It’s not all bleak: Four UK job search tools that match working parents with progressive employers
Ilana Levitt’s and Donna Sweidan’s blog post this week about “Working the Mommy Track” struck a chord with me. As a working mother and “trailing spouse” with three relocations within Europe under my belt, I am pretty familiar with the challenges of combining career and parenthood. And so are many of my female professional clients, those who rightfully “want it all” – a fulfilling career AND the chance to be around for their children as they grow up.
Many working mothers want to return to work after maternity leave or after an extended career break, but on a part-time basis. Unfortunately, most part-time jobs aren’t in line with their previous professional achievements and roles. So they are often forced to choose between undesirable part-time work, self-employment or full-time employment that takes them away from their family.
Thankfully, a few years ago, a number of enterprising women in the UK decided to put a stop to all that. They were convinced that there must be employers who can clearly see the benefits of employing highly educated, motivated and loyal staff on more flexible terms, such as job sharing.
A key argument was that if employer and working parent can find a mutually beneficial arrangement, both sides will gain. The working parent finds that happy medium between job satisfaction, attractive benefits and the chance to spend time with their children. Most would think twice before giving up on such an arrangement. For the employer, that means less need for costly recruitment and training.
So these enterprising working mothers made it their mission to find interesting, challenging, appropriately paid part-time positions in the UK for working mothers (and fathers) – and their success has been inspiring! If you or your clients want to find out more about these types of opportunities, check out the websites listed below:
But there is one caveat: so far, most initiatives and job opportunities are based in London and the South East. My hope is that over time, these initiatives will expand across the UK. Surely, there must be employers in other parts of the country who want to reap the benefits of employing highly educated and motivated professionals?
In my next blog post, I will write about how the emergency budget decisions of the new Conservative/Liberal Coalition Government are likely to affect job prospects in Great Britain.
Ruth Winden
Jobs & Careers in the UK