 After the long summer break, the kids are back to school next week. Are you ready to jump back into work and make the most of the last four months of the year to get you where you want to be?
The women I work with know I'm a big fan of 90-day action planning. Whether you're looking to discover a new career direction, make a smooth return to work after maternity leave, or start your own business, having a concrete plan in place will give you the focus and motivation to accomplish what you set out to achieve.
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 Maybe you’re a mum that is taking a few tentative steps towards returning to work after a long career break. Or maybe you are just finally listening to that little voice that has been long telling you to that chase that dream job.
I have not only seen the challenges that women seeking a career change face in my work as a career consultant, but I’ve lived it too. I took a career break to look after my two young sons, and also relaunched my career when I felt it was time, so I know first hand how it can be daunting.  If you're planning a return to work when the kids are back at school, the summer holidays are the perfect time to grab some time to yourself and make preparations for your upcoming home-to-workplace transition - while still taking a much needed break of course!
To help you figure out what's next in your career post-baby, build your confidence, sharpen your skills and take control of your back to work journey, here are our top 10 reads: 1. Build Your Own Rainbow, Barrie Hopson and Mike Scally A guide to help you identify your skills and interests, and discover what's next in your career.  Many of the mothers I coach find it’s themselves who are blocking their own dreams and ambitions. Some assume that what they want out of life is beyond their reach now that they have children. Others think they don’t deserve to go for it, or that they should put their families’ needs and desires before their own.
One way I help the women I work with overcome these blocks and start thinking bigger about what they want and what they can achieve in their career after becoming a mother, is by asking them to create a vision of how they would like their life to be within the next one to three years, depending on the time frame that works for them.  It can be tough working out what to do about the gap on your CV between employers if you’ve been on maternity leave or staying at home to raise a family. Do you explain the gap, hide it or ignore it? Here's the advice I give to my Clients when faced with this challenge:
1. Be bold You don’t have to apologise for taking time out for maternity leave, or staying at home with the kids. You have nothing to hide, so be bold and confidently mention the time you have taken out of work on your application documents whilst describing your eagerness to jump back into the workforce. You don’t have to make a big feature of your career break, something along these lines included in your cover letter or Career Summary/ Professional Profile at the top of your CV should do the trick: “Eager and fully ready to transition back into the workforce after taking time off to raise a family”.  For many mothers, the thought of going back to work after spending time at home focusing on the family is a daunting prospect. And particularly so if you are wanting to try something new, something more closely aligned with your post-baby identity, values and life priorities, something you would really, really love to do.
So how do you figure out what it is that will bring you alive, and how to make the change happen? |
Here on the blog we offer insights and tips that will empower you to create a career and life that works for you wherever you are in your parenting journey.
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