Many women find it difficult to return to the workforce after having children. For some it’s because of long working hours or a lack of support, for others the passion for their job has simply worn off. Yet, money is often in the way of change. For how can you change your job or pursue a creative career without losing out financially?
The first thing to understand is that career change takes time – at least if you are looking to go down a completely new path. But if you know what you want, a clever strategy is a valuable tool.
Identify the issue
One of the good things to have come out of the pandemic is home working, a concept that many companies will continue to employ in the future. BBC reports that half of UK women believe it has boosted their career progression. For sometimes career struggle arises, not from the tasks and the job role, but from the working arrangements. Identifying what’s behind your discontentment early on will therefore save you time and money in the long run as you might enjoy doing the same role for a company that offers more flexibility. Or you could even find another job internally.
Start a side-hustle and turn it into a career (in time)
If you want to leave your job behind entirely and turn your dream of turning your hobby into a full-time career, there’s no quick fix. That’s why more women are starting a side-hustle alongside their day jobs. If you hope to sell your own art, for instance, you can showcase your work on a blog and slowly grow it into a business. This way you don’t break the bank. You can get free ideas for business names and domains on name generator online and start planning your side-hustle today. It’s an easy and risk-free way to explore your options.
Change your lifestyle
If you are a big spender, but at the same time dream of having more time with the family, and more time to pursue a new career, then a change is needed. Be savvy with your money and eat budget-friendly food. Many people are surprised by how much money they save when they plan their meals and eat more vegetarian dishes. This will allow you to put a bit of money aside to fund your career change, such as accredited courses, buying tools and equipment for your hobby – or even reducing their working hours.
Join a community and expand your network
Finally, there is the community. Most professional roles are associated with some sort of community, especially if it’s a creative field. The best thing about these is that most of them are free. If you dream of becoming a florist, there are social media groups and local events for you to sign up to. And if you are interested in becoming a business coach or therapist, there are plenty of others out there who have taken that journey. Learn from them. Find out what it takes. Sometimes there is funding and schemes to apply for that can help you get there.