Being A Stay-At-Home Mom Doesn’t Have To Be A Career Killer

Photo by Katie Emslie on Unsplash

Being a stay-at-home mom doesn’t have to be a career killer. While many people think stepping out of work to raise kids can be detrimental to their career potential, there are ways to secure your competitive edge while out of work to make that transition back into work and advancement easier.

#1: Go back to school

Many courses can be studied part-time at your local college, and others, such as this mba online can be completed at home, so it is still possible to raise the kids and study to aid your career. This will give you that competitive edge when it’s finally time for you to reenter the workplace, fast-tracking you towards career advancement possibilities.

#2: Serve your community

Think about your job skills, and then look for ways to use them within your community. So, if you have skills in accountancy, for example, you might offer your services to struggling small businesses. If you have nursing skills, you could volunteer your time as a first-aider at school or community events. By serving your community, you are not only giving yourself scope to flex your abilities without them going to waste, but you are also doing something to add to your resumé to enhance your employability.

#3: Work remotely

You don’t need to give up work entirely, especially if your current or last employer offers the possibility of remote working. In theory, you will then have the flexibility to raise the kids and still have the opportunity to continue in your career, despite being at home. And if your employer refuses or can’t allow for this, you might still look for telecommuting jobs with other companies to both continue your career and give you new skills to add to your resumé.

#4: Network with others

Stay in touch with previous colleagues to catch up on the latest innovations and developments within your industry. Join LinkedIn and Facebook groups or phone conferences and connect with others within your career. Join professional associations within your locale to make connections with people who could one day give you that step-up you need. And meet up with other stay-at-home moms with similar career dreams as yours, and draw on their advice and support while offering them the same.

#5: Work on your resumé

Don’t assume you have nothing to add to your resumé as a stay-at-home mom. We have already discussed extra qualifications and voluntary work within this article, but you also have your SAHM credentials too. Take a look at this list of mom skills, and where relevant, add them to your resumé too. From time-management  to problem-solving skills, you will have more to offer employers than you think, so never assume time with your kids is wasted when it comes to advancing in your career.

Finally

We aren’t saying going back to work will be easy after being a stay-at-home mom. We aren’t saying the road to career advancement will be a smooth one after time away from the workplace. But you can give yourself that competitive edge, in all of the ways we have suggested within this article, so don’t give up hope if you do have to take some time away from your career.

We hope this advice has been useful to you, but let us know if you have any other hints and tips for any of our readers worrying about the future of their careers. Take care, and thanks for reading!