Top Job Search Websites for Moms Returning to Work – Bookmark These Now!
Inside: Moms returning to work have great online resources and communities to tap into – you just need to find the right ones! Start right here for 10 of the best.
For moms returning to work after spending time away from the paid workforce, the insecurity, the excitement, the anxiety, and the fear are real.
Will my skills translate to working outside the home after being away from the workforce for many years?
Am I going to enjoy going back to work, or be miserable?
Who is hiring? And do they want me?
What do I even want to do?
So you might start Googling. And Google is great for a lot of things. But just like the Googling you did when you were trying to get pregnant, or when you were trying to figure out what that rash was, or when you wanted to know if that thing your kid just did was normal, you are going to get a lot of results. And it might be a tad overwhelming.
I’d like to help you whittle that list of website results down to something more manageable. How does 10 feel? Better? Awesome.
Let’s dive into 10 career and job search websites moms going back to work need to know that will help you build connections, answer burning questions, and find opportunities you’ll be excited about.
Top 10 Job Search & Career Websites Moms Returning to Work Need to Know
THE MOM PROJECT
The Mom Project was specifically designed for moms who are returning to work, transitioning to flexible work, or looking to engage with companies who are super supportive of working moms. All the yes to this!
The companies working with The Mom Project opt in specifically to this site to post their roles because, well, moms rock. They appreciate the talent that women bring to the workforce and they want to offer flexibility for childcare and work-life integration. For many moms, these things aren’t nice to haves, they are necessities and the companies The Mom Project works with get that.
When you set up an account on The Mom Project you fill out a profile that includes what you are hoping to find (full-time, part-time, flexible work, freelance) and your skills and interests. Then when opportunities pop up that match you’re going to know about it right away via email. I’m not searching for a role, but I entered in my information and have been really blown away by the caliber of opportunities that have been sent my way.
You can also search the database of jobs that includes roles in marketing, graphic design, human resources, and finance, to name a few.
THE MUSE
As a career development nerd, I’m constantly reading up on personal and professional development, job search strategy, and new tools being used for education and hiring. One of my favorite sources is The Muse because their career development content is spot on, but they deliver in a casual engaging tone.
Real shocker that I love this, I know.
Hop on The Muse newsletter as you get ready to tiptoe or jump back into the workforce. I promise you’ll find nuggets of information in each email that you can apply directly to your search and professional growth. Like this article on job searching while pregnant.
You can also explore companies and jobs on The Muse. Bookmark this baby!
FLEXJOBS
If you are reentering the workforce and are struggling with the idea of how 9-5 in an office would fit in with your life, it doesn’t have to be that way. Enter FlexJobs!
The internet brought us hilarious memes, Netflix, and Amazon Prime, and to top it all off, the internet has made work much more flexible. You go, internet! FlexJobs is a job board that exclusively posts remote, part-time, freelance, and flexible jobs. If that type of work is up your alley but searching other job boards is leaving you feeling discouraged, getting on FlexJobs will show you that this is totally possible.
Some of the companies that hire through FlexJobs include Apple, Salesforce, Hilton, Kaplan, and American Red Cross. New jobs are posted daily by their team of researchers who are actively seeking out these opportunities for you and you can search these postings using over 50 categories.
As a member of FlexJobs you have access to the job board, company research, the FlexJobs Skills Test, and discounts on other job search tools. There is a monthly fee to join, $49.95 for a year or $14.95 a month, (truth in advertising, I’m an affiliate with FlexJobs), but you can check out the site for free to search all available postings and see if this is the right fit for you.
Now through July 11th use code FOURTH for up to 50% off.
I talk about LinkedIn in almost every single career coaching session. I’m a broken record of LinkedIn, but it’s that important.
I especially love this professional networking platform for moms returning to work for three reasons.
(1) It’s networking on the go. Going to mixer events and meetings is fantastic if you can swing it, but as a busy mom your schedule may not be super flexible. So using LinkedIn for networking allows you to reconnect with old colleagues without finding childcare.
(2) It’s a source of content. If you need to brush up on your industry research to learn about latest trends, you can follow thought leaders on LinkedIn and know your newsfeed is going to be filled with quality articles.
