Getting back to work

Stay-at-home parents returning to job market need to be confident, prepared and realistic in quest for employment. Back-to-school time is just weeks away and a sense of dread has fallen over the Martinez household. There is complaining, whining and sadness that the long days at home are almost over. “Fortunately, it’s not my children who are dreading going to school,” says Gabbie Martinez, a 39-year-old mother of three from Indianapolis’ Westside. “But instead, it is me dreading going to work.”

Martinez is one of those parents who, after years of doing the stay-at-home gig of zoo visits, library classes and play dates in the park, is sending that last child to school.
Now, there is no reason to stay home. There are college bills, weddings and retirement to think about. Martinez knows it’s time to get back to work, but how?

“Mothers who have been out of the work force for a time feel so intimidated and discouraged about the job search game,” says Rita Fisher, president of Columbus, Ind.-based Mom Resumes.
So do fathers. Here are five tips for back-to-work parents.

Gather a big heap of confidence.
We’ll help you out with this little tidbit: Whether a mom has taken off one year or 10 years, 71 percent find a job within three months, according to a survey of 500 women reported in Working Mother magazine.

To get the confidence to walk into an interview, remember that just because you haven’t been in the work force doesn’t mean you don’t have the skills needed to be a good employee. Sit down at the kitchen table and make a list of your strengths. Think organization, volunteerism, leadership, budgeting and people skills.
Fisher says to avoid that “problem mom area,” which is modesty. Gather a big heap of confidence.

Make contact.
Surely you know plenty of working parents who think you have great things to offer. Don’t be shy about contacting them to ask if they know of any openings at their companies — and if they’d be willing to put in a good word for you.
You may be a pro at downplaying your achievements, but someone who knows and appreciates what you have to offer won’t be so subtle.
Once you’ve gathered some job opportunities, weed out the ones that don’t fit your life. Take the final list and start sending out resumes. Be sure to alert your contacts that you applied for the job so they will be prepared. Make contact.

Know how to write a mom resume.
The key is to get around the child-rearing gap. Instead of a chronological listing of jobs, which would include that gap up high, experts recommend the functional resume.
This format focuses on skills. Include categories such as “highlights of qualifications” and “relevant skills and achievements.” List strategies you used in previous jobs that ended with positive results.

At the end of the resume, include a section titled, “professional background.” The first listing should say “full-time parent from X-date to present.” Follow that up with a list of previous jobs.Know how to write a mom resume.

Be realistic.
You may be returning to work but you have different priorities now than when you were a single 20-something. There are soccer games, ballet and kids to get on the school bus.
If you don’t want a job that requires you to be in a cubicle at 6 p.m., don’t go for that job. Look for flexibility and ask questions when applying.

Consider what the job would allow for if your child is sick and can’t go to school, whether you can leave for school events in the middle of the day and if telecommuting is an option.
Ask for these things up front, because they’re tougher to negotiate once you’ve accepted the job.Be realistic.

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