Career Advancement And Children? Yes, You Read That Right

When you have kids, it’s not unusual for your career to take a back seat. Nothing’s more important than your family — some moms even give up work altogether. This is an admirable pursuit that works for many women. But what if you don’t want to give up work? Far from it, you may want to continue in your career and advance along the way. How is this possible? Even for those women who keep working, career advancement is often out of reach for at least a few years.

This is no surprise when you consider career advancement usually involves extra hours or further qualifications. Neither of which you have the time for right now. Or do you? As with most things in life, career advancement with young kids is all about compromise. While your family should always come first, the following allowances could help you shine at work regardless.

Find flexible ways to advance your skills

One of the best ways to gain promotion is to advance your skills. It may be, for instance, that you seek a degree alongside your work. This is a push for even those without kids. Luckily, there is a solution, and it comes in the form of online courses.

With these, you can complete your degree from the comfort of your sofa once the kids are in bed. There are plenty of courses like this out there, so do your research. A nurse looking to grow could embark on something like an rn to BSN course. A retail assistant may wish to advance to management with a similar degree. You name it; there’s probably an online course to help with it.

Obtaining relevant certifications can also boost your chances of promotion. Certifications demonstrate your knowledge and expertise in a particular field, making you a valuable asset to your organization. Plus, they often come with a salary increase and added benefits.

Many certifications can also be obtained online, allowing you to study and prepare at your own pace. For example, a project manager may want to pursue the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification to enhance their skills and career prospects.

Alternatively, someone in the financial industry may opt for the Series 7 certification, which permits them to sell a broader range of securities. Whatever your industry or career goals, certification programs are likely available to help you achieve them.

After my associate’s degree, I pretty much earned my entire bachelor’s degree online. So it’s possible — and I was pregnant or with a small child the whole time!

A new way to work extra hours

Working past office hours will become harder when you have little ones. Your childcare only extends to the time you finish work, and there’s plenty to do at home. The trouble is, you’ll never get a career advancement if you go home the moment you’re able. Luckily, these days we have a lot of options.

You could consider fitting in extra hours around your partner’s schedule. It may be that you have to go home and then return once your partner finishes work. While not ideal, this further shows just how committed you are to getting a career advancement. That alone could work more wonders than you know.

It’s also worth asking whether you can work from home in the evenings. Remote work is common, so your boss shouldn’t have a problem with this if you’re in a technical field. Besides, you’re doing them a favor and showing your resourceful side at the same time. While you won’t want to do this every night, it’ll allow you to keep your head down while also keeping an eye on your kids. This is ideal for those with kids at school age and above.

Whoever said having kids holds you back in life? That simply couldn’t be further from the truth.