By Thomas Ricotta on December 29th, 2015 in In The News
As many reasons as there are to leave a career and stay home to raise a family there are just as many reasons to reenter the workforce after becoming a parent. Whether the decision was a financial one or more for social reasons (and possibly enjoying conversations with other adults as opposed to littles), returning to the workforce will take some planning. Even if you were only gone for a few years, technology has radically changed just within the past decade. In other words, the job that you left before staying home with the kids may not be the same one that is available during your current job search. For these reasons, below are several tips on how to move your career forward after taking time off:
- Conduct a self-assessment: first and foremost, ask yourself why you want to re-enter the workforce. The reasoning behind the need to return will guide your search as well as how you want to market yourself while on the job hunt;
- If you’ve kept in touch, access your network: informal lunches or coffee dates just to let former coworkers know you are seeking work – even if they do not have leads or job offers for you – will not only get you out of the house but give you the opportunity to network and meet with others;
- Look into your career interests: this is a great opportunity to honestly look at your passion, especially if you are not crazy about going back to what you used to do before kids came into the picture. Meeting and spending time with people that work in fields that sound interesting is a good place to start;
- Update your resume: use this time to account for the gap(s) in your work history, and make sure to highlight the non-paid work that has benefits to your overall experience;
- Look for family-friendly jobs: whether a 9-5 or a more flexible schedule is what suits your needs best during this chapter of your life, do not shy away from answering tough questions about gaps in work history and negotiating flex time so that you can make your own work-life balance;
- Recalibrate your standards: during the interview process, do not shy away from the realities of your time away from the workforce, and why you chose to stay at home – to raise your children and manage a household;
- Do not keep quiet: studies show that 70 percent of all jobs are landed through networking – this means volunteer groups, play date parents, and other social gatherings are perfect places to let people know you are looking to return to the workforce.
Gender Discrimination Attorney
If you or someone you know believes they have been discriminated against in the workforce because of gender, contact seasoned gender discrimination attorneys right away to learn about your rights under federal and state law. The legal professionals at Ricotta & Marks, P.C. have more than two decades of combined experience handling employment law matters and are dedicated to protecting your livelihood. Call (347) 464-8694 today to schedule your initial case evaluation.
While returning to work after taking time off to start a family can be difficult, it is important to know that there are several laws in place that protect individuals from gender discrimination in the workplace during the interview process and once hired. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits any discrimination in the workplace based on gender. In addition to Title VII, other laws protect individuals from gender-based workplace discrimination. These include the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) and the Equal Pay Act (EPA).