Second Careers for Women

Before celebrity chef Ina Garten started hosting cooking shows on Food Network, she worked in the White House. Managing the budget there wasn’t as thrilling as she thought it would be. Like many others, she felt like she had a lot more to fulfill than just being satisfied working as a staff member.

She got her second career break when she took over a specialty food store in West Hampton and started running her food business.?

A second career can be for anyone who is looking for something bigger than life. Perhaps there’s a huge break that begs for the revival of professional life, or maybe it’s the lack of purpose or growth in the current job role that makes people seek more exciting work. Regardless of the reason, second careers especially benefit women in the workforce.

Deloitte’s survey Women @ Work 2022: A Global Outlook, highlights that some of the major reasons driving women away from their current work are lack of growth opportunities (22%), reduced work-life balance (18%), and poor job satisfaction and motivation (27%). Increased burnout and reduced flexibility are also other causes that are making it difficult for women to stay with their current employers.

Most women working in managerial positions are more likely to leave their jobs in search of better opportunities or a much-needed break, both of which inevitably would lead to a second, or maybe even a third career. This means that industries should be prepared to provide new opportunities to people coming back to work either in a completely different field or in the same one but after an extended break.

Industry leaders such as IBM, TATA and Accenture are a few entities that have dedicated programs to help women revive their careers or restart them. The offerings provided by them recognize the prior experience, skill set, and goals that employees have achieved in their previous jobs to ascertain their suitability to rebuild their professional life. Moreover, they also understand the difficulty and hurdles that are presented to women when they try to re-enter the job market.

Potential Project’s research has also found that organizations benefit from women being in their workforce and leadership positions. Women leaders help organizations save at least $1.4 million annually by driving productivity and employee engagement. On the flip side, they are more likely to have their losses increase when women start leaving the organization.

There is no doubt that organizations have a lot more to gain when they actively hire women, and the benefits are mutual when it revives careers.

However, in order to ensure a smooth sail into a second career, women must also be prepared in all aspects.

Finding passion

Reassessing expectations of work can help in identifying personal needs and wants during revival or re-entry. Once the expectations from professional life are identified, women can then understand if they want to go back to their previous job sector or pursue a completely new one.

Upskilling to stay up to date

The corporate world and the job market, in general, are highly competitive at this point. Recruiters look for candidates who have the skillset related to their area of expertise as well as other relevant skills.

Upskilling and updating the skillset is the only way of grabbing the attention of organizations. This is especially important for those who want to switch careers. Basic skills alone no longer make for the perfect candidate.

Expanding the network

Professional networks and connections ensure that talent doesn’t go unnoticed. Women returning from breaks should prepare by either strengthening their existing connections or expanding their connections by joining associations or LinkedIn groups.

Authentically connecting with prospective employers

Connecting with employers and explaining the genuine intent behind the career switch or revival can be essential for forming an authentic network.

Vulnerability becomes a power here when employers understand that there’s a drive to learn and work regardless of the breaks that have come in the way of an active career.

In a world where 70% of people believe that their sense of purpose is tied to their work, it would be very natural for women to crave a second career or re-entry into their professional life. Identifying and leveraging this drive for a sense of purpose puts both, the organizations and women in advantageous positions.?