In the News: Stay at Home Moms Heading Back to Work

The New York Times recently ran this insightful piece on how the recession has been impacting former Stay at Home moms.

According to the article, about 80 percent of the layoffs in the current recession have been men, forcing a number of once full-time moms to head back to the workplace.

Author Eilene Zimmerman interviewed a number of career experts around the country, all of whom seemed to concur that one of the biggest challenges for moms reentering the workforce is how to market themselves.

That includes creating a résumé that reflects both previous career experience and skills gained while out of the work force. “If you have been running the book fair at school, for example, that is marketing and advertising with results that can be measured in revenue.” Ms. Sollmann said. [Kathryn Sollmann is the co-founder and managing partner of Women@Work Network, a recruitment firm in Wilton, Connecticut.]

In addition to undertaking a thorough skills assessment and rebuilding your professional network, the article also recommends temping as a way to increase your confidence and refresh your technology skills.

Of course, going out to work isn’t the only way moms are earning a living these days. Did you see our Reader Mailbag from last Thursday about a mom who was starting her own home-based business? My answer offer eight tips on marketing your new enterprise. Check it out!

Are you looking for a job after many years out of the working world? What have been your biggest assets? Let us know in the comments section!