Top Tips for Mum's and Dad's Returning to the Workforce
Tip 1: Firstly, ensure you’re ready
Many of us jump right back into work without stopping to consider if we are fully prepared to do so. To avoid feeling overwhelmed, stretched thin, or totally drained by your career and personal life, set up support systems. This includes child support and support in the home. You don’t necessarily need to pay for this support – it can be other family members or friends agreeing to support your journey back to work – but its best to plan this support in advance.
During your time off work, you may also have decided that you are in fact ready for a career change and discovered you need to reskill. Although study may seem daunting to undertake with children – it can be manageable with the right course flexibility and support systems. An online course can support managing study and family, and often has direct access to trainers at times that are convenient to your own schedule.
Tip 2: Up-skill or Retrain
So, you have decided that your prior work situation won’t be viable with children? You may have found yourself out of work following an extended break from the workforce, or it may be that you have decided that you want to find a new career or up-skill? Then it’s time to do some training.
The best part is, there are courses across many industries, so if you’re looking for an entirely new experience, you can do that too! Click here to discover some courses that may be of interest here .
Tip 3: A Family Friendly Work Environment
If you are ready to go straight back into the workforce, investigate parent-friendly options. If you are looking for a role in a new organisation, investigate how they accommodate to family requirements. You will likely find the 9am to 5pm workday you used to easily conquer is now tricky to manage. Find out if there are flexible working arrangements available to you. This could include flexible start and finish times, part-time, casual or contract work to help you balance both your worlds.
Tip 4: Update your Resume
If you are seeking work in a new organisation, chances are you haven’t updated your resume since your last job. When you are updating your resume, make sure you focus on any new skills or experience that you have acquired, including a good summary of what you achieved in your last role. Also, contact your previous employer for a referral and even a few friendly pointers on getting back into the workforce.
Tip 5: Update Your Industry Knowledge
You’ve probably been out of the game for a while, so updating yourself on your industry is crucial. Whether you work in IT, business, hospitality, retail, finance or childcare, understanding what’s changed in your field is an essential part of re-entering the workforce. Contact past colleagues and peers asking them to share any key updates or changes that you should know about and read up on industry news.
Tip 6: Go to Your Interview Prepared
Interview questions can be tough to answer if you haven’t done your research! It doesn’t take much research to make the interview process less stressful. Do a thorough internet search on the company and within seconds you have company information at your fingertips. Research the company values and jot down ideas on how you align to them. Remember, many people have the skill set to carry out the same work as you. The distinguisher can be your cultural fit to the organisation. Make sure you know why you want to work at the company and share with them the value you will bring to their organisation.
Overall, the more prepared you are, the smoother your transition will be – and remember it’s always a balancing act!
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Top Tips for Mum's and Dad's Returning to the Workforce