Tips for house wives entering the job market

I know of a couple who went through a divorce after their children married stunning everybody with their decision since they were thought to be one of the most exemplary husband-wife duos. While dissecting the matters to get at the root of such a drastic step after almost 27 years of marriage, the shocking truth was revealed. Marcela had resented bitterly that she had to sacrifice her identity and life to bring up the kids (all four of them), while Martin built a successful career. She was a first class micro-biologist and she had dreams of her own that she had to forgo to bring up the kids and make a comfortable home for her family. This would have definitely never built to such a climax, if Marcela could have found a way to feel economically productive and socially useful. And this is what this article is trying to deal with.

There are many such couples in this world where the husband is a high-flying executive and the wife has to compromise to a large extent on her dreams in order to keep things smooth in the marriage. For some women this turns out to be their calling and they revel in home-making; while for some others it becomes very frustrating to find that they have to see their lives passing them by. For this category of wives this article gives a few tips on how to find productive jobs.

Identify your strengths:

When the husband is a highly paid executive, he might be getting such lucrative offers that the wife automatically takes the second place on her career matters. This need not be so. You need to identify your strengths and then pursue a career that capitalizes on those strengths, while at the same leaves you enough scope to look after your home and children. For example, if you are a great secretary, you may like to take up part-time office management assignment where you either spend 2-3 days per week in the office full-time or spend everyday a few hours for secretarial work.

Put aside a definite amount of recurring time:

It is important that you are serious about pursuing a career, even if in the beginning it starts with part-time work (and payment). For this purpose you will need to allot and plan for the time that the job will ask of you, and stick to the plan conscientiously.

Keep the communication open with your husband:

The worst mistake women do when they are upset about something (such as moving away or not getting a job, or not being able to take up a job, etc) is to shut everyone else out - including the husband. You need to communicate openly and constantly with your husband to see what avenues are open for you and the career you choose and how much involvement you would need from him in this regard. If you are serious about taking up a job, it is important to have each other's support; your husband's support and understanding will go a very long way in this regard.

Check all available avenues diligently:

When you make up your mind to start working, you may first start in the company your husband works in - unless he is really an ill-adjusted member of the company, you will definitely get a good welcome and possibly a reasonable offer. Many work places offer good package to couples to join as they save on medical facilities and housing expenses.

Update your skills and knowledge base:

The technology being what it is today, things change with every day that passes. You need to keep yourself abreast not only with the economical and political scenario but also skill wise. In case you have taken a 3-4 years break to give your full attention to your children and family and decided that time is ripe to take up a job, then you would do good to check out certain short/crash courses in your line of interest which would put you back in touch with the latest development and trends. Your CV will also look much better if it has the latest job jargons and terms included.

Write a good CV:

It is normal to have the problem of less experience when you write your CV. In order to make your CV attractive, you will need to attract the attention of the reader to your skills, qualifications and aptitude for the job you are applying so your experience (or lack of it) takes a back seat.

Network heavily good time before you want to start your job:

The best way for a housewife to land a job is through networking. Six months before you plan to start your job, let people around you know that you are ready to start-kick your career. Tell it to your husband, his friends, neighbors, your grocery storekeeper, your friends, your family and so on. You will be surprised to see how many leads can come up through this way.

Enroll in job-oriented training programs:

There are a number of job-specific training programs which on completion will offer employment openings such as computer training in Tally (accounts & finance), medical transcription and call center operations; others will include travel and hospitality industry as well as secretarial courses. Identify courses that best describe and enhance your basic aptitude and skills for best results.

Volunteer work: Be open initially to start working anywhere even if it means working without pay. For example you could volunteer to teach in the local school, work for the women's association, volunteer as a health worker in slums, etc. Once you are in the field you will find a myriad of opportunities unfolding right before your eyes. The exposure will also put you into contact with many like-minded people for better networking.

Entrepreneurship:

Wherever you are the best way to get a job is to create one. This is why entrepreneurship is always the best choice. Identify your best features, look at the market around you and then apply it into making it a commercial venture. Some ideas could be:

• Are you good with children - you could open a play school or crèche or baby-sitting centre
• Do you have green fingers - you could start a nursery
• Are you obsessed with cleanliness - you could start a residential cleaning service
• Are you good in teaching - you could open you coaching center
• Are you good in baking/ cooking - you could open your catering center/ bakery/ fast food counter
• Are you good with clothes tailoring - you could open your own modest boutique or offer tailoring classes/ tailoring services (not only clothes, but also patch quilts, embroidery, etc)

There are is no stopping you if you really want to get employed and entrepreneurship will always offer you a bit extra satisfaction since it has the power to create employment for others as well.