Changing jobs after maternity leave
You’re midway through maternity leave and your old job isn’t looking all that interesting anymore. You took a few years to be home while your kids were small, but now they’re at school and you’re looking around for a job. Any of this sound familiar?
Move laterally
Maybe your old job won’t work – but you could do something similar in another industry? Tourism, restaurant and food service, photography – all of these industries work to different timelines. If you were a project manager, an accountant, a customer service rep, there’s a way to move your skills into another space that might suit your new schedule better.
Adjust your training
Maybe there’s a qualification that would make your skills that bit more marketable? Industries that are growing in BC are listed on the WorkBC site, like real estate, construction, finance, and public services. There are trades that may look more appealing now: plumbing, electrical, and other construction trades. You can apply for BC Access Grant to get $500 towards setting yourself up with tools in a new trade, or the Adult Upgrading Grant that can help pay for education.
What are you interested in?
Start with companies and organizations that interest you, regardless of whether you think you are qualified to work there. Nearly everyone needs administrative staff, people in finance, project managers, marketers, and organizers. Find a way in that works with your skills, and in an industry that will hold your interest.
This post is sponsored by the Government of BC. There are grants and tax credits available to help you retrain, help pay for tools, or help pay for childcare. The Adult Upgrading Grant helps adults demonstrating financial need who are enrolled in skills upgrading, education and training courses. The B.C. Access Grant for labour market priorities provides grant funding to encourage students with financial need to attend targeted high priority programs at eligible B.C. public post-secondary institutions. Find out more about these programs at gov.bc.ca.
Image credits: Dai KE/Unsplash, Michael Browning/Unsplash
