6 Interview Tips for Moms Returning to Work
The country has over 5 million stay-at-home moms, and many each year consider rejoining the workforce to support their families financially. As a stay-at-home parent, the most important parts of your journey of re-entering the career phase are being well-prepared and projecting confidence at all stages of the process, especially during the interview. So, here are some interview tips for moms returning to work to ease their re-introduction to the professional world:
Stay in the loop
If you have been out of the industry for longer than a year, it may be wise to get in touch with your network of friends, family, and ex-colleagues to find out what’s new in the industry. You can also look at online industry boards or forums to learn about recent changes in corporate culture. This will help you gain confidence and showcase your company and industry knowledge in interviews.
Prepare for the “strengths and weaknesses” question
Use the job description as your guide to finding relevant strengths in your bank of experience. When answering questions about weaknesses, it is best to state an area that you have improved in, or have been working on, or one that is not essential to the job at all. Additionally, it is best to avoid clichéd terms like ‘workaholic’.
Dress well
It is important to dress appropriately for an interview. Take the time to learn the company’s policies regarding office wear. As a rule of thumb, jobs like banking would require more conservative dressing, while jobs in advertising might come with a more relaxed dress code. Even if the company you are interviewing for has a casual dress code, it is best to dress professionally to make a good first impression. It may even be beneficial to dress one or two levels higher than the job for which you are interviewing.
Project confidence
During the interview, it is important to project confidence. It is normal to feel nervous before an interview, and the key to alleviating this nervousness is practice. Practice interviewing in front of a mirror or using a tape or video recorder. You can also ask a friend or family member to help you role-play an interview to practice. Another way of projecting confidence is through positive body language. This includes a firm and confident handshake, sitting up straight in your chair, speaking clearly, not looking at the clock or your cell phone, leaning slightly forward to appear interested in the conversation, and not folding your arms in front of you or putting them in your pocket. Your non-verbal cues go a long way in the conversation, so make sure you use them tactfully.
Prepare questions for the interviewers
Interviewers tend to ask candidates if they have any questions for them. So, during your research, make a list of questions, and tweak them as you learn more about the company. Do not ask questions that you can find answers to in the “About Us” section of the company’s website. Preparing a list of questions will show the interviewers that you are interested in the company and its operations.
Carefully navigate tough or irrelevant questions
When returning to work, your interviewer can ask you many tough questions. Some of these questions will focus on how you have maintained your skills and been up to date. It is important to remember that interviewers are prohibited by federal law from asking about child-care arrangements during the pre-employment stage. It is also unlawful to ask if you are pregnant or if you plan to have more children. You can refuse to answer these questions, be evasive, or answer honestly. You may choose to answer these questions with a standard “Is that relevant to the job I’m applying for?”
Maintain a calm, positive, and confident composure, and you will ace just about any interview.