Who would hire a SAHM these days?

[Anonymous]

I am a lawyer by trade (used to work at corporate law dept of big law firm) but want to try different things. I am having a hard time finding places of work where they do not throw my resume as soon as they see that I actually stopped working to take care of my child. Any recommendations for places that are mom friendly? Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Having the same problem here. No advice, just wondering why they'd pass over a qualified person who stayed home with her child for a couple years. I didn't lose my experience and training and education!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Having the same problem here. No advice, just wondering why they'd pass over a qualified person who stayed home with her child for a couple years. I didn't lose my experience and training and education!

But did you take classes to stay updated/certified?

When I was on leave, I took courses and did some consulting gigs. That way, my 2 years off were filled with different work-related experiences. I know that had I not taken classes and attended workshops, I would not have the job I do now - b/c things change so very fast in every field.

My cousin took courses at night and earned her degree while she stayed home.

[Anonymous]

People wh would hire a sahm are employers looking for a deal. Same reason why they would hire a college grad over someone with experience.

Most sahms who enter back into the workforce often have to humble themselves and take a role a few levels down from where they left off. Personally, I have 2 open head counts and I would definitely consider a sahm, but would consider her skills very baseline, pretty much no matter what she did a few years ago. Of course, the opportunity for the sahm is once she gets her foot in the door and over time show that she is at level and then move up accordingly..

[Anonymous]

I don't want to hear shit about staying home so as not to miss those precious, precious moments with your special, special snowflake.

[Anonymous]

Maybe a startup. If you have skills important to them, it may be a good deal for both sides.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't want to hear shit about staying home so as not to miss those precious, precious moments with your special, special snowflake.

I thought we "agreed" that the use of snowflake on DCUM was passe'.

[Anonymous]

It may not be just that you stayed at home for a couple of years, but that you stayed home AND want to try something new. Are you skilled in the new areas, or will there be a learning curve?

[Anonymous]

Honestly, I think most SAHMs will just have to look for something a lot lower than what they had when the left. You may say that your skills haven't slipped, but they have compared to your peers who have been working the past two years while you were not (and yes, I get that staying home with your child is WORK...I'm using the word "work" in the other sense). And presumably your network is gone or eroded. And presumably you will have an adjustment period to get back into your new working life. And whether it's legal or not, they will know from your resume that you are a mother whose children will always come first (obviously that's a good thing for you and your kids, but not for the company).

Anyway, multiple hits against you that don't have to do just with your skill level. Start low and work your butt off for the first year and you will rise back to where you belong.

[Anonymous]

Oh yeah, didn't catch that - what do you mean try new things? Like a career change? What have you done to show the company you are serious about pursuing this new thing?

[Anonymous]

Are you networking instead of just sending your resume out? I have been a SAHM for 5 years but maintained my work contacts. I have had two job offers in the last two weeks.

[Anonymous]

You have to be willing to sacrifice pay and level if you want to re-enter the work force as an attorney. I know of attorneys who were laid off who took temp jobs and even paralegal jobs when things were really bad last year. You have to remember that you are competing with people who were recently laid off and therefore have more recent work experience than you. These people are also flooding the market looking for stable jobs in govt and the non-profit world.

Keep trying, network, play to your strengths, and be realistic. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

like pp, i've also maintained my contacts. when i visited my old stomping grounds in calif 2 mos ago, two offered me jobs whenever i decide to move back. that said, after sah for 1 yr and not working for another yr before that, i started a pt wah position with a research company looking for remote analysts. they targeted sahm because we made a good match both ways. they hired 7 analysts total [including 3 sahm and 4 without children], and after 4 mos and initially promising a 1 yr commitment, only the 3 sahm moms are still honoring that commitment. the other 4 are off to greener pastures, albeit 1 of them is now ft at the same company.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:like pp, i've also maintained my contacts. when i visited my old stomping grounds in calif 2 mos ago, two offered me jobs whenever i decide to move back. that said, after sah for 1 yr and not working for another yr before that, i started a pt wah position with a research company looking for remote analysts. they targeted sahm because we made a good match both ways. they hired 7 analysts total [including 3 sahm and 4 without children], and after 4 mos and initially promising a 1 yr commitment, only the 3 sahm moms are still honoring that commitment. the other 4 are off to greener pastures, albeit 1 of them is now ft at the same company.

Is this in the IT field? I used to do analysis in my prior job and while I maintained my skills, all the remote analyst jobs seem to be in the IT department. I'd love to do something like that. I would love if you emailed me with more info at bmd1206@ gmail dot com.

[Anonymous]

What if the person decided to take a break to travel? Would the approach be the same?