Are you thinking about switching careers? This is always going to be tricky and when you’re a parent it can be a tad more complicated. Here are some of the factors we recommend you keep in mind if you are planning a career switch.
Set Up A Home Office
First, you should consider setting up a home office. The right home office will mean that you’ll have no issues with staying productive while working on your career change. This could include the processes required when applying for jobs or perhaps completing the right qualifications.
Online Learning
If you are juggling a career move as a parent, then you will still need to make sure that you do have the right qualifications and certificates. The good news is that these days, you can handle these remotely online. There’s no difference between the qualifications that you train for online and those you get in person. They are held to the same standards. There are lots of different certificates that you can earn with online courses including a product marketing certification. This is a great option if you are keen to work as a professional marketer.
Be Realistic With Deadlines
Next, you should think about how to be realistic with your deadlines. You probably want to reach a high level in your new career as quickly as possible and that’s understandable. But you have to remember that you are always going to be trying to manage the time you spend on your career and the time you spend as a parent. So, if you’re not realistic with deadlines, then you’re going to neglect one and not spend enough time on the other. You need to do your best to avoid a situation like this. Part of this will be ensuring that you have the right time management skills. You need to make sure that you are not wasting time that you could be spending in either area of your life.
Find An Understanding Employer
Finally, you need to make sure that you find an employer who understands your situation as a parent. Essentially, you should be looking for a family-friendly company that won’t mind when you have commitments that are tied to your children. Typically, this will be referenced in a job ad or you can ask an employer directly. There’s no point in working for a business that isn’t family-focused or at least family accepting because this is going to cause you a lot more stress in the long term.
Alternatively, you could consider working for yourself. Operating as a freelancer can be an option because you’ll be able to take on projects and contracts based on time commitments and your personal schedule.
We hope this helps you understand everything that you need to think about if you are considering moving careers as a mom. Remember, being a parent isn’t a roadblock to a career switch and it can be the right decision if it allows you to have more time with your kids while providing the quality of life they deserve.
