Many women have problems with work even before they go on maternity leave. There is a dilemma: is it worth returning to the previous place or is it worth looking for something new for yourself? But unfortunately, this depends not only on young mothers, but also on their employers. Therefore, you need to prepare for the return phase thoroughly, and useful expert advice will help in this.
Think about what you want to do next.
Maternity leave involves reassessment of values. The upbringing of a small person often becomes the starting point of a new life and new priorities. What was important before is irrelevant today, and what seemed interesting now looks like a normal routine. Therefore, your goal is to decide what you want to do next. Take some time for yourself, listen to your desires, imagine the long-term perspective of your production activities. Certainty in this matter, based on your personal desires, will be crucial.
Analyze your chosen direction
Your lifestyle after the birth of a child has changed dramatically, so there was a need to approach the choice of work with greater responsibility. First of all, you need to think about the schedule. It is also worth considering who to leave the child with and who will help you with the housework. Therefore, do not take up any proposal that is presented to you, but think about whether this is really what you want in the long run. Your hasty decision can complicate the transition and make you less satisfied with your decision to return to work altogether.
Rebuild your network
If you have so far limited yourself to uploading photos of the baby, it's time to completely rebuild everything. Now you need to focus on professional contacts. Since you have already decided what you want to do, try to collect complete information on this issue. And for this you need to establish useful relationships and find out all aspects that you will have to face in the future. Feel free to get in touch with old friends and colleagues, tell them about your plans to return to your previous place or to find a new job. “Word of mouth” is the most effective, so you need to use it. A sensible decision will also be to search for young mothers who have already gone through the transition process and who can share their impressions and useful tips.
Make a resume
Your resume after maternity leave may seem to employers a rather tough document (dates, places, job history), therefore it is recommended to make it flexible, in the form of a narrative. A traditional resume format may not be the best choice. Make sure that your last job is at the very top, also pay special attention to your skills and achievements (do it on the basis of a “qualification resume”). First of all, information should be provided, which (in your opinion) should be paid attention to by the employer. And only after you have identified key skills and qualifications, you can include your work experience, but put it a little lower. This will help to make your resume original and unlike others.
Other resume writing methods
In order to make your resume interesting for employers, describe all your achievements for all years of professional activity.But this should not be done in chronological order; it is enough to indicate the years (ignoring the months and numbers). Pay particular attention to skills that are directly related to your job offer.
Find the topic, the so-called "end-to-end line", that will run throughout your resume and relate to the position you are applying for. So the employer will have no doubt that you have vast experience in this industry. If you have not worked for a long time, because you preferred to create a family, honestly describe this in your resume. Do not look for not true excuses for such a long downtime. Find arguments to help characterize your position. Employers are also ordinary people who are not alien to everyday problems. They will certainly appreciate your honesty and sincerity.
Develop your skills
You might have forgotten something during maternity leave. In addition, time does not stand still, and technology is developing at an incredible speed. Therefore, it will be a smart decision to refresh old knowledge and adapt it to today. Now there are a huge number of opportunities to find all the information on the Internet, so it’s worth using it. For you, additional knowledge in the field of new technologies will also not be superfluous, so start mastering them right now. In short, you need to thoroughly prepare for going to work, and awareness in all processes plays the most important role. This will help you to feel more confident and safely survive the period of "transition".
Think Part Time
For young mothers, this system is the most comfortable. Therefore, before starting your full-time job, start with freelancing or part-time. The schedule will be more than comfortable for you. In addition, you can gradually get used to the fact that you are already in production. During this time, you will be able to evaluate your capabilities and amenities regarding the upbringing and care of the child (see how the nanny works and how the baby does without you). Another advantage is that you can add additional skills and experience in a slightly different direction to your resume. And for the employer, the diversity will be much more interesting than a limited focus.
When you get used to working in this mode, and the new schedule is fully restored, you can start working full time. You will notice the benefit of extra training from day one. You will get the impression that you generally did not go anywhere and did not take breaks. At work and at home, peace and harmony will reign, and your nerves will be preserved.
Be confident
This is perhaps the most important thing for a young mother. It is with certainty that the biggest problems often arise. During pregnancy, childbirth and raising a child in the first years of life, the psychology of a woman changes completely. She suffered hormonal changes that were reflected to a greater or lesser extent on her physical and mental health. A woman “falls out” a little from the general rhythm of life, and returns to it in a completely different and unusual status for her. Therefore, lack of self-confidence, excitement and even at times some despair is the norm.
If you understand this, you will not have to be upset and consider yourself unsuccessful (as in school after a deuce). Start work with full confidence in your abilities, do not pay attention to temporary setbacks, as this is fixable. Remember that all the women of the world follow the same path, and you are no exception. Very soon things will change for the better. It is only necessary to have a positive attitude, determination, an irresistible desire to go towards your goal. You will immediately see how many people will be ready to help you with this.After all, you are raising a new person, and this is worthy of the highest degree of respect.