Having a stay-at-home parent while a child is young can save big money in childcare expenses. But, what happens after the child starts school? Check out this article to learn how to keep up your workforce skills while being a stay-at-home parent!
The following post is by MPFJ staff writer, Laurie Blank. Laurie is a wife, mother to 4 and homesteader who blogs about personal finance, self-sufficiency, and life in general over at The Frugal Farmer. Part witty, part introspective and part silly, her goal in blogging is to help others find their way to financial freedom and to a simpler, more peaceful life.
If you have decided as a mother (or father) to set your career aside and spend a few years staying at home to raise your children full-time, you may be worried about how other career industry – or any workforce industry – hiring agents will view you when you decide it’s time to head back to working outside the home.
You have a right to be concerned: studies done have shown that while some HR interviewers do recognize the powerful negotiation, time management and other skills required to care for children full time, many others do indeed feel hesitant toward hiring people who have been out of the workforce for a while.
As a stay-at-home parent who plans on re-entering the workforce at some point, here are some things you can do to keep your value high in the eyes of those who make hiring decisions.
Keep Abreast of Changes in Your Industry
If you plan on returning to a career in the same industry you were in before you become a stay-at-home-mom (SAHM), it’s important to keep yourself aware of industry changes. Employers considering hiring SAHMs will feel more confident knowing that you are educated on the current trends and technology in your field.
Use the Internet and other resources to stay on top of changes and updates in your field, and as a bonus, keep your resume’ updated to reflect any training you’ve completed, even if it’s self-directed training.
Practice Professionalism at Home
When you stay at home all day, it’s easy to live in your pajamas or sweatpants and let your personal appearance and organization skills slide. Being at home full-time is tough work and it’s not uncommon for SAHMs to get overwhelmed with all there is to do.
If you treat your job as a SAHM like a business, you’ll l get to practice the much needed organizational and time management skills needed for any job, and employers will appreciate knowing that you took your work as a SAHM seriously enough to treat it like the valued work it is.
You can practice professionalism in your stay-at-home job by working to dress and get ready for your “job” as soon as you can in the morning, and by creating schedules and routines for yourself and your family just as you would in any other management position.
Stay Connected
Just because you’re not technically working at an out-of-the-home job doesn’t mean you can’t continue to network. Spend time connecting with other professionals either in or out of your industry.
Keep in contact and attend social events with people at your former workplace. Attend networking meetings in your city. Work to keep lines of communication with those in your industry open and current so that you don’t slip off their radar.
Be Involved in Other Activities
Just because you’re a SAHM doesn’t mean you can’t have a life outside of caring for your children. Take some time each week to volunteer for organizations that are close to your heart. Get involved with local city planning events and attend their scheduled meetings.
Being involved in outside activities shows potential future employers that you are still committed to being involved with people outside of your family and that you care about personal development as well.
Consider Working from Home on a Part-Time Basis
You also may want to consider doing a smaller amount of work from home, either in your current field or a different field in order to show that you haven’t left the working world entirely behind. Luckily, there are many options for working from home with today’s technology.
By having some freelancing or telecommuting work on your resume’ while you were at home – even if it’s just a few hours a week – you’ll help assure employers that may be worried that you’ve lost your edge while raising your children.
Choosing to be a stay-at-home parent doesn’t mean you have to give up your professional career forever. By following the tips above, you can help prepare yourself for when you are ready to re-enter your career field of choice.
How about you all? Are you a stay at home parent? Do you take any steps to keep up your “regular” workforce skills?
Share your experiences by commenting below!
***Photo courtesy of https://www.flickr.com/photos/gotcredit/33372380360/sizes/l
