If you are a working woman and expect to have a baby soon, then there are a number of things to consider, from the career and job search point of view.
Points to keep in mind, for working women and working mothers
When quitting your job to raise children: As with all big transitions and changes, it is best to make the transition gradual and to plan things well. So it is good to leave your job a few months before the baby is born, so that the change is not abrupt. Following that, although the baby will take up majority of your time automatically, it is good to keep some things similar to when you were working– such as having a routine, planning things, interacting with people, going outdoors, exercising, engaging in intellectual activity and so on.
While raising your children: After your child grows up a bit and you are at a stage where you are confortale with the idea, you could consider incorporating work into your life in some way. Working mothers are more common nowadays and some of the latest research is encouraging – like a study done by Columbia University (and Society for Research in Child Development) and also another study by University of New England, which conclude that the positives of being a working mother outweigh the negatives, if the mother is working part-time. Children of part-time working women are just as healthy and have the same amount of well-being/development, as children whose mother does not work. Plus there are other advantages for the mother/family as well – 1) more income, better lifestyle, less financial pressure on the husband 2) also work is a good outlet for the mother, who can stay productive, lead a stimulating and intellectually challenging working life, be more balanced, be able to use all knowledge/skills, be independent, etc.
I’m not saying that all mothers should work. If you do not want to, then being a full time mother is excellent and there are other (non-career oriented) ways to stay healthy, active and intellectually stimulated. Either way, career or no career, it is important to think and plan what you want from your career/life and where you want to focus your time/energy. So decide what’s important for you, what feels right and pursue that.
If you want to go back to work eventually, then here are a few tips to make that transition easier:
- Stay connected with your area of expertise, through networking events, professional associations, seminars, trainings, professional magazines and journals. Volunteer for these and other organisations. Use online networking well
- Keep your skills up to date, with courses, part-time work, technical skills development
- Consider freelance/part-time work
When searching for a job: Hiring managers do have concerns about women re-entering the workforce after quite a while – Do they have the relevant skills (technical and soft)? Can they do justice to the role if they are not looking to work full-time? Will their family commitments interfere with their work? Will they be able to integrate back into working life? Essentially will they be as good as someone who has been in the trenches all the while . In addition to stiff competition and the tough situation/’stigma’ of going back to work after a big break, mothers also have to deal with general gender biases. Even though a lot of progress has been made in this area, there is still a lot of gender inequity in the workplace and as per research by the firm Catalyst, working women continue to be behind men in terms of career advancement, salary levels and career satisfaction.
Therefore when getting back to the work force, make sure you are very clear about what you want and how much time/effort you are willing to spend on work commitments. Here are some tips for your job search:
- Try looking for firms/industries which have good policies for work-life balance & employ other working mothers
- Make sure your resume, interviews, job search techniques are up-to-date with current practices
- Focus not on the gap in formal/structured employment but on everything you have been doing to stay abreast with your field, the things that you have achieved & how you will be an asset to the firm
- It is also a good idea to contact former employers and not burn bridges when leaving them
- Give it time, it might take a few months to get what you want
- Take advantage of your professional network and also the ‘other moms network’, who know and trust you and often know important/relevant people (through their own network and their husband’s network)
- You might need to take cutbacks in role/pay when you re-enter. However, this can be minimised by staying up-to-date and relevant (as mentioned previously). Don’t start at absolute entry level, since you have previous experience and also higher maturity levels. Also keep in mind that in some cases you might actually want a bit of a cutback, if it gives you the flexibility needed
If you are looking for flexible work arrangements: It does exist, however, according to a few surveys/studies in Singapore, a lot of mothers would like to have flexible work arrangements while raising their children, however, the number of companies that offer such arrangements is not much. Singapore and other countries in Asia-Pacific are way behind Western countries, when it comes to flexible work arrangements and work-life balance
Having said all that from the working mother/working woman, don’t forget that there is always the option of not having a break in your career and having a stay at home dad