During March and April of 2020, around 3.5 million mothers living with school-age children left active work, the U.S. Census Bureau reported. By January 2021, around 10 million American mothers living with their own school-age children were not actively working — 1.4 million more than during the same month the previous year. Over the past year, thanks to the rise of remote work and the return of in-person school, many moms have started to return to work. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the labor force participation rate for all mothers with children under age 18 was 71.2 percent in 2021. In today’s “Financially Savvy Female” column, we chat with Michelle Keefe, founder of MomUp — which connects working women with contract, temporary and fractional executive positions — to get her best advice for moms re-entering the workforce.

                By                    Gabrielle Olya

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Start Your Search Early

Even if you don’t plan to return to work immediately, it’s best to start searching soon.

“The candidate vetting process can be slow,” Keefe said. “I recommend starting the job search process three to four months in advance, and six to eight months [in advance] for senior and executive roles. It can take months for employers to read through resumes and perform initial screening calls before moving on to interview rounds. Get the process rolling sooner rather than later.”

Be Aware of Hiring Seasons Ebbs and Flows

You’re more likely to be hired during certain times of the year, Keefe said.

“At the start of the new year, organizations have an updated budget so they often are ready for new hires,” she said. “Fall is another great time when many companies want new employees before the year closes out. January and September also tend to be a competitive time of year, so get your feelers out early and begin networking.”

On the other hand, the “December holiday season and summer are the slowest times for hiring. This is the best time to start preparing yourself for a job search. Get your resume ready, enhance your LinkedIn profile with recommendations and refresh your interview skills.”

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Market Yourself as an Expert

No matter what field you are applying in, you want to come across as an expert in your industry.

“We live at a time when experts prevail,” Keefe said. “It’s harder to sell yourself on a role if you’re a generalist. Find the area that interests you the most and level up your skills and experience — whether it’s brand development or talent acquisition, find a niche and build a story around it. Craft your resume and LinkedIn to reflect the story. The key is, you are worth investing in and so is your career. Take the time and resources to engineer the career you want.”

Don’t Shy Away From Discussing a Gap in Your Employment

If you’ve been out of work for a while because you’ve been focusing on child care duties, that’s totally acceptable and should not be something you try to hide from recruiters.

“Own it. Don’t apologize for it,” Keefe said. “Include it in your professional summary and/or cover letter with one sentence to address that you paused your career for family responsibilities. In the body of your resume, include the experiences you had during the employment gap with volunteering, civic involvement, and any other relevant or interesting professional or educational opportunities. Show that you intentionally developed skills during this time period.”

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