How I'm Finding Confidence in My Career Pause
In the identity crisis following motherhood, we often stop talking about the career parts of our life. How can we own our current story?
Source: Lena Mytchyk
At the beginning of my own untitled chapter a handful of years ago, I was away with some of the women I consider closest to me. By the end of our weekend together, I was totally baffled to discover that all but one of them didn't know I was still consulting.
Self-promotion is controversial, especially these days when social media can be such smoke and mirrors. But in the identity crisis following motherhood, I seemingly stopped talking at all about the career part of my life. Mother Untitled is about what it means to get comfortable with motherhood coming first, but it is also about the rhythms in relationships, work, and wellness that let us stay balanced and connected.
That's what consulting was for for me, albeit two days a week. But I downplayed it. Or skimmed over it. Or apparently, among the people closest to me, didn't even mention it.
For all of us in the untitled category, whether it's freelance projects, classes, non-profit work, or our own creative pursuits, it still counts. It may be different, lesser paid, or lower profile than what you were doing before, but it is still part of your current story. As we've talked, your present place always leads to what comes next. These are three things I'm practicing to really own my story, find my confidence, and keep my peers and network aware of where I am.
3 Ways I’m Owning My Story
1. Answer the question "What do you do?" with clarity and confidence
Shortly after that weekend away with my friends, I developed a new answer to the question “what do you do?” Here's what I came up with at the time: "I used to run brand at a startup. I am still consulting two days a week which leaves me the time I want to be home with Bodie." Read more: How to Answer ‘What do you do?’ During a Career Pause
2. Refresh my online portfolio
For different industries, this may be your website or LinkedIn profile but revisiting that space, refreshing it, and subsequently, because of the joy of social, sharing an update, keeps people aware of your choices at the moment and leaves the door propped open for contacts to reach out. Read more: How to Stay Connected During Your Career Pause
3. Keep the career networking game strong
Keeping a hand in the game can simply mean meeting interesting people in your industry and keeping your career chat up-to-date. Trading notes, making new relationships, or learning how the landscape is changing keeps you interested and interesting—even when any given day could feel far from it. Learn more about networking during a career pause.