(3) It’s a widely utilized resource for recruiters. LinkedIn’s job board is filled with jobs from top employers the world over; everyone’s on LinkedIn. Plus recruiters are on there all the time seeking out candidates. As a mom returning to work you can proactively find jobs, and let recruiters find you. Win win!
WITH LOVE, BECCA
Oh did I sneak my own website in here accidentally? Nope, totally on purpose.
With Love, Becca is written by yours truly and it is for moms who are managing career, managing family, and managing to laugh through it all. I’m a career coach who has been in the career and professional development world for 13 years, and I’m also a proud mom of 2 who loves to laugh.
If you’ve been here before you know that some posts are all about funny memes and ridiculous stories about bats, and some posts are about helping you figure out what you want to be when you grow up. Moms aren’t just one thing, so let’s embrace all of it together.
One of my favorite resources for stay at home moms returning to work is this transferable skills checklist. Check out the full stay at home mom transferable skills post here or sign up to receive the list in your inbox.
GLASSDOOR
You may be returning to work after some time away for lots of different reasons. But for many people, financial necessity makes it onto that list.
Figure out your salary needs first by getting out the old Excel spreadsheet with a list of your expenses and goals. This is an important step a lot of people skip because it seems intimidating, but before you start looking for a job you need to understand what types of jobs would financially work.
Once you know your salary number then get to researching. Use the Salary Explorer tool on Glassdoor to determine how much different jobs and various companies pay. Search by title, location, and years of experience to get a general idea, and then you can dig in by company.
In addition to salary data, users on Glassdoor also provide reviews of the interview process and life at the company. Hear from people who have been there!
REACHHIRE
Have you heard of returnships? If not, the best way to explain a returnship is all the great learning opportunities and exposure that come from an internship, but for moms returning to work!
reachHIRE‘s returnship programs incorporate training and support tools with opportunities at companies that value gender diversity in the workplace. You already have great skills, don’t second guess that for a minute, but if you are looking to transition to a new field or reenter one that may have changed significantly, a bit of a skills refresh and some additional training is important.
Through these returnship programs, reachHIRE is striving to increase retention rates for women in the workforce. Love it!
WORKING MOTHER
Working Mother is a website that offers resources for working moms and moms returning to work, without forgetting that you also might be interested in things other than work. Since that’s my jam here too, I’m obviously a big fan.
Head over to Working Mother to find lists of the best companies for working mothers due to their commitment to being a mom-friendly workplace. Working Mother has been in this game for 30 years, so they know what they are talking about. There are lists for geographic regions, industries, and diversity and inclusion. If you don’t know where to start with building a list of potential companies you’d like to work for, start here!
And then stick around on their website for articles for moms by moms about raising confident kids, funny tweets, and returning to work after being a stay at home mom.
IRELAUNCH
It’s right in the title – iRelaunch!
If you are a mom returning to work that’s exactly what you are doing, relaunching into the workforce. You aren’t starting from scratch, even if you are changing industries or functions. You are taking what you have done in your previous career and your life as a mom and using all of that to launch your career again.
The iRelaunch website has a terrific blog and podcast, book suggestions, and career re-entry program listings. What makes this site stand out for me is that they also are big on community and offer in person relaunch conferences and an active Facebook group.
Stick with me here. Facebook is actually a very valuable resource for moms returning to work. The reason? Making connections.
You might be in a few Facebook groups already that help you answer your burning mom life questions, or figure out what’s going on this weekend in your town, or let you find a used double stroller. Useful right?
Facebook also has groups for moms returning to work. One group is iRelaunch Return to Work Forum with over 20,000 members. Ask questions, join conversations, and connect with other moms returning to work. Community is important!
You can also use Facebook to reconnect with old friends, scroll through pictures, or laugh at some memes. Going back to work can be stressful, it’s more than okay to take a little break. Important even.
Moms Returning to Work: Bookmark This Now!
Did you bookmark all of those websites? If not just bookmark this post, or pin it on Pinterest so you don’t need to worry about Googling it all again. Look at you, being all efficient.
And if you need some more sites, also check out Idealist, Indeed, CareerBuilder, and Zip Recruiter. Novoresume also has some great example resume bullets and summaries for stay at home parents.
Oh and you’re going to absolutely crush going back to work, I know it.
Read More Career Development Posts:
Stay at Home Mom Transferable Skills
Networking for Introverts: Overcoming the 5 Major Objections
