Every two years, the Government of India releases a report called the National Family Health Survey, and one statistic stands out over all the others - the percentage of married women who work, which according to NFHS-5 (2019-21) stands at 32%.
According to research conducted by Ashoka University and reported by The Quint, 50% of new mothers leave their jobs and only 27% ever return, which means that almost half of the female workforce who quit their jobs don’t consider coming back from maternity leave.
These are two independent facts, but they tell the same story, a story all of us have heard before - women face a lot of difficulties restarting their career after taking a career break. While some women stay back home by choice, a lot of them are compelled to take a longer break. Reasons like there being no backup to take care of their children, lack of support from the families they marry into, and general career anxiety are mentioned, but they are just the tip of the iceberg of problems women have to face. If you fall into one of these categories - don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
While these factors are unavoidable, what can be worked on are strategies you can use to get back to your feet in little to no time. We encourage women from all walks of life to break the recurring narrative and traditional barriers that have been set by society. So, are you ready to challenge your pre-existing notions?
Also a good way to work towards a lot of the solutions we’ll talk about today is purchasing a 1-year PowerPass subscription - a ticket to success developed exclusively for women. With 50+ live courses covering a wide range of subjects, you can easily build a career in any field you prefer. It’s time to plan your future and achieve it. #RaiseYourPower with us!
Here are a few ways how you can get the reins of your career back in your own hands.
1. Upskill, upskill, upskill
Technology and media are growing at a pace faster than ever. Even the smallest breaks can make one’s industry knowledge obsolete.
However, the good part is - ways to cope with the growth are growing at an equal pace, if not faster. Many of us have searched ‘how to make _____’ or ‘what is ____’ on YouTube, and it almost always works, even when it comes to professional questions. Even when it comes to certifications, moving cities or countries and giving away a majority of your day is no longer the only route you can take - almost any field you can think of has certifications available online, sometimes from reputed universities. Not only that - you get access to a host of ‘unconventional careers’; things that you might not have known you can make money with.
And also yes, that is what the PowerPass is all about - helping you acquire the necessary skills you need to succeed and #RaiseYourPower at the digital-based career of your choice. From digital content creation to fashion designing, anything that comes under the umbrella of ‘modern creativity’ will be at your fingertips with PowerPass.
2. LinkedIn - the master of staying true to its name
The title is no joke, LinkedIn can be your most important link to the rest of your field. If you stay active and navigate the platform, you’ll find a goldmine of industry updates on the platform. It also has some really inspiring stories of people with career anxiety and helpful insights on how one can bounce back from a career break. Not only that, its algorithm is designed such that anyone with a viewpoint and a thirst for knowledge can leverage it to its full potential and once that is done, landing a job will be the least of your worries.
Recruiters are always hunting for the perfect candidates on LinkedIn. Specially when it comes to startups, it is no longer about people who have a ton on their CV. Talking about what you know on LinkedIn has unlimited potential.
3. CV rule: You are what you say
No, we’re not telling you to lie on your CV. That’s wrong. But what’s not wrong is putting everything that’s true on it. Add that baking internship and that parenting break, because your skills are not only what you do. Parenting and tasks around home science are known to help increase strategic prowess and time-management skills, which are both vital in corporate as well as creative fields.
4. Home is where the content is
After finishing a Netflix show, you could write a review, and then do that for everything until you’re a proper entertainment reviewer. Record yourself making that special sandwich for your kids’ tiffin boxes and bam! You have a YouTube video. Just saying, content creation opportunities are everywhere and with short-form content recorded on phones taking over the world one Reel at a time, the legendary line loved by influencers now holds true - EVERYTHING IS CONTENT.
5. Gig-Gig-Ga-Ga
And yes, last but not the least is the good old-fashioned gig economy. From being sitters in their early teens to cooks, caretakers, and volunteers, gigs have been one of the few women-dominated sectors for the last few decades. And now, with technology being where it is, any woman with a device and an internet connection can leverage her skills and get things done. Businesses are increasingly tilting towards working with freelancers instead of set teams, not only to reduce costs but also for a bevy of other reasons. You can register on a third-party site like Fiverrr or just get your old colleagues to give you references.
There are hundreds of other smart ways of jumping back into the corporate world; these are just five of the simplest ones. We hope that you don’t let your fear of the unknown stop you from realising how easily you can #RaiseYourPower and bag all of the amazing opportunities you deserve.
