It is common to see moms extend their maternal leave. Some may extend by six months, while others go up to three years. Extended leave benefits your child but may affect your career.
Employers could have many questions about that extended gap. Some may interpret it as a lack of interest in work.
Some might assume you lost your skills. When you have been away for several years, fitting back can be hard. You might want to work harder to prove your worth.
If you are planning to return to your career after a prolonged maternal leave, these tips will help.
Update Your Resume
So much could have happened within the time of your leave. New technology could have occurred. Companies might have already adopted that technology. By the time you return, you could be several years behind in technology.
It is okay to have this gap but keep your CV updated. Do not try and hide the gap but find a way to include something. It is not easy to rewrite and rearrange your CV.
However, you can get your CV redone with hiring professional CV writers. It will look presentable, and many employers may not quickly notice there is a gap.
You should be frank and say you were on maternal leave. You can say you were at home taking care of your baby. But the way to craft the wording matters.
Being a mom may not count as part of the job experience. Nevertheless, it should not prevent you from returning to your career.
Don’t Ignore Part-Time or Contract Jobs
You may not be able to bounce back immediately. Regardless, you can start somewhere and climb up. During your job search, you may get employers offering part-time work.
Others will offer you a one or two-year contract.
Your priority should be the money you are earning. If it sustains you and your baby, take the job. The time you will work there will help you regain experience.
It can be much better to get a job in the same field. It will help you refresh your skills.
Even if you get a contract or part-time job, don’t stop searching. Continue sending applications. Update your CV to include the contract or part-time work.
Many people started as part-time workers. After gaining experience, they were hired permanently.
Refresh Your Skills
Employers always ask for skills and experience. After prolonged maternal leave, this might be a problem. The employer might not bank on your previous experience much.
They may consider your skills as overtaken by time.
When you are preparing to return to work, search to know what is trending. Know the current skills in your career field.
Understand which skills will help you be hired fast. Do not feel intimidated because your skills look outdated.
Register for a short time refresher course. Let your teacher know you want to refresh. This will help you not to be taken back to the basics.
The teacher will customize a refresher course for you. After completing the course, include it in your CV.
Improve Your Soft Skills
In today’s career market, soft skills are critical. Beyond experience and education, employers consider soft skills. They look for people with a higher level of confidence.
They hire people with better problem-solving skills. Search on tips for time management and communication. Develop your creativity and adaptability skills.
These skills may not seem to have a big effect. In today’s career sector, soft skills mean a lot.
Alert Your Network
Networks are good in the career field. It is important to be in a like-minded group. There are communities that you can share knowledge with.
When you take your maternal leave, keep these contacts. You need them at the time of your return to your career.
Write to them and tell them you want to start working again. Update them on the experience you have. You might have taken an online course during your leave.
Tell them about your latest skills. Include your email and telephone contact. You must be specific about what you are looking for.
The other people you should inform are your family members. Call your friends and previous co-workers. Get in contact with your neighbors and inform them.
Your aim should be to inform as many people as possible. This will increase your chances of getting hired.
Begin to Send Applications
You must try every possible way to get a job. However, you should be specific about what you want. If you want an HR position, be specific to people.
If you are not specific, you will be invited for any type of job. Search jo search platforms and register with them. Upload your CV and wait.
Search company career portals and apply. You should never stop applying as long as you haven’t gotten a job. Even if it means applying to one thousand companies, do so. Your efforts will pay off once you get a job.
Put Your Skills Into Practice
Your skills are important to society. As you wait to get back into your career, make use of your skills. For example, you might be a web developer.
Volunteer and develop a website for a local charitable organization. If you are an accountant, help the organization balance its books. You may not earn anything, but it will be useful in your career.
You could also use your skills for freelancing. Work for a company online and earn from them. You will earn not only an income but also skills.
These skills will help you at the time when you will be ready to return to your career.
Try a new field
There could be more competition in your career field. This means you could take longer to get a job. There might be no competition in a different career field.
Check your skills to know which other field you might do well in. If there is another field that you can work in, try it out. You might realize later it was a better field than your previous one.
Get Ready for an Interview
You will undergo the same hiring process as in your previous job. If an employer considers hiring you, they will invite you for an interview. Most employers today have a series of interviews.
They start with a personality test before conducting a one-on-one interview.
Even if you have undertaken a test before, get ready with information. Each company may have a customized test for its applicants.
Read information about the tests to understand what questions could be asked. Time yourself on speed and accuracy in answering questions. A lot of information about the tests is available online.
Get Ready to Work Harder
You must get ready to step out of your comfort zone. Your body is already used to certain types of activities. You probably wake up in the morning to prepare food for your baby.
You might not have a lot of activities during the day. You are already used to staying with your baby for an entire day.
After you get a job, everything will be different. You will be waking up earlier to go to work. You will be away from your baby for about eight to ten hours daily.
You still want to prove to your employer that you can be productive. Get ready to work harder and balance between being a mom and a worker.
