At-Home Mom
- Decide the job you want
- Know the job market
- Networking
- Keep up your current skills
- Learn new skills needed to progress in your industry
- Take online courses
- Keep an updated resume
- Utilize Social Job Sites
- Edit all social media accounts
- Bridge the stay-at-home mom “job gap”
- Final Thoughts on How to Get a Job After Being A Stay-At-Home Mom
How To Easily Land A Job After Being A Stay-At-Home Mom
In this guide, we’ll explore invaluable strategies that help stay-at-home moms (SAHMs) not only keep pace with a rapidly evolving job market but also excel within it.
The following strategy is one that will take some extra time and effort to complete, but it will increase your chances of landing a more lucrative job after being a stay-at-home mom for years; as compared to other SAHM’s who didn’t take advantage of their time away from the workforce.
From being the full-time care taker of your children to mastering remote work and embracing continuous learning, this is your compass for charting a triumphant course back into the professional world.
Decide the job you want
To begin finding a job after being a stay-at-home mom, make a list to know what job positions to look for. This takes a few minutes to begin with, but will save you so much time while looking for a job to apply for. Lets begin.
Answer the following questions:
- Do you want to be an employee or an entrepreneur?
- Are you seeking a part-time or full-time position?
- What is your desired salary/ hourly pay?
- Do you want a career with growth opportunities?
- What are your passions (in and out of “work”)? (if you’re interested in changing careers)
- What jobs/careers align with those passions? (if you’re interested in changing careers)
- What job skills do you currently excel in?
- What extra training have you received?
- What experience do you have working in your desired job?
- What positions fit your lifestyle?
- What companies are you interested in working for (or with – for entrepreneurs)?
Use these answers to find your place in the job market. Now, lets get online and look at job listings!
Know the job market
Don’t be blindsided when your kids are in school or out of the house, and it’s time to go back to work. Know what jobs are available and what skills they are looking for.
Look at job listings every few months, even when you’re nowhere near entering the workforce again.
Websites like indeed.com allow you to sign up for emails to specific companies and/or industries to receive an email when new jobs become available in them. Look through the remote job listings for your desired industries as well.
If you decide to hop back into the workforce but want to continue staying home to care for your children, working remotely could be a great option for you to do part-time to fill the “mom gap” in your resume. More on “bridging the gap” later.
Networking
Get involved in an active online community of people in your industry. By staying up to date with everything happening in your industry, you won’t feel completely out of the loop when you go back.
This will help you feel slightly more comfortable when it’s time to jump back in the working world.
You may even meet new people while networking online and they may be able to help you find a great job or better company than the one you were in before!
The people you know and meet can help you progress further.
Keep up your current skills
After years of not using a certain skill set, the knowledge tends to fade away. With continued education or online courses, you can keep your skills up to date with current industry standards for hiring.
Another way to keep up your skills is to freelance part-time, or start your own small business. More on this later.
Learn new skills needed to progress in your industry
Look for jobs in your industry that pay MORE than the one you left to become a stay-at-home mom.
List the requirements of those job positions or call the companies you like most and ask them what the requirements are for hiring in those positions.
Take initiative and seek out accredited courses and resources to learn new or updated skills or new programs your industry may be using.
Take online courses
Once you create a list of skills needed to progress in your industry, search for online courses that can teach you those skills.
Whether it is offered by a college to receive a degree, or from an independent course online, invest in your future (and in turn, your children’s future).
Take notes from these courses to look back on and study periodically.
Keep an updated resume
As a stay-at-home mom, we have a lot going on and some priorities get forgotten. But remember to update your resume every time you take new courses and learn new job skills!
If you wait until it’s time to apply to a job, you may forget to add all the new skills you put time and possibly money into learning. Don’t let your time be wasted.
Record all the new skills you’ve learned on your resume to be prepared for returning to work and earning higher pay.
Utilize Social Job Sites
Most employers want to see your Linkedin account. Some places even require you to have one to simply apply! Go ahead an update your LinkedIn account or make one if you don’t already have one.
Edit all social media accounts
When employers are making a decision on who to hire, they may look at your online presence to get a feel for what kind of person you really are and who they will be working with on a day-to-day basis.
Make sure what you show on social media aligns with someone your future employer will be inclined to hire.
Meaning, delete any photos or posts you may not want your employer to see.
If you have photos that don’t align with who you are anymore (for example: crazy pictures from a party you attended way back when), consider removing those and keep them for your personal memories instead.
Bridge the stay-at-home mom “job gap”
Filling the large gap in your resume is one part of the process that will take extra time and effort before getting a job after being a stay-at-home mom.
To fill the gap and increase the chances of getting hired at your desired company, consider doing one of the following:
Consider Freelancing
Freelancing is a great option to stay current in your industry. It will also fill in the gaps of your resume to show you haven’t been completely out of the loop while being a stay-at-home mom!
Work Remote Part-Time
There are endless opportunities now that many companies have remote job positions. Being a stay-at-home mom with small children, I would recommend choosing a job that does not require you to be on the phone. With a flexible remote job, you can make your own hours and find a work schedule that works best for you and your family’s needs.
Start an Online Small Business
If you have the motivation to work for yourself, and are tired of answering to other people, consider starting your own business. For example, I have a few blog websites that i run on my own and answer to no one! It is bliss! If you’re interested in starting your own blog, I have a list of posts to get you started.
If you’re not interested in blogging, you may be interested in this list of ways to make money online as a stay-at-home mom.
Starting my own blog has opened so many doors for my future. If I decide I’m done blogging and I want or need to go work for someone else, I have a large amount of new skills to take with me. And a portfolio of my work (the websites themselves)!
When starting a business, consider starting one that has many transferable skills that can be used to get a higher-paying job in the future if needed.
Final Thoughts on How to Get a Job After Being A Stay-At-Home Mom
As a stay-at-home mom, you give boundless dedication and a remarkable ability to adapt. If you follow this plan, your journey back to work after being a stay-at-home mom will be a leap forward into a world brimming with newfound possibilities.
Armed with a commitment to lifelong learning, an arsenal of up-to-date skills, and an engaged community of peers, you’re poised to reignite your career in ways you might have never imagined.
Remember, this transition is not just about a job; it’s about reclaiming your identity, reigniting your passions, and securing a brighter future for both yourself and your loved ones.
So, embrace this adventure with open arms, knowing that your potential knows no bounds.
