New mothers and wives find a new identity in starting a family, a job that satisfies their passion, and a task that requires them to be full-time for the coming months, so they give up their jobs, whether they are welcome or forced to, until they are surprised that they need money, or dream of embarking on their own adventures.
Women worry at those times, and their opinions differ, between being satisfied with the role of the housewife, or returning to a previous job that does not suit the needs of the husband and children, or searching for a profession that is in line with their new responsibilities.
Therefore, we present to you a guide that will help you cross the most difficult professional stumbling block that women face.
How do you establish a private business?
Mothers are marginalized in the work environment, after the birth of their first child, and sometimes labor laws do not preserve their right to child care, which prompts many to search for a smart solution that allows them to prove their capabilities, in addition to changing diapers and staying up late at night to relieve the pain of fever.
Allison Downey went through the same experience, experiencing discrimination after her first pregnancy, dismissal after her second pregnancy, and writing the book Here's the Plan: Your Practical and Tactical Guide to Action After Pregnancy and Childbirth.
Resorting to close associates was Downey's favorite advice, and asking herself every time for the most appropriate person who could help her, either in caring for her two children, or to search for work in a specific field.
Indeed, this plan saved her time, and she succeeded in designing an online store to sell used children's items.
Downey conducted lengthy interviews with more than 50 women from various fields, to write down their success experiences after a break from work.
The women unanimously agreed on the need to take advantage of maternity leave and prepare for their biggest challenge, by developing an initial plan for a new project, updating their resume, learning a new skill, a plan to reintegrate in their professional field, or forming a family support network if the mother is forced to interrupt her leave.
In addition to the necessity of linking the new project to previous experiences, and the exploitation of previous clients, to provide a service that women are accustomed to, but with more flexible working hours.
In their experiences, the women agreed that it is important to identify someone they trust to take care of the child during their working hours, that reputation will be their capital when they knock on new doors, and that balancing family and work is a skill that should be practiced every day, even if you choose to be self-employed.
The women agreed that achieving balance between family and work is a skill that should be practiced daily (Pixels).
How do you balance work and family?
The majority of work environments only recognize the physical presence of an employee in their offices, other than that employers consider maternity leave as inconsistent with women's commitment to their jobs.
Failing to balance family and work, women are forced to resign, or struggle to meet the demands of work.
Women who recently changed their jobs answered Al-Jazeera Net's question about how they balance the burdens of motherhood and work, and Menna found a magic solution at work before her two children woke up, after they slept, and during their naps, and she also used weekends to work, with the support of her husband.
Alaa freed herself from tasks that consume her time, to focus on her work, so she resorted to electronic purchase applications, instead of shopping, and sent her resume via “LinkedIn” instead of traveling distances to submit it in print.
Samar believes that the idea of changing her field of work after childbirth was enthusiastic in the beginning, until she discovered how difficult it is to turn the idea into reality, and she advised every woman seeking to quit her job and own her own project, to collect sufficient funding, and seek the support of family and friends.
Therefore, I advised early awareness of the realities of life as a working mother, to take some time to develop a plan.
Experts advise mothers to hone their Internet skills and be open to the virtual world (Shutterstock)
How do you choose the most suitable job?
Vocational trainer Nikki Spinoza advised job seekers after a break, to evaluate their career goals, by defining the most appropriate job specifications that meet their most important needs, such as: work from home, part-time, flexible working hours, a company attached to a kindergarten, an office close to the home.
Then comes the step of arranging the elements that can be negotiated, and those that cannot be waived, and this will give you a blueprint for searching for a suitable job.
Spinoza pointed out the necessity of honing the skills of using the Internet and opening up to the virtual world, as personal interviews can be conducted through dozens of applications, and retail sales have become possible on electronic stores.
She also highlighted the importance of "LinkedIn" for publishing CVs, searching for free courses, or jobs that allow women to work from home.
For its part, the "Harvard Business" website published the advice of 37 women working in senior leadership positions.
These women focused on the most important behaviors they followed when they faced job setbacks, in work environments that did not do justice to women.
The experiences of women were similar, after years of interruption from their previous work, and they were forced to work in simpler professions and smaller companies, in order to regain their professional momentum, but they learned new skills in their free time, which helped them move to their dream job.
They directed every woman to be clear when presenting her skills, the amount of time available for work, focus on the things she can control, and always remind herself of what she might add to any new place, to feel comfortable and confident in every job interview.