What it is

The foundation for choosing well.

Why it’s Important

Choosing the best from a pool of good options takes comparing relevant features to that which is most important—TO YOU!

Relevant Features

Without a doubt, returning to work after raising kids is challenging - on many levels.  We can make lists, involve our children, have back-up plans and cross our fingers, but without spousal support, we will never be 100% successful.

Searching for a new job can be an exciting task, but for many individuals, particularly working parents, the search can feel overwhelming. In addition to a job’s description, you have benefits, salary and flexibility to consider. Whether you are just beginning a career, making a change, or returning to the workforce as a working parent, discovering an organization’s culture is an important part of that search. In the following guest post, Mom Corps CEO Allison O’Kelly discusses how to uncover a company’s culture to see if it meets your needs as a prospective employee.

When returning to the workforce, you may want to consider roles OTHER than what you did prior to having children.  Rather than figuring out how to continue climbing the same career ladder, consider moving to another one to broaden your exposure and expand your opportunities.

I find when I am distracted or need to focus on something new, I can no longer maintain my hard won balancing act.  I have been going through an international move – new country, new role, new home, new most everything.  I find I am often frustrated I can’t seem to accomplish what I was able to before.  Writing only happens occasionally; see the date of my late post.  My motivation to exercise and eat right seems to have fled or at least gone into hibernation. 

Thinking about doing a “returnship”? Please don’t.

“You’re a freelance writer. That’s the coolest job – you get to work from home!” I was a bit taken aback by this comment from a friend of mine, despite the fact that I often receive similar reactions to my career. Don’t get me wrong, I love my job – but as a self-employed writer, I’ve sacrificed a lot (including steady pay and affordable health care) for the chance to work at home and be with my daughter. Sometimes I forget how desirable a flexible work situation is, and how lucky I am to have one.

Tory Burch launched her brand from relatively humble beginings.  While working in the fashion industry, she created an "image book". She explained her "start up process" during a ecent interview with Rock Center's Brian Williams. According to Rock Center: 

Working moms eat, breathe and live stress day in, and day out.  In fact, because women are so good at multi-tasking, the level of stress they absorb would send most men into cardiac arrest.  That is why most men not only can't multi-task, they WON'T.  

Sometimes women perceive men as weaker because they only focus on one or two things at a time.  Yet, perhaps that is just working smarter. We want so badly to please everyone - our employers and our families - that we (1) say "yes" to everything and (2) do that "yes" 150%.

Before I started working from home full time (you’ll either hate me or pity me for that) my office was in one of the many featureless, slightly derelict brick buildings you see on all government campuses. I didn’t actually work for the government, just borrowed office space from them because it was convenient to the research population being studied by the grant I was a part of.