Are you a new mum thinking of returning back to work? Or maybe you have been out of the office for a few years now to raise children. No matter what your situation is, returning back to work as a new mum can be daunting and confusing, particularly if you are not returning back to the job that you were in previously. Here, we are taking you through some of our top tips for mums going back into the workforce.
Analyse Where You Are
Any mums give themselves a hard time for not having a professional career, however, it is important to remember that you have one of the most important jobs which is raising children. Although you are not being paid, it is still extremely hard work and a constant full-time job. It is important to analyse where you are before venturing back out into the working world. Take a look at what new skills being a mother has brought you. For most mums, this includes good time keeping to make sure children are at appointments on time, keeping track of playdates requires organisational skills, helping other mums is teamwork, while connecting with other mums is networking. All of these are transferable skills that will help you in any new job role.
Ease Yourself In
Going from being a full-time mum to a full-time job can be stressful, so while the children are out at school and you have a few hours free, why not start off by doing some volunteer work. This will help to start integrating you back into the working world, plus it looks great on your CV when you do start applying for jobs and is sure to make you stand out as a candidate amongst the rest of the crowd.
Think About Your Career Path
As a new mum, you may find that the work you once did is not as fulfilling to you anymore or it may even be that this type of role is no longer needed. Have a good think about the career path that you want to take and what your talents are. If you have a particular skill set, why not think about going solo and starting your own business?
You can set up your own office or inventory space from home if you have a spare room, or build a small metal building in your garden and work from here to start building your business. Having your own steel building would give you fantastic flexibility as you won’t have to pay anyone rent for your business, but it will provide you with the structure that you need to go to your own office for ‘work mode.’ It also means you can choose the hours that you work and be flexible with your time which is fantastic for those who need to be there for young children. If this is an option that you think would suit you, one of the most popular providers is Armstrong Steel who can give you custom pricing based on your requirements (which you can lock to ensure it doesn’t go up).
Be Honest
When you are going for job interviews, it is a good idea to be honest with your potential employers and let them know that you are a mum with young children. This will let the employer know that you are not going to be available at certain times, and if they are not open to this it isn’t the job for you anyway!
