Back to School Means a Fresh Start for You

Back to school means a return to more structured days and a sense of routine at home. I personally love the freedom of summer, but I can also appreciate the rhythm that returns to our lives once school begins and the kids settle into a new year.

Back to college for the kids, however, may mean something entirely different for you as a Mom. If you help them pack up and then drop them off with a smile on your face – good for you! If you’re like me and feel a little hole in your heart when they leave every August – I see you. I love to talk to parents about the phenomenon of kids leaving home – some of my friends LOVE it when the kiddos ship out and others feel down about it.

Whichever camp you’re in, there is no denying that late August/early September ushers in a new season in our lives and family routines. Let’s use this to our advantage!

If you’re actively looking for a job, this is your season! You have time during the day (uninterrupted time!) to schedule meetings with people, do informational interviews, write amazing cover letters and polish up your LinkedIn profile. What a gift!

Back to school isn’t just a new start for your children: It’s also a fresh start for you. This is an ideal time to recommit yourself to your job search goals and get re-energized to focus on the things you need to get done for you.  Here are a few ideas to keep you on track:

 

Start with a plan: Focus your job search by planning out the time you’ll spend looking for your next career move. Block the time on your calendar and stick to it. Aim to get better every week with your time management.

 

Be interactive! Be sure your job-search time is heavily weighted toward activities that have you actively engaging with other people as opposed to being at home in front of your computer.

 

Update your online presence as part of the fresh start. Take a look at your LinkedIn profile and find a few places that you can freshen up. The more you update your profile, the higher your chances of showing up in a recruiter search. Be sure to include keywords that appear in job postings in your profile in multiple places such as your About section, your skills list and your work experience.

 

Make it fun! Find a group of friends to support you through your transition. Yes, it’s work, but it can still be enjoyable. Meet a friend at a coffee shop or a co-working location and work together to keep each other on task.If you are local to the Raleigh area, The Frontier in RTP is a co-working location that is completely free.

 

Join us at Back to Business Our website and programming are all geared toward helping you transition back to work after a career break. Be sure you’re on our email list and consider joining us for the Back to Business Women’s Conference. This opportunity only comes around once a year (even less in a pandemic!) and it’s an invaluable opportunity to bask in a programming that was designed to help you restart your career. Honestly, there’s a lot of career advice out there, but there are very few people talking to women like us about solving the challenges that are unique to a Mom returning to the workforce. I look forward to meeting you and helping you get back to business.