How to get back on the career ladder after having a baby

When you decide to have a baby and start your family, you will probably realise that you will go through many changes on this incredible journey.

Maternity leave provides the perfect time to stop and reflect on your career, where you’re at and where you’re heading. It can help you decide if you’re happy in your current job, or whether you’d like to challenge yourself to an entirely new career.

But how do you go about achieving your career dreams once maternity leave has finished?

Finding a new role, or changing your career might seem like a huge step, so make it easier on yourself by starting off with small bite-size steps.

The Open University’s Careers and Employability Services has pulled together the top things to consider when looking to make the change:

1) Explore your personal interests

Think about and group your skills and interests together to see whether they could relate to a future career.

For example, do they lie within any of the following groups:

This will help you to see the potential jobs available to you within a particular area. For instance, if you’re quite an artistic, creative person, you might like a career as an artist, sculptor or dressmaker.

Or you may prefer to use your interest and ability in this area to help others to enjoy the creative arts by, for example, teaching or organising events.

2) Identify your work values

Consider words such as independence, variety, intellectual, spiritual, aesthetic, excitement. Will the job you have in mind clash with any of your own values? Spend some time reflecting on the life values that really matter to you and make sure these match up to your chosen career path.

3) Check if you have the skills required

By looking at the activities or tasks involved in the job, you should be able to identify the skills and qualities required. You will also find these listed in job descriptions. You now need to think carefully about whether you have these necessary skills and qualities.

If you don't, start to investigate how you could develop them. Could you carry out some additional work experience? Or spend a day or two shadowing someone in a similar role?

4) Do your research

Find out what is happening in the world of work, read the newspapers and listen to the news on the TV and radio to identify if companies are recruiting people in any of the fields that you’re interested in. If not, why not? Also explore the shelf-life of a possible new career, will it still be there in ten years time or so? If not, is there possibility for this job to lead on to future career opportunities instead?

5) Work out what your timescale is

How long are you prepared to take to develop your career and obtain the job you want? Have you set yourself short, medium and long-term goals? Do you have a time limit for entry to the job of your choice? Have you got time to study for any necessary qualifications? What would happen if you are unable to obtain that job? Do you have any other options? Action planning and decision making can help you to set your personal goals and develop your career plan, so it’s crucial to take time to do this.

6) Explore whether the hours will suit you and your new family

Will you struggle to balance your new family commitments with the hours of this job? For example, if you do not finish until 5.00 pm, will you need to find an after-school club for your children? If you are required to work weekends will this ruin your leisure activities? Will this affect your choice?

7) Identify if the location would be convenient

Are you prepared to travel a long distance each day, even though this takes a good deal of time? Will you need to stay away from home? Would this add to the stress of the job? Would you be able to work from home?

8) Research the career progression or development opportunities

Is career progression important to you? What are the chances of promotion in your current job, either within your organisation or outside it?

9) Will the salary suit you and your lifestyle?

If you change career you may have to accept a drop in salary. Sometimes taking a short-term drop in salary may lead to greater long-term benefits. The salary you accept partly depends on your previous situation, but think about the implications.

10) Finally, make the match

What qualifications are required? Have you checked whether specific qualifications are essential? Are your qualifications appropriate? You may need to consider gaining additional qualifications through further study.

For further information, please visit The Open University’s Careers and Employability Services website.

Why don’t you try the new free Open University online course ‘Succeed in the Workplace’.

***For those considering embarking on a new career path, just starting out in the job market or even returning to work after a break, this handy free 8-week course provides a useful overview on this topic. ***

Skills to be gained include the following: