Q&A: Getting Back Into the Job Market

Q. I want to quit my job for the first year after my baby is born. My husband is in agreement, but now I'm nervous about problems I'll face getting back into the job market. What can I do?

A. Your concerns are not at all unrealistic. However, you can have the best of both worlds and enjoy more time with your baby without severing your connection to work.

For starters, keep up that computer savvy and become proficient in whatever new software is being used in your field. Depending on what kind of job you have, you may want to consider taking a class that gives you more knowledge or teaches you a new skill. Many classes are taught online now, which is a great option for stay-at-home moms.

You can also continue attending conferences and trade shows while you're on maternity leave. And you can subscribe to magazines and newspapers that will help you keep up with business developments and industry trends at home and abroad. You might seek out per diem or consulting work with either your old employer or new ones. If you can't find paid consulting work, consider volunteering as a way of exploring a job change or keeping your skills up-to-date.

Originally published in You & Your Baby: Pregnancy.

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