The Millstone Times August 2019

KIDS & CAMP Will Taking Time Off to Raise a Child Hurt Your Career? By Pam Teel In today’s world with cost of living always rising, both couples are prone to have a career. It seems the trend is to first get your career off on the right track and wait and have a baby later on in life. In an ideal world, you would be able to have it all, but the reality is that it’s not so easy living on one income for the average couple trying to raise a family. If you can’t afford good childcare, it means one parent needs to take a break from their career to raise a family. Many of those very same people who choose to raise a family worry about the impact that this will have when they choose or are able to go back to their career. They wonder if they will be able to pick up where they left off. Taking time out for family doesn’t have to negatively affect your career path. But there are some considerations–and some smart steps to take–to ensure that you can still access the roles you want when you’re ready to reenter the workforce. There are pros and cons to taking time out of your career to raise your family. You might worry about slowing your career progression, but it’s also common to find yourself missing adult company when you’re at home with tiny humans most of the day. Of course, that’s without even considering the financial impact of losing pay, pension contributions, and other benefits. Whatever you do, time out will have some impact on your career. For many people, the benefits of spending time at home far outweigh the potential pit- falls. However, it’s a big decision and more likely to pay off if you plan for the time in advance. You should think through the financial impacts. Also plan how you’ll balance your varied roles as a parent, a partner, and an adult in your own right. Keep a flexible mindset if you can. Each individual and family unit will have a unique way of organizing life. If you decide to take time off work, but ultimately the arrangement doesn’t suit you, have a backup plan so you don’t feel trapped. You risk long-term damage–not only of your career, but of your personal confidence–if you end up resenting your time spent out of the workforce. Time out of work can cause you to fall behind your peers in terms of professional development or lose track of the latest changes in your field of work, as well as making it more difficult to reintegrate into your previous job. This can really damage your confidence and make you feel like the world is moving on without you. However, you can still take advantage of professional development opportunities when you’re staying home if you plan carefully. In some cases, you might be able to formally arrange to spend some time in the office to maintain relationships and undergo any necessary training. There's a lot to consider before halting your career to care for a new baby or sick relative. Although opting out of the workforce isn't necessarily a perma- nent move, taking a break can hinder job success and cut earning potential. And despite increasing gender parity, the burdens of caretaking – and the career penalties of taking a work break – still fall most heavily on women. More than a third of women with advanced degrees leave work voluntarily at some point in their careers, and 43 percent of women with children do, ac- cording to a Harvard Business survey. Ninety-three percent of women taking a career break say they want to return, but only 74 percent manage to do so, and only 40 percent go back to full-time jobs. It's not impossible to jump back into the working world after taking time off, and it's getting easier as more companies recognize the value of retaining employees who also serve as caregivers. But making those transitions requires advance planning and savvy maneuvering. The biggest takeaway? Don't ever exit your career entirely, if you can help it. With the technology changes we have today and the pace at which things are moving, if you completely drop out for eight or 10 years, it's very hard to get back in. You should somehow stay involved, through consulting, freelancing, school or part-time work." If you foresee that you'll need to take a career break to look after a child, an elderly parent or anyone else in your life, consider job opportunities with com- panies that provide extra support to caregivers. Benefits like extended family leave and subsidies for child care expenses minimize some of the hardships that force people to quit their positions. Some businesses have long provided accommodations to caregivers. Twenty-five years ago, it was very common that women would sometimes leave and not come back but in today’s business world it’s not unusual to be able to work from home or take extended leaves when needed. Some companies have even allowed working parents to bring their infants, ages three to six months, into the company's offices. There are lactation rooms that offer privacy for breastfeeding and areas equipped with baby beds where children can sleep while their parents work. Other companies have allowed new parents to arrange alternative work schedules for up to 16 weeks and permits children to come to the office. Some companies also offer maternity leave, sometimes up to three months, to the father so he can help out. Before hitting pause on your career, think carefully about why you're doing it. Women lose an average of 18 percent of their earning power when they pause their careers, according to the Harvard Business Review survey research. They lose an average of 37 percent if they spend three or more years out of the workforce. Women are at the peak of their career trajectory in their 30s, which is when they often take themselves out of the workforce." Don’t under estimate the skills you’re building while you’re out of the workplace. Parents who return to work have developed better prioritization and planning skills. It’s also common to have more empathy once you return to work from raising a family. Many companies don’t like to see a big gap in your resume. Don’t ever apologize for taking time out to raise a family. Many employers, afraid of running afoul of anti-discrimination laws, don’t bring up the subject and female applicants, picking up on those cues; often don’t offer information, leaving hirers to guess at the reasons behind a hiatus. It’s best to be upfront and briefly acknowledge the career break and quickly move on to explain why they are the best suited for the job.

80 The Millstone Times

August 2019