Moms Guide to Re-Entering the Workforce

In 2005, Forte Foundation, a consortium of business schools and major companies and Wharton Center for Leadership and Change Management concluded that women who re-enter the workforce after taking a hiatus to raise a family, care for a parent, or tend to other personal matters could derail their career.

Among their findings,

• An overwhelming majority (70 percent) of women initially felt positive about leaving their full-time jobs. But this optimism dropped sharply as they tried to re-enter the workplace later on. Many women reported feeling frustrated or depressed by their job search and found the experience negative.
• Eighty-three percent of women took either a comparable role or a lower role than they had held prior to their hiatus. Only 17 percent re-entered the field at a higher level.
• Most women who went back to work took positions with smaller companies or changed industries altogether.

I take this seriously as I want to grow within my company but yet grow within my family. My husband and I will someday decide to have another child, and I don’t want to be out of touch with my job during those hiatus.  Here is how I plan on avoiding the Mommy Track.

Work Part-Time: Working part-time is one of the best ways of staying focused in your career and at home. This will help you stay connected with your work and home without losing much focus. Although you will have to ask for outside help for those hours you work. Ask if your company offers daycare assistance, arrange with your spouse if he can somehow work later in the day on those days you work.

Invest In Yourself: If you plan on taking two to five years leave, invest in yourself. Take advantage of certificate programs through colleges that offer them online, attend professional seminars and public speaking events. Certificate programs that look  good on your resume includes: project management, public speaking, marketing and communication and most of which are available through the Gatlin Program.

Network: Keep in touch with colleagues at work, and monitor the process of the company via internet, magazines, and friends. Stop by once in a while, and remind them of when you plan to return.

Take on Small Projects: Sign up for small and manageable projects before you leave for maternity leave. Some of which you can work from home.

If you enjoyed these tips, you might want to subscribe to my magazine at Working Mom Journal