Finding a job can be hard
Even with Boulo helping you understand your professional goals and championing you to businesses, finding the right role takes time. Businesses don’t move as fast as you want, interviews are nerve-racking and coming up with your personal elevator pitch is difficult. But, with patience, the right fit does come along.
Having a boss can be difficult
A benefit of being the stay at home parent is that you don’t have a boss (other than the kids). You decide “today I’ll do X, and tomorrow I’ll do Y,” with no one setting priorities for you. It can be uncomfortable when someone tells you what you need to do, how to do it, and when it needs to be finished. This isn’t a bad thing and is often one of the reasons work is so rewarding. More than just you know when you succeed and you’ll get rewarded for your success.
Change is hard
Change can be exciting and good, but it’s complicated. When you find a great job opportunity, it’s not just your day that changes; the entire family’s day changes. It can be a very healthy thing in the long run but won’t be for the first weeks. Give yourself grace and your family time to adjust. You’ll be surprised at everyone’s ability to rally and support the new norm.
Imposter syndrome attacks
Imposter syndrome isn’t limited to people who haven’t worked in a while. You may think that everyone knows how to find a job as a stay at home mom, how to juggle family and work, and how to do the actual work, but the reality is everyone is learning something new. People who have been working for the past 30 years still struggle to put a resume together and network for a job. We encourage you to ask questions or ask for help. It’s okay to say “this is hard.” Everyone thinks that and it doesn’t make you a worse employee, a worse parent, or a worse person. Don’t let fear keep you from chasing your dreams.
Going backwards is hard
If you take six months off, you’ll probably find a job that looks a lot like your last job. If you’ve taken ten years off, that won’t likely be true. It can be tough to say, “well, I used to be a director, and now I’m an analyst.” But as you get into the groove, you’ll find yourself climbing the ladder quicker than before. It will all come back to you – like riding a bike.
You can do it! It’s a bit scary, but you can come back, no matter how long you’ve been out.