Moms and Dads

Stay-At-Home-Moms On Returning To Work: It’s Okay To Be Nervous

by Kevyn Gohu
August 19, 2022

It’s okay for moms to be nervous if they’re returning to work.

Sometimes, paying the bills along with tuition fees requires both parents to work. But for any mom who’s been a SAHM (Stay-At-Home-Mom) for several years, the idea of returning to work can be nerve-wracking. After all, the culture is different and there are so many new skills to learn. Microsoft, Google, Photoshop, Social Media Management — so many jobs but which one to take?

“It’s overwhelming.”

It’s tempting to grab the first job one sees that has the highest pay grade. Unfortunately, the job with the highest pay grade at the moment appears to be in the Information Technology (IT) industry. There’s also the option to become a freelancer but that’s assuming one has time to register and file away taxes. There are a lot of pros and cons between returning to the workforce and establishing one’s own business.

Employment vs. Entrepreneurship: Which one?

Entrepreneurship requires good capital and people who are willing to support the venture. But the thought of a hungry baby can quickly kill our dream of starting our own business, especially when we’re scared about whether or not we can meet the requirements for our kids’ tuition or needs. While employment seems to be the faster route, it can also be daunting due to the number of tasks and flexibility of time.

How Moms Can Return to Work After Becoming a SAHM

It’s going to be quite tedious but unfortunately, this is the system we’re left with. Therefore, there are some things we need to work around. Here are some ways to make returning to work easier.

1. Have at least two (2) valid IDs with one’s married name.

For most requirements, they’ll need at least two (2) valid IDs with one’s married name. The easiest IDs to get include NBI Clearance and Postal ID. A postal ID just needs a barangay clearance, a PSA marriage certificate, and a PSA birth certificate. After that, it’ll take a few days to process. Once there, you can get your NBI clearance which you can use the Postal ID and PSA Birth Certificate to claim.

Postal IDs last for 3 years while NBI clearance lasts for 6 months. NBI clearances are also a requirement for employment. PSA has an online portal where moms can order their other documents. Once done, the other requirements just need some paperwork that the company’s HR can assist with.

2. Sell your experience.

Interviews are usually where Stay-At-Home-Moms (SAHM) crash and burn because recruiters are dubious of one’s experience. Some of them even hold age against them. However, there’s one thing that moms have over younger applicants: experience. Recalling your experiences in your old employment helps.

3. Try shooting for entry-level jobs.

Technically, returning to the work after an X amount of years may return stay-at-home-moms back to entry-level roles. However, recruiters can change their minds if they see if one is overqualified for the job. Some may even judge one’s ranking (i.e. junior, senior, etc.) based on the amount of experience the applicants have.

4. Learn via YouTube videos.

Udemy and Coursera can be quite expensive so, YouTube may be the next best thing. YouTube has a variety of instructional videos to help bring Stay-At-Home-Moms up to speed with the latest skills needed for work and in the job market.

5. Make sure the company has the appropriate policies for working moms.

Besides maternity leave, some companies grant leaves to moms so they can be there for their kids. Others, however, tend to be slave drivers. These usually appear on the Job Offer (JO) or the contract where they also write down the onboarding requirements.

6. If it’s work-from-home, make sure to request the proper environment.

The ‘environment’ means work equipment such as a company-provided desktop or laptop. It’s better to keep a work desktop or laptop separate from the personal one because files can get jumbled up and it also sets the mood for work. Most of the time, BPOs (Business Processing Outsourcing) offer this option to their onboarding employees, especially for those venturing into IT.

One step at a time, SAHMs! We got this!

Returning to work isn’t easy for any SAHM or married woman. Because we changed our names upon marriage, we take great pains to chase every existing government office to reflect our change in civil status and legal name. But at least doing so allows returning to the workforce to help pay the bills and make sure we provide what we can for our kids, too.