Life throws us curveballs. A 5-year-plan never really goes as planned, and things that you thought would last forever, may just not last forever. Unfortunately, for some people, divorce is a part of their life story, and when divorce happens there are a lot of things that have to be figured out. People need money to get by and enjoy life – that’s a fact. If you have been a stay-at-home spouse or parent, you may be petrified at the idea of returning to work after divorce. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Here are some tips on returning to work after divorce.
Find Your Interests
Utilize a career counselor. They can help you with the simple things, such as your resume or finding out the basics of different jobs. They can also help you with the more complicated things such as working through the process of applications, interviews, and negotiating pay. Most career counselors can also be very helpful if you are still processing the divorce while coming to terms with going back to work and still having to care for your family.
Remember that just because you had a job before you were a stay-at-home spouse, does not mean that you have to go back to that type of work. Sometimes switching things up a little can make the transition back to work a little bit mentally easier. Having a certain degree doesn’t mean you have to use it – especially if it is in work that you may not enjoy any longer. Switching workforces can be highly beneficial to your mental health, and there’s no better time than when you are already in a transitional moment in life to get a new degree or occupation. Talk to your friends and family that are in a career that you are interested in. Ask if you can shadow them for a day and get to know more about that career.
Figure Out Your Income
While you are taking the time to figure out what job you would like to do for the rest of your life and the steps it will take to get there, you may need to figure out an income to get you by. If you have been a stay-at-home parent or spouse, alimony or child support may buy you some time as you figure out your career. You can also try looking for a part-time job.
Spread the word that you are looking to enter back into the workforce. Friends, family and even strangers that you chat with at the grocery store may know of some openings.
Get Back Into School
Most good-paying jobs these days require some type of degree. If your goal is to get into the workforce with a job that you enjoy, then you may need to start by going back to school. Consider getting a management degree. A management degree can open up a wide array of job opportunities and can be used in many different types of work. Almost any job has a supervisor or manager involved. An online management degree could help you get one of those jobs. The opportunities that a management degree opens are enormous. You could work in nearly any industry, from healthcare to the mechanical and everything in between.
Along with helping you get a higher paying job, a management degree can be obtained online. This is a great option if you are having trouble balancing life, children, and possible side work. Another great benefit to an online masters in management degree is that it opens many doors for entrepreneurship. Just obtaining the degree alone can create connections that can help you start and run your own business. The degree can also help you learn about the paperwork side of owning your own business, from creating receipts to doing your business taxes.
In the end, when life throws you a curveball and returning to work after divorce becomes part of the plan, consider the possibility of a management degree to help you get a better paying job. Balancing children, family and social life along with going back to work can get complicated quickly. Luckily, there are people and opportunities available to make the transition as easy as possible!
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