Career coaching for parents
Why is coaching different for parents?
Because you have changed
Childbirth changes us in ways we never expected. Our priorities change, we want to and have to be there for our families more than ever before. Maybe you have spent the last year or more only with your children and not been able to talk about much else. Confidence levels drop over time, the ability to concentrate on work-related topics slips away.
It can be so empowering to have a job coach by your side as you plan your return to work after Elternzeit (parental leave) or look for a new job here in Germany after a long break. In coaching for parents, this is exactly the focus – getting you back to your confident self and back into the job market.
The best news is that your coaching can be 100% free of charge with an AVGS coaching voucher.
You can learn more about my job coaching approach as well.
Getting back to work after elternzeit
The reality
In a survey I conducted with mothers in Berlin, 67 percent said that their biggest question was how to manage their work life and private life. Some questions that came up concerned balancing family responsibilities with professional commitments, whether to mention Elternzeit (parental leave) on resumes, and how to rebuild their self-confidence in a rapidly changing job market.
At the moment, very few companies provide parents with the tools for achieving a smooth transition back to work. They are expected to dive right in. But the market has changed, you have changed and you need to find common ground.
Many parents are handed a termination letter right after they return from Elternzeit, which is also disconcerting. It can deepen your insecurity. You feel like you’ve been pushed down the ladder. And this is exactly when coaching can be helpful.
We can discuss this further in your discovery call.
For the past three years, I supported a lot of international parents in coaching and consulting through my work with The Confused Mother.
how job coaching can help
A lot of people don’t know that job coaching can help overcome these challenges with a number of tools and approaches that are customised for the client. Sure, you can try to do it yourself, but having someone to support you, whose sole focus is your career, can be life-changing. See what my clients have to say.
With one-on-one sessions, I can take the time a client needs and tailor my advice to them based on what they need. Here are some ways in which job coaching can help you get back to work after parental leave:
1. Personalised career strategies
Many mothers have never thought about their goals, their mission and their vision for their lives. They have got so used to taking care of the needs of others, they often get left behind. So, in job coaching, asking questions like these can really make them think and put all of these thoughts into words. This is the foundation of the work we do together to find their next job.
2. Skills assessment
We acquire a lot of skills as new parents and this should not be underestimated. If mothers have been out of work for a while, they might forget their skills and achievements. So one of the first exercises a job coach would conduct is a skills assessment, during which we talk about the strengths, weaknesses and skills the person has. This is an important step to achieve the below-mentioned goal of building confidence.
3. Building confidence
As I mentioned, one of the most significant challenges mothers face during parental leave is a drop in their self-confidence. In the coaching sessions, we work on defining their skills, strengths and weaknesses and do a lot of role playing to practise talking about themselves, their achievements and the projects they are working on. This helps in situations like job interviews, salary negotiations and annual reviews, as well as at networking events.
4. CV and interview preparation
Of course, job coaching also looks at job application documents after the first three steps have been completed. Addressing an employment gap on a resume can be a daunting task, and so many mothers choose to leave them off their CV to be on the safe side and prevent discrimination.
A job coach will assist mothers in drafting a strong CV that effectively highlights your transferable skills and experiences. Moreover, you can do mock interview sessions that help you talk about yourself confidently, respond to difficult questions and showcase your suitability for the desired role.
5. Strategies for work-life balance
One of the key concerns for mothers returning to work is finding the right work-life balance. As a job coach, I work with mothers to discuss their particular situation to find the right strategies. These include conversations to set expectations with the employer, developing a plan to implement at home and setting boundaries at work as well as home. This can really empower mothers to manage their responsibilities effectively, take care of themselves and avoid burnout.
6. Networking and support
The power of networking cannot be underestimated in the professional world and it is something that is often neglected. A professional network can be very helpful in finding a new job. Together with a job coach, you can come up with ways in which to make yourself more visible, make strategic contacts and connect with people that can help you professionally. This kind of network not only provides guidance but can also help mothers feel less isolated.
When you’re ready, book your call here to discuss your coaching needs.
Book a discovery call
Let’s have a 20 minute discovery call to get to know each other a little and see if we are a good fit.