How to Get back into the Workforce After Raising Kids

Returning to the workforce after raising kids can be intimidating. Calm your nerves by developing a job search strategy. Think about the career and work-life balance you want, revamp your resume and LinkedIn profile, and network within your circle and beyond.?

By Brandi Fowler

Parents who want to reenter the workforce after raising their kids need to be strategic before jumping in.?

Not only will they need to revamp their resumes, cover letter templates, and/or LinkedIn profiles, but they also need to network, identify soft, hard, and transferable skills they’ve gained while taking care of their household, and possibly position themselves as thought leaders in their fields.?

Most important, though, they need to give themselves grace and time, said career and work-life strategist Tareka Wheeler.?

“Put a plan in place for how you are going to reenter the workforce so that it does not become something that's stressful or overwhelming,” Wheeler said. “[It should be] exciting and exhilarating, [and inspire you] to jump back in and start leveraging your expertise.”?

Diversity and inclusion executive, and “The Inclusive Organization” author, Netta Jenkins, echoed that sentiment, saying, “I think oftentimes as human beings, and even more so as parents, if you are not in the workforce for some time and you re-enter, you want to get everything right immediately. And that brings a lot of stress.?

“Oftentimes people give up. [They] say, ‘Well, you know what? The workforce isn't for me. I don't need to be here. I can't quite get it.’ Leverage support and help. Don't be afraid to ask for help, and make sure they provide that grace and space.’”

Jenkins also suggested seeking support groups for parents in similar situations, adding that it can help them feel like they’re not alone.?

Do a Self-Assessment Before You Get Back into the Workforce After Raising Kids

Those out of the workforce for a while can benefit from self-reflecting about the careers they want to pursue before filling out job applications.?

Think about your personal and professional life integrated into one, Wheeler said. Consider how you can re-insert yourself into the workforce and maintain the life you want with your family. That can help create the vision you want for your career.?

“Working parents have a really unique set of challenges when it comes to career advancement,” Wheeler said. “Be strategic about the roles you are seeking to make sure they will best serve you and the vision that you have for your overall life.”

Identify Skills You’ve Gained as a Parent to Get Back in the Workforce After Raising Kids

Next, consider the soft, hard, and transferable skills you’ve gained as you’ve managed your household, and how you can upskill if needed.?

“You definitely want to identify any gaps that you have [to recruiters],” Wheeler said. “And I'm a huge proponent of upskilling. We should be constantly learning, upskilling, and seeking out to understand those highly valuable technical skills and soft skills.”

Apply “hidden skill sets'' you have been doing with your children to the work you can do within the workplace. Those are transferable skill sets, Jenkins said.?

“Oftentimes people forget all about the work that they've done with their children, which is immense, and they don't add that,” Jenkins said. “And that's a critical layer. It's a critical piece.”

If there is a skill listed that you don’t have, you may have a transferable skill that aligns with it, Wheeler said.

For example, Wheeler said if you want to transition into project management and have never been a project manager before, perhaps you have managed a budget or schedule, or you have built a highly functioning team. Think about the transferrable activities and skills that you have that align with what [the company] is asking for.?

“Life is a project,” Wheeler said. “Parents are probably some of the best project managers out there because you are constantly managing stakeholders every single day…identify gaps, but also don't discount what you actually have via your transferable skills.”?

Transferable skills from your time as a stay-at-home parent could also include problem-solving, and managing multiple timelines and schedules.?

“You are always initiating something within your household,” Wheeler said. “There's so many things that happen in that space of project management that parents are doing all the time.”

Also, research organizations that offer sponsorship and mentorship programs and skill set programs, Jenkins said.?

“I work full-time for Uncork as VP of Global Inclusion, and we have a caregiver's employee resource strategy group,” Jenkins said. “We had a career coach [come in], and she gave advice to folks that wanted to reenter the workforce and redid their resumes.?

“There are so many different tools and organizations and employee resource strategy groups that have various platforms or that have different support groups that can help one upgrade their skill sets.”

Update Your Resume and LinkedIn Profile to Get Back in the Workforce After Raising Kids

First, look at what your career story has been, Jenkins said.?

“A lot of times individuals will start updating their resume or revamping the cover letter and updating their LinkedIn and make sure everything matches,” Jenkins said. “But before you do that, reflect on ‘what is my actual career story? And [what did I accomplish] when I was in the workforce and in these particular positions?’

“‘What value did I bring to that position?’ Then utilize all that good juicy data about your career story to update your resume, cover letter, and your LinkedIn so that you are telling a very clear, concise and impactful story.”

Next, include keywords from job descriptions in your resume and cover letter. Don’t just randomly place them, Wheeler said. Instead, use them as part of your overall career story.?

“Pull some of those [keywords] and infuse them into your resume, skills section, the accomplishments that you've had, and the summary in your LinkedIn profile. Make sure it's authentic and that you are not just putting the words in there because you want the role. Put words in there that align with who you are and what you've done.”

Also, research positions you are interested in, Wheeler said. Look at how the titles have evolved and set up coffee chats with professionals in positions you want.

Network to Get Back into the Workforce After Raising Kids

It is crucial to step up your networking when you are trying to break into the workforce again.?

“People say data is king,” Wheeler said. “I think networking is king. You have to build relationships. There's a data point out there that says that more than 80, 85 percent of jobs are never even posted and they are actually gained through networking. There's so many opportunities within your existing network and with your surrounding network.”

Build a system of professional support, Wheeler said. Start by engaging with your network first. Seek people within your desired field who have similar skill sets or similar titles that you are interested in.?

After that, contact professionals you don’t know.?

“Send them a message and say, ‘Hey, I'm looking to get back into the workforce and would love to learn a little bit more about what you're doing and your company,’” Wheeler said. “Do informational interviews. That's a great way to jump back in and have some intentional, really specific, and organic interactions in networking.”

Attend networking and industry events, whether they are virtual or in-person. Try to network with other working parents too.?

“There's a post that happens every Saturday. I've seen it on LinkedIn and people talk about Social Saturday,” Wheeler said. “Jump out there and say, ‘Hey, happy Social Saturday everyone. I am a working parent looking to engage with other working professionals that are parents and would love to know what are some of the things that you've done to really build your network?’

“Actually leverage networking to network, and look specifically to those individuals who may have some of the same unique challenges you do as a working parent. That's definitely worked for me. I was raising my kiddos and advancing in my career at the same time, but I was also taking time to really grow my network.”

You should always be networking even if not actively searching for a position, Jenkins said. Develop your relationships, understand what the market looks like, and identify skill sets that employers are looking for.?

After you identify what fuels you and the career path you want to pursue, connect with recruiters to find out the popular roles in your field.?

“Ask ‘What are some of the hard-to-fill roles that are coming up?’” Jenkins said. “Because the hard-to-fill roles have a certain specialty, and that probably pays a lot higher. So being really strategic about the approach is important.”

How to Explain Career Gaps When Reentering the Workforce After Raising Kids?

Be deliberate when explaining your career gap, and explain what you did as a stay-at-home parent that can help you in the role you are interested in.?

“Say, ‘In my household, here is how I had to manage the finances, or here's how I had to manage my children. Here is how I managed conflict and resolution. Talk about your time off, because that's not really time off. When you are with your children it's not time off. So, talk about it in a way that shows the hard work that was actually put in from the day-to-day.”

Top Takeaways

How to Get back into the Workforce After Raising Kids

• Give yourself time and grace, and be strategic.
• Network within your network first and then reach out to professionals you don’t know.?
• Revamp your resume and LinkedIn profile and include keywords from job descriptions.?
• Highlight the transferable skills you gained as a stay-at-home parent.?