A New Job for the New Year

17/12/2007

For many mothers New Year’s Eve signifies another year survived with children. For others, New Year’s Eve is the night to make a commitment to a new job.

When the holiday bills start piling up and returning to a former job isn’t an option, retraining and beginning a new job could be on the list of resolutions.

A survey by City & Guilds says “one third of mothers lack confidence about returning to work while 18% worry that they have been out of the workplace for too long to return and 17% fret about being behind with new office technology.”

Women who begin retraining after having children and getting them to school age before joining the workforce again usually go for jobs in teaching, spa and yoga services and chef and cooking roles.

Sherridan Hughes, occupational psychologist with Career Analysts says “Having children is a natural point at which women reassess their careers. It can be to do with flexibility, but it can also be about being in the wrong job. So many people are in jobs that they can’t stand. Plus, people’s values change when they have kids: it’s not necessarily about earning lots of money any more.”