You might have some idea about what you want your career to look like; you might have none at all. You might have a firm career aspiration but still wonder if it would be right for you. If you’re thinking about work, a career change, or undertaking study, but are unsure about what career would suit and fulfil you, here’s some tips for getting started.
Identity your interests
Sometimes the easiest place to start is by becoming curious! Ask yourself:
- What do I love doing?
- What feels good and energises me?
- What drains me?
- What tasks or activities come naturally to me?
- What kinds of environments do I feel comfortable, challenged or excited in?
- What are, or were, the hobbies, interests, sports, activities or areas of study and work that most engaged me?
List everything, even things you think might not be relevant. Write them down, look at them, be curious and also consider who you are now.
Know your transferable skills:
These are skills learned or used in some areas of your life that can be transferred to other situations. All mothers have some of these and single mothers, very often, have a lot.
Transferrable skills might include:
- Being able to communicate well (from fractious children to teachers and other professionals)
- Managing time and multiple projects or challenges
- Staying calm in a crisis and
- Managing a budget.
In addition to these, you might have skills learned from courses and previous jobs, and even some self-learned skills, such as using a computer well.
As women who are able to multitask, balance a budget, manage time and activities, and persuade young people to do things they may not want to, single mothers are not short on motivation or capability.
You might find it helpful to read this article about why single mothers make great employees and start making a list of all the skills you have.
Accept yourself where you are
It is seldom helpful to compare ourselves to others. Single mothers lead families, and each one is unique. Sometimes they have grown from informed choices and sometimes the choices have been taken out of our hands by unplanned events.
We all have stories that inform our options, confidence, career readiness and the directions we want to pursue. How do we reflect on our own story and use it to guide our future? Options to try include:
- Free or paid careers or employment guidance
- Reflecting with a friend
- Talking to a case manager, coach, therapist or mentor
- Writing in a journal or
- Accessing good quality written advice from a library or the web.
Consider what is, and is not, in your power to change. This leads you to contemplate what goals are manageable or attainable at this time in your life.
- Is now a good time to start a new job or study or another project?
- How are your children travelling at childcare, kindergarten or school and how much time and energy do you have for your ultimate goal?
- Are there smaller steps you can take that will help you find or reach your dream when you and your kids are in a suitable point?
It is worth knowing that not all barriers are personal and often obstacles we face are not a result of personal choices. There are structural barriers in employment that particularly impede women’s progress in the workplace.
However you move forward, we recommend you find some time for yourself and treat yourself with kindness and compassion.
Beat the imposter syndrome
You may have heard of the imposter syndrome. This is a psychological occurrence in which an individual doubts their skills, talents, or accomplishments and has a persistent internalised fear of being exposed as a fraud. Women experience this feeling more than men, particularly in relation to finding work.
A study from 2019 shows that men apply for a job when they meet only 60 per cent of the qualifications, but women apply only if they meet 100 per cent of them. That tells us a lot about how imposter syndrome impacts women, but the good news is that the study shows that, ‘women apply to fewer jobs but are 16 percent more likely to get hired after they apply. For senior roles, women are 18 percent more likely to cinch the job than men.’
You can read a short report on the study here.
