March is women’s month and many are celebrating the
accomplishments of women around the country. However, despite the strides forward, women are still facing
special challenges when it comes to child rearing and employment. As we have mentioned in previous blogs,
many women drop down to part-time work or completely drop out of the workforce
after having children which puts them at a career disadvantage compared to
men. For women who have spent
several years away from the workforce, reentering and effectively competing for
jobs with other candidates who have more recent experience can be a
challenge. But below we offer a
few tips on how women reentering the workforce can overcome this challenge:
- If you know that you plan to reenter the
workforce after your children reach a certain age, make sure that you never
completely drop out of the workforce.
Consider, taking a part-time job as an attorney, temporary attorney
assignments, working as a consultant or even doing volunteer work that utilizes
your experience as a lawyer.
- Keep up with your contacts, colleagues
and the latest developments in the legal field. Attending networking events and meeting with former
co-workers for lunch once in awhile can help you stay in the loop about current
happenings. Also reading trade
publications will keep you abreast with the latest trends and changes in the
legal field.
- Continue taking courses related to the
legal field while away from the workforce. Don’t let your skills and knowledge become out-dated.