Plotting a return to work after a break can be both intimidating and exciting. But, taking the time to plan your return to the workforce can make the process smoother for your family. Here are some tips to help you plan accordingly.

Tips for Stay-at-Home Parents Returning to Work

– Make the Time to Find Work

“Returning to work is something that may take time—a lot of time—to do,” say the Career Experts at FlexJobs. “Set realistic expectations going in that this process may take many weeks or, more likely, months, to go through fully. Too often, moms and dads burn brightly at the beginning of the journey but quickly extinguish because it’s a longer process than they realized.”

Although job searches can take several weeks or months for any job seeker, research shows that it may take longer for parents returning to the workforce. A 2018 study found that parents who take time off of work to care for their families were about half as likely to get called in for an interview as people who had been working but were unemployed for other reasons.

While those statistics may be disheartening, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to transition from full-time parent to full-time employee. Plenty of parents who have taken time off from work to raise a family have successfully returned to work after years at home.

– Get in the Right Frame of Mind

“Start practicing as if you’re already returning to work,” the Career Experts advise. “Talk openly about your career and the work you either used to do or the work you want to do (if they’re different). Practice talking about yourself as a professional rather than a parent. These small mindset changes, along with a lot of practice talking out loud about work as someone who works, will set you up to speak confidently when you’re interacting with potential employers.”

– Get Some Advice

If most of your friends are fellow stay-at-home parents, you may need to look outside your circle for some advice and inspiration. Try to connect with other working parents to see how they balance work life and family life.

The Career Experts add, “Even if you don’t know many working parents personally, you can use online groups on Facebook and LinkedIn to connect virtually with other moms and dads who’ve either made the return to work or are in the middle of it. Their insights, advice, and camaraderie will be a huge source of support, energy, and inspiration as you make your return.”

Ask them how they conducted their job searches, what they wish someone had told them when they were looking for a job and returning to work, and any job search strategies for success they may have.

– Determine What You Really Want to Do

You know you want to work, but you may not be sure what you want to do. Perhaps you’re thinking about going back to your old career because it’s easier than starting over. But, maybe, you want to try something new.

Sit down and think about the things that have brought you joy while you were raising your children. Determine what you truly want to do, and then figure out the steps you need to take to make it happen.

– Make a Job Search Plan

After contemplating the above questions and having a firm grasp on your and your family’s needs, create a job search plan. Knowing what you need to do and when you need to do it will help keep you on track and give you actionable tasks to work on if you start getting frustrated.

Set up your job search and networking goals, then mark the dates on your calendar. This could include taking classes to learn (or update) skills, volunteering, or even looking for adult internships.

Prepare your elevator pitch, personal brand, and five-word job description. Once you’ve got those set, use them when you connect with professionals and conduct informational interviews.

Seek out and verify job search services that can help. There are a lot of job searching scams out there, so do your homework to make sure you’re only applying to legitimate jobs and companies.

– Update Your Social Profiles

Many people have more than one social media account. But, even if you have only one account, make sure it’s up to date and doesn’t contain anything questionable.

If there are pictures or opinions you don’t want employers to see, consider changing your privacy settings so only people you approve can view your profile.

While you’re at it, optimize your LinkedIn profile. Not only does it give you a chance to showcase your relevant skills, but it’s also a great way to show you’re involved and active in your subject area.

Answering Tough Questions About Going Back to Work

Congratulations—they want to interview you! As you prepare for the big day, remember there are plenty of ways to explain your employment gap in a professional and reassuring manner.

– Own It

Don’t hide your time off raising a family. Depending on how long you were out of work for, you likely acquired many transferable skills that can be used in the workplace. Furthermore, mention any volunteer work, side projects, and freelance work you did while taking care of your family.

– Dealing With Tough Topics

Whether or not it’s legal or fair, there’s a chance someone might ask you questions that they shouldn’t. If you find yourself in this position, it’s important to be prepared to hear the questions and have a perfect answer ready to go.

Some of the less-than-ideal questions can include:

• Is your career more important than your family?
• How do you let someone else raise your children?
• Who cooks for your kids?
• Do you have to work?

There are, of course, many more like this. But, for the most part, when it comes to answering these types of interview questions, you’ve got a few options.

The most important thing to do is to remain calm. Take a deep breath, and try one of these techniques to answer the question.

First, you could answer the question directly. “Who cooks for my kids? My partner, because I’m terrible at it, so the deal is they cook, and I clean the dishes.”

Second, you can try a humorous answer to redirect the question and deflect the answer. “Who cooks for my kids? Anyone I can con into it because I am a terrible cook. Seriously. I can’t even boil water correctly!”

Third, you could ask the interviewer how the question relates to the job duties. “Who cooks for my kids? Can I ask why this is important? I want to understand the job and all of its duties. If I’m going to cook and be your account manager, I’d like to know that information.”

In the end, this will give you valuable insight into the company and its culture.

Options for Stay-at-Home Moms and Dads Returning to Work

If you didn’t get the job, don’t give up! There are still things you can do that will help you return to work.

– Part-Time and Temp Work

Consider part-time jobs or freelance jobs as a transition step to regular, full-time employment. This way, it’s something to help you and your family get used to you working. It also lets you test the waters and figure out what kind of balance works best for you and your family.

Part-time, temporary, and freelance work are also great ways to reintroduce yourself to technology.

You Got the Job!

That’s great! But, once you begin thinking about it, you may start wondering how you’ll make it all work. Who’s going to take care of the kids when they get home from school? What about taking them to soccer practice? What if someone gets sick? Here’s how to plan for a smooth return to work.

– Test Run the Childcare

In almost every case, you’ll have about two weeks before you report for your first day of work. In that time, you should find childcare for your kids.

Once you’ve got it set up, do a test run so the kids can get used to the situation and the new person or people helping you out. It’s also an opportunity for you to figure out what works best in terms of schedule and routine and for you to gain trust and confidence in your helpers.

– Set Boundaries

Once you get back to work, you may find yourself doing everything you can to prove you can do it all. But in reality, that isn’t healthy for your own work-life balance.

Set boundaries and make sure you enforce them. 

If you have to leave at 5:00 to get to daycare before 6:00, make sure you leave at 5:00 no matter what. That may mean working a little bit at home as a trade-off, but let your team know that you have to leave promptly at 5:00 and won’t be bale to stay late for a meeting.

You can offer to have the meeting at a different time, or suggest a virtual meeting instead. There are plenty of remote work tools that allow you to meet with coworkers anytime and anyplace.

Going Back to Work as a Mom or Dad Takes Time

The transition back to work isn’t always easy, so ask for all the help you can get. The Career Experts say, “It can also help to work with a career coach who can work with you to find clarity on your goals, get your resume back in shape, practice interviewing, and determine the best return-to-work strategies for you. Through FlexJobs’ career coaching service, we’ve worked with a lot of moms and dads who are returning to work after months, years, or even decades away from the workforce. The more support you have in your return, the better!”

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