The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the global workforce, with the world shifting towards remote work. Although sudden, this became a perfect opportunity for many people, especially women wanting to restart their careers from their homes. Remote work jobs are now becoming a blooming opportunity for freelancers, with many starting to focus on their side hustles as well. In this article, we will explore how you can benefit from remote work, prepare for a career restart, and find career options for women after a break. 

Restart Your Career And Work from Home With These Tips:

First and foremost, let us go through some of the reasons why work-from-home jobs can be your next professional move.

Benefits of Remote Work for Women:

Flexibility: 

Remote work allows you to work from anywhere, at any time, allowing you to balance your work and personal responsibilities more effectively. If you have caregiving commitments, such careers allow you to distribute your time accordingly. 

Increased job possibilities: 

Remote work opens up job opportunities if you cannot work in a traditional office setting due to location or other constraints. Work-from-home jobs can be beneficial for women living in rural or remote areas, as well as those with disabilities.

Improved work-life balance: 

Remote work reduces commuting time, which allows you to spend more time with your family and pursue hobbies or other interests outside of work.

Better health and well-being: 

You can manage your time effectively by allocating your time towards your health to reduce stress, improve sleep, and increase physical activity. Plus now you have more time to prepare healthy meals and engage in self-care activities.

With all these benefits of remote work in hand,  let's prepare to restart your career after a break:

Preparing for a Career Restart:

Assess your skills and interests: 

Note down your skills, strengths, and interests. This will identify the areas in which you excel and the areas in which you need improvement. Accordingly, it will narrow down the jobs you are best suited for and what skills you may need to develop new skills at home.

Consider Your Goals: 

Every stage of life puts forward different challenges resulting in changes in our expectations and goals in life. While working earlier, your goal might have been to learn; now your goal might have shifted toward earning money. Put your professional experience to use and think about what you want to achieve in your career and what type of work you are interested in. This will set your career restart in the right direction and increase your chances of getting a job after a career break.

Update your resume: 

Once you know your current skillset and goals, update your resume to reflect your most recent work experience and any new skills or certifications you have acquired since you last worked. Be sure to highlight your achievements and accomplishments, and any volunteer work or other activities that demonstrate your commitment and leadership skills.

Network: 

Your previous job experience must have garnered professional contacts. Now is the time to reach out to them, your former colleagues, and friends to let them know that you are looking to restart your career. Start making a list of such contacts. Keeping an eye on relevant industry events and job fairs to meet new people and learn about new career prospects will also work as a medium of self-introduction after a career break.

Consider additional education or training: 

Prepare a list of classes or certifications to refresh your skills and make yourself more marketable to potential employers. There are many online courses and certifications available that can be completed at your own pace and on your own schedule. Sort down the courses as per your convenience and get started with the best courses to restart your career.

Be prepared for the job search process: 

Since you will be applying for jobs, ensure that you have a professional email address ready. Start preparing for common interview questions by practising your interviewing skills. Prepare your answers for the experience and skills-related questions. Meanwhile, research companies that offer work-from-home opportunities and learn about their culture and values.

Remember that restarting your career after a long break may take time and effort. Still, with the right preparation and attitude, you can successfully re-enter the workforce and achieve your professional goals. 

With the above points, you will be all fueled up with your skills and background working. Now let's move on to the final stage i.e. applying for work-from-home jobs.

Finding Work-from-Home Options:

Once you are prepared to restart your career, the next step is to find work-from-home job vacancies. Here are some strategies for finding these opportunities:

Research online job boards and remote job websites: 

There are many job boards and websites that specialise in work-from-home positions. These sites allow you to filter job listings by industry, job type, and location. You can browse through such online sites keeping in mind your educational qualifications and past experience.

Leverage your network: 

The list of the professional contacts you prepared is all set to be put to use. Reach out to them and let them know that you are looking for work-from-home opportunities or part-time jobs. They may be able to refer you to companies that are hiring or put you in touch with recruiters who specialise in remote work. 

Consider freelance work: 

Freelance work can be a great way to get your foot in the door and build your skills and experience. There are many freelance websites that will make your hunt for such jobs easy. Ensure you maximise these possibilities and gather experience to boost your professional career.

Check with companies that offer flexible work arrangements: 

Many companies offer flexible work arrangements, including work-from-home jobs for freshers. Research the companies in your industry and see if they offer these options. Joining industry associations and benefiting from networking events to learn about job opportunities is another way to connect with other professionals. 

Consider starting your own business: 

Starting your own business from scratch can be a great way to take control of your professional career. Your business will be your investment, your risk but at the same time, all the profits will be yours too! Plus, starting a business is another option to balance your personal and professional life. Totally recommended for a career restart!

In the end, nothing works like having a strong will and a dedicated mind at work. With all these points in mind, let nobody stop you from returning to your career. It is important to note that you may face difficulties finding your online career and answering questions majorly about your break. But it is only you who can explain what this break has taught you and how these learnings will be important in your career growth. Do not hesitate to bring forth such points first to yourself and then to such questions as and when asked. 

Which above points did you find the most valuable to restart your career? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section. All the best!

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