Perhaps you’ve stayed home with your children for several years, but soon, you’d like to get back into the workforce. You’re interested in going back to school or even starting your own business in the future, yet you’re wondering if you’re really ready to take on this commitment. With guidance from Dad of Divas, you can make smart choices for yourself and your family. Plus, these tips will help you with everything from revising your resume to finding the right course for your professional development!
Update Your Resume
If you’re enrolling in a degree program with the intent of finding a new job after graduation, you don’t have to wait until your final semester to update your resume – you can start polishing it now. Throughout your studies, you can edit your resume with new skills, projects, and accomplishments. Using a template from a free online resume builder is the easiest way to create a professional resume. You’ll be able to browse a library of templates, pick out the one you like best, and then add your own content and images.
Consider Professional Development Programs
What if you have a few years of experience under your belt in your current field, and you’d like to continue working in the same industry? You may not need to complete an entire degree program to earn a higher salary or open up new doors. Instead, consider enrolling in a shorter professional development program to enhance your credentials. For example, if you have some project management experience, you can apply Scrum to help teams successfully coordinate for important projects. To learn all about Scrum techniques and strategies, you can look up how to choose a Scrum master online course. You’ll be able to take a final assessment to demonstrate your skills at the end of the course.
Decide on a Major
Not all degrees provide the same return on investment. As an adult student with a family to support, which major is right for you? It’s important to consider your interests, but it’s also good to think about your future earning potential. Aging Greatly states that degrees in technology, healthcare, finance, and marketing can all lead to lucrative opportunities.
Find the Right School
Once you’ve settled on a subject that you want to study, you’ll need to decide where to enroll. If you’re a stay-at-home parent with a partner who works outside of the home, you’ll probably need to apply for online programs so that you can study from home. Furthermore, make sure to look for reputable, accredited colleges. Seek out affordable programs that offer scholarships to keep costs low.
Time Management
As a stay-at-home parent, you already have your hands full – how are you going to handle childcare, studying, and other endeavors like entrepreneurship? Asking for help is the first step. See if any of your close friends or relatives can lend you a hand, or check your budget to see if you could create some wiggle room to hire a babysitter or house cleaner. Furthermore, Life as Mama recommends making to-do lists by prioritizing key activities, turning down extracurricular commitments, for the time being, tackling your toughest assignments early in the day, and blocking off time to work when your children are sleeping.
If you’re a stay-at-home parent, going back to school can help you expand your skill set and ease back into the workforce. However, investing in a degree program represents a major investment of your time and money, so you’ll want to think about this decision carefully. With these tips, you’ll be able to assess degree programs and professional development courses, update your resume, and manage your schedule wisely!
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