It’s always a hard decision to take time out to raise a family just as your career gets started. Becoming a parent really does shift your priorities. You might take just a few months, or find it better suits you to stay off work until your kids all reach school-age. This isn’t an unusual choice, but it can feel like you’ve lost all you worked so hard for with your career.
Of course, taking time out in this way certainly does open your mind to the wealth of other opportunities you might be better suited to. It might even give you the push you need to start again in a whole new direction. It doesn’t matter what age you are now, or how long you’ve been away. There is always a route to a career path that you will love. Starting again could be the perfect way to get exactly what you want this time around.
As a full-time parent, you’ve certainly overcome your fair share of challenges. You’ve successfully negotiated on countless occasions with a very difficult-to-please customer (your toddler). You’ve also successfully organized your entire team (family) on a tight schedule and ensured logistical requirements are met (multiple school-runs). Most importantly, you’ve whittled down your company (household) spend and developed an effective budget that has freed up income for personnel development (after-school activities and sports clubs). You’re an effective manager, and you’re excellent with people from different backgrounds. These are all transferable and valuable skills you’ll need in any new career.
Have you ever considered a career working with children? As a parent, you’ve got all the experience you need. You might want to add a qualification or two to your resume to show you are current and committed. Early childhood education is a great career to select as you’ll be able to make such an enormous difference to young, impressionable lives. You’ll become a hero, a mentor, and the one the kids love the most!
Other careers with children include health care. If you’ve never thought about these options before, why not look into them now? You don’t have to go back to a job that doesn’t suit your lifestyle now. You can forge ahead with a new career that offers you the work-life balance you need as well as professional progression. The remuneration isn’t bad either! To get started in any of these great careers, try enrolling on a course that will offer the qualifications you need.
Some employers will take you on in a junior role, and even support you financially as you undertake your degree or training. If you’ve made up your mind to get back into work right now, this could be the best approach for you. It will also give you valuable on-the-job experience to help you make your mind up about this new career path.
Starting again after a long break may seem scary at first. You may wonder where’ll you’ll find the energy from, or how you’ll keep on top of childcare and household chores. Remember, with a new income you’ll be able to hire some help. Now your kids are a bit bigger, are you ready to transform your professional life?
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