P&K Insider

There were at least 50 women taking copious notes and occassionally nodding their heads in agreement. Women have lots of things in common but this room was full of women on a common mission - returning to the workforce.

Detours & On Ramps: A forum on the issues facing Mothers in the Workplace was held today at Bentley College in Waltham this morning.

The site reads: “The forum was founded to address the needs and issues of mothers, especially those grappling with their choice to work full time, part time, or from home.

Through networking with fellow working mothers, discussions with the companies leading the way in solutions for working mothers, and panels and sessions on some of the most common issues faced by mothers who elect to work outside the home, Detours and On Ramps aims to provide a forum for women to meet, examine their options, and figure out their next steps.”

I attended a panel discussion “Jobs on Your Terms” Here are some highlights:

• There is a general feeling that there are a lot more candidates than jobs out there that offer flexibility but the tide continues to turn. “A business that is open to flex time realizes that it really behooves them to do so,” said Moderator Andrea St. Jean, a career coach. “The benefits include lower employee costs and you hire someone who is hard-working and efficient.” St. Jean can be reached at 603-502-2322. Jane Seibel, founder and CEO of Employmoms agreed, “I think a lot of companies today are seeing baby boomers retire and more and more women are graduating from college with fantastic skill sets. They are recognizing that the work force is changing.”

• An ideal mom candidate “needs to know they are ready to re-enter the workforce bringing whatever skill set and experience they have. And are also willing to be flexible,” said Allison, O’Kelly, founder and CEO of MomCorps, an expert in the flexible employment market.
• Don’t hide fact that you’ve been out of the workforce for awhile. “If you’ve been out only 2-3 years, it’s not a big deal,” said O’Kelly. “But if its longer, it can be a big challenge. Talk about what you did in that time. Very few people stop ‘working’ entirely. You may have headed the Bake Sale at your child’s school or been a member of the PTO, it may impress the prospective employer or it may not.”
• Don’t let money be your motivator. “If that’s your reason for returning to work you need to take another look at your priorities,” said Melissa Sharples of Aquent, staffing for marketing professionals. “You may be able to find a job to satisfy that motivation but in the long run it may not work out.

I encourage you to check out their Web sites - they offer fantastic resources for any moms looking to re-enter the workforce.