by Amanda Morin, Clubspaces Editorial Team
The numbers have been crunched, the pros and cons have been listed and evaluated and the decision made. It's not easy to choose to leave the workforce to become a stay-at-home mom, especially when you are stepping out of a promising career to do it. Of course you want to do what you've deemed best for your family, but the worry niggles in the back of your head. What will happen when you decide to go back to work?
Many women worry about staying marketable while taking a career hiatus. If your ultimate goal is to return to work after a few years, it is important to keep yourself in the game. Consider the following ways to stay marketable:
1. Keep in touch with former colleagues and business contacts. Spring for a babysitter a couple of times a month so you can go out to lunch or take advantage of nap time to make a few phone calls. Keeping a network of friends in your industry is a win-win situation. Not only will you welcome the opportunity to have a conversation that doesn't rhyme or extol the virtues of poo, it will also keep you a visible member of your professional community.
2. Take a few classes. Whether you're slowly working toward an advanced degree, or merely keeping your mind sharp, the coursework is a great way to pad your resume. Use the opportunity not only to take courses in your field, but also to explore new areas of interest. You may discover a passion for something new, which can lead in a different career direction.
3. Be a volunteer or a mentor, either in your field or in the general community. Choose or find opportunities that complement your skills and goals. When you reenter the workforce, your volunteer experience will speak well for your commitment to hard work, regardless of monetary compensation.
4. Subscribe to trade journals and read them cover-to-cover. Just because you're not actively working doesn't mean you can't keep informed. Knowing the trends and latest technologies are a great way to keep your skills sharp.
5. Do some consulting. Being a stay-at-home mom doesn't preclude doing some part time work. Whether you use your expertise to write articles, teach a class or be available on a project-to-project basis, doing some freelance work can keep your name competitive.
6. Keep your resume updated, adding any coursework you have done and your volunteer activities. You never know when t
he perfect career opportunity is going to present itself and you should be ready.
Of course, you will always hear horror stories about women who have tried to reenter the workforce and aren't able to find competitive jobs. It's best to keep in mind these tales are a lot like pregnancy stories: people revel in sharing the worst case scenarios and rarely speak of the positive outcomes. And isn't that positive outcome why you're staying home in the first place?
