3 tips for caregivers reentering the job market

The unpredictability of the past two years has led to countless changes in how we work and live. Many parents and other caregivers left the workforce to cope with the challenges of remote school, elder care, and inconsistent schedules. Now, with many of those who left their jobs trying to find their way back into the job market, and in a climate with increased acceptance of flexible hours and remote work, it is important to really take time to decide what your high-value benefits are. 

Read more: Urbansitter and Kinside team up on joint caregiving platform to support working parents

With all of the new competition for workers and allure of high salaries, remote work, and expanded benefits, caretakers looking to find rewarding careers while balancing their other responsibilities should think about what would truly make a difference for them. Here’s what to look for, and how to decode job descriptions. 

1. Understand the time expectations
The workforce is changing fast, and it can be hard to decipher different work set-ups. Here is a quick overview: 

Onsite means a job is in-person, and employees are expected to show up to a physical office all or most days. Hybrid typically means that employees have a set number of days of the week they work remotely and a set number they spend in the office. Some companies have set schedules, others allow employees to choose their remote days. Remote means an employee exclusively works from home. A true remote job has no expectation of the employee ever going into the office. You may see job descriptions that say something along the lines of “fully remote, quarterly on-site.” This means that the day-to-day of a job is entirely remote, but once a quarter, the company asks employees to travel to either the office or an on-site event. These jobs are a great option for those who need to work remotely but also want a strong sense of community and company culture. 

2. Prioritize the flexibility that will work for you
If your caregiving hours overlap with traditional business hours, consider job positions that allow for flexibility. Different companies have different standards for what this means. For some, flexibility means the freedom to choose which days you come into the office, or the freedom to join a meeting in-person or be accommodated virtually. These jobs will have keywords like “hybrid,” “remote options,” or “flexible office days.” For others, flexibility means choosing what hours of the day you work. These jobs will have keywords like “flexible hours,” “flexible working arrangements,” or “make your own schedule.” Additionally, look for a company with people that have similar personal dynamics. A company that largely consists of young, childless professionals, will be less understanding if you need to pick up a sick kid from school than a company with other working parents. 

Read more: How President Biden’s 2022 fiscal budget will impact caregivers and families

Jobs that mainly consist of independent work, including professions like coders, content writers, web designers, recruiters, and more, also tend to lend themselves to easier flexible schedules. Independent work can be done on your own time without worrying about needing to log-on to team meetings or overlap with others’ workdays. If you’re currently in a teamwork-heavy profession that isn’t working for you, start thinking about lateral moves you could make within your area of expertise. If you’re on the marketing strategy team, you could transfer to a copy-writing job within marketing. Or if you’re doing software development, look for a job as a recruiter with a specialty in hiring software development and other tech talent. When applying to these roles, emphasize your relevant experience and your desire to learn a new aspect of the business. 

3. Find companies that champion remote work
Lastly, prioritize companies who have offered flexible working and been remote work champions for years. While some organizations only switched to remote working when the pandemic began, many technology companies and start-ups have been advocating for remote work much longer. The ability to work remotely has given the technology industry an edge in the current battle for talent. Start-ups are often happy to have remote or flexible workers, so long as they can deliver on their work, whereas organizations who only switched to remote work in the past few years are deeply tied to their company’s ways of doing business and may feel more urgency to return to the office and set hours. To find a successful, flexible job, look for a company who has established, proven programs for people like you.

Read more: Accepting a job offer? Here are 6 things you should know

As you job search, remember that being a caregiver is not a mark against you, it’s a strength. Caregivers are empathetic, reliable, organized, and thoughtful with others’ time, as well as their own. Every company needs people like that. Emphasize these soft skills that caregiving has helped you hone when you apply for a job. Finally, don’t be afraid to wait for the right opportunity. There is a company out there that offers the required necessities to allow you to work the way you’d like to and thrive professionally.