Time spent connecting with your newborn and acclimating to new family dynamics is invaluable during parental leave. It may also present a chance for you to make investments in your career and personal development, though. It may seem impossible to juggle the demands of a new infant with professional goals, but you may make great progress if you take the appropriate approach. These are some suggestions for improving job prospects and developing skills while on parental leave.
Online Courses and Certifications
Learning new skills from home is now easier than ever thanks to the growth of online learning platforms. Think about the following choices:
- MOOCs-Massive Open Online Courses): A variety of courses are available on platforms such as Coursera, edX, and Udemy. Regardless of your preferences, there’s probably a course out there that covers digital marketing, project management, or coding.
- Professional certificates: You can improve your resume by obtaining certificates in your field. Project management (PMP), data analysis (Google Data Analytics Certificate), and IT (CompTIA, AWS) certifications, for example, can improve your credentials and increase your marketability.
- Language Learning: Acquiring a new language can lead to employment prospects, particularly in multinational corporations. Flexible choices for learning languages are provided by apps such as Duolingo, Rosetta Stone, and Babbel.
Professional Development and Networking
During parental leave, it’s critical to maintain a connection with your professional network and industry trends. Here’s how to stay up to date:
- Virtual Networking Events: Participate in industry gatherings, webinars, and online conferences. These gatherings offer chances to meet peers, discover mentors, and gain knowledge about the newest trends.
- Professional Associations: Get involved in the internet forums of pertinent professional associations by joining them. These organisations frequently provide very helpful tools, discussion boards, and networking possibilities.
- LinkedIn: Add any new certifications or skills to your LinkedIn profile. Join groups that are relevant to you, share articles, and leave comments on postings to interact with your network.
Consulting and Freelancing
Think about consulting or freelancing while on leave if you have the time. You can make additional money and maintain your professional engagement by doing this.
- Freelance Platforms: You may offer your skills in a variety of areas, from writing and graphic design to software development and marketing, on websites like Upwork, Freelancer, and Fiverr.
- Consulting: If you are an expert in a certain field, provide firms with consulting services. You can keep your professional edge by doing this on a part-time basis.
Individual Initiatives and Business Ventures
Investigating personal pursuits or business endeavors might be a terrific use of parental vacation time.
- Start a Blog or Podcast: Use a blog or podcast to share your expertise and life experiences. You can connect with like-minded people and establish an online presence by doing this.
- Business Ideas: Take advantage of this period to carry out market research, create a business strategy, and launch a small business. Parental leave has been used to create a number of prosperous businesses.
Community Involvement and Volunteering
Gaining new skills and giving back to the community can both be achieved through volunteering.
- Nonprofits and NGOs: Volunteers are needed for a variety of positions in many organisations, including marketing, administrative, and event coordination. Additionally, this experience might improve your resume.
- Community Groups: Get involved in initiatives or local community groups that share your interests. You may keep active, meet new people, and learn new skills by doing this.
Self-Growth and Self-Care
Lastly, throughout this time, don’t undervalue the significance of personal development and self-care.
- Mindfulness and Stress Management: You may manage stress and preserve a good work-life balance by engaging in mindfulness, yoga, and meditation.
- Reading and Reflection: Make time to read books about your interests, career, or personal growth. Clarity and direction for your career can be obtained by reflecting on your objectives and aspirations.
Parental leave is a special period of time that can bring rewards and challenges. You can return to work with new credentials, a renewed outlook, and better job chances if you use this time wisely to further your skills and career. There are many ways to take care of oneself at this unique period, including volunteering, self-care, networking, freelancing, personal projects, and online learning. Seize the chance and observe how it improves your personal and professional lives.