How to return to the workforce after raising a family
It's not hard to get a mother to gush about the job of being a mom.
"It's meant everything," said Katie Dunn, a mother of four teenagers. "It's probably, of all the things I do in my life, it's the most fulfilling. It's the most fun."
Dunn stepped away from her career in marketing at IBM to stay home with her children when they were young. After 12 years, she started feeling the desire to return to full-time work.
"I guess I always thought I would be going back to work full time one day, but I think as things like college tuition start looming, you start to think about that a little more seriously," she said.
After a little trial and error she was able to return to full-time work at UNC-Chapel Hill's business school.
Now she's using what she learned from her process to help others. Dunn started her own business called "Back to Business." It's a resource for parents who have taken time away to focus on the family who want to return to traditional full-time jobs outside of the home.
"Sometimes people just need a list of the steps or they need a plan," Dunn said.
She helps with everything from resume writing to having confidence when preparing for an interview. She knows the challenges facing moms and dads who haven't been in the job search game for a while.
"If you have been out of the workforce, you have a gap in your career history or your resume, so filling that gap is really important," she said.
Dunn encourages listing volunteer work or classes you may have taken. Even work at a child's school can be a note on a resume. She also works with clients who may not be familiar with new trends in finding work.
"You have to be savvy about how to be on LinkedIn, how to present yourself and how to have a personal brand," she said.
And it's a brand Dunn says employers are looking for. Parents who have taken time off tend to be more focused and mature than other candidates.
"There's really a sense of this is a person who has really spent time figuring things out," she said.
"Back to Business" offers an annual conference to help women get back into the workplace. This year's event is scheduled for Feb. 21 at RTP.
