Working parents need jobs that offer flexible scheduling so they can find a comfortable balance between their careers and their families. However, if you aren’t familiar with the job search process, it can be difficult to find employers that are willing to let you work from home or leave early occasionally. Some parents might jump at the first job offer that comes their way, but patience is definitely a virtue when it comes to finding the right workplace.
Practice, practice, practice
Employers aren’t looking for any candidate – they’re looking for the right one. This means that even though companies have vacant positions, they’d always rather wait to hire somebody with the skills and determination necessary to succeed at the company. Take your time to practice your job search skills.
For example, LinkedIn explained that as many as 61 percent of new hires come from employee referrals, so you should spend time reconnecting with your network of professional friends and family members. These friends may not know of immediate opportunities, so you’ll need to be even more patient for an opening to pop up.
You’ll make mistakes
There’s nothing worse than spending hours crafting the perfect resume, cover letter and work sample, only to find seconds after hitting “Send” that you made a typo in the subject line. Small mistakes like this often mean that you’re not giving your job search the full attention it deserves.
You might need to take a break, recollect your thoughts and revisit your progress when you feel refreshed. Otherwise, you might be spinning your wheels for months by sending materials with tell-tale errors that get you no closer to landing the flexible dream job perfect for you and your kids.