Lots of women itching to work again after a family hiatus worry that they’ve chosen the worst possible time to return to the workforce. They already feel great trepidation about the gap in their resumes, and a difficult economy makes it appear that only current professionals will land the few available jobs.
While I do think it’s very possible to return to work in any economic scenario, it’s worth asking if your return to work would be more successful, expedient–and fulfilling–if you started a company of your own.
I thought of this when I read Miriam Salpeter’s great blog post, “6 Revealing Signs You Should Start A Business.” Miriam is a job search and social media consultant, career coach, author, speaker, resume writer, and owner of Atlanta based Keppie Careers. She is author of Social Networking for Career Success and 100 Conversations for Career Success. Though her blog post is directed more toward current professionals who have tired of the corporate grind, I think she points out reasons why some enterprising back-to-work Moms might avoid a long and frustrating job search.
Of course, there’s an important caveat. The entrepreneurial option is not for everyone. Lots of people just aren’t what I call “Type E”–willing (at least at the outset before employee #2) and able to wear multiple hats and handle all tasks from the esoteric to the mundane.
If you’re intrigued by the entrepreneurial option, read Miriam’s six reasons why it could be a good idea (with excerpts from her great blog post)…
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- INDEPENDENT WORK IS ON THE RISE. Independent workers (people working 15 or more hours per week as freelancers, contractors, or business owners) are a fast-growing workforce sector. There are currently around 17 million independent workers, which is expected to rise to 23 million by 2017.
A LACK OF JOBS OR HIRING FREEZES IN YOUR FIELD. It’s tough to land a job in the midst of hiring freezes. If your desired industry is hard hit by the economy or in a state of flux, it’s likely your job search will be long and frustrating.
CONTRACTORS ARE BEING HIRED INSTEAD OF NEW EMPLOYEES. Organizations cannot squeeze another drop of productivity from their already stretched-thin workforces–so they’re looking to outside contract help in lieu of on-ramping new, permanent employees. This means there are lots of opportunities to market an independent consulting business.
YOU NEED A NEW CHALLENGE. Take a good, hard look at your own goals, skills, and what you want to accomplish in your career. If you don’t see opportunities to achieve your goals in companies where you might land jobs, it may be time to start your own gig.
CONTROLLING YOUR WORK ENVIRONMENT IS IMPORTANT TO YOU. Yahoo’s recent edict that employees who work from home must report to the office highlights how tides can turn. Whether or not Yahoo’s move is a trend matters less than how important it is for you to be able to dictate your own schedule and work environment. The only way to be sure you maintain control over your work environment is to work for yourself.
WORKING FOR YOURSELF IS THE NEW JOB SECURITY. With millions of workers serving as employees at will, subject to layoffs and reductions in force at the drop of a hat, traditional or “corporate” jobs no longer offer income security. Assuming you can ramp up your own small business and attract some returning clients, it’s likely that having your own company with varied income streams is actually a safer bet than relying on one organization for your total income.
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I’m glad you liked my post. I used to think that not everyone was suited to being an entrepreneur, but I’m now convinced that we all need to take a bite of the business owner apple, so to speak. The fact is, many traditional jobs are not coming back. Employers are hiring more part-time and contract workers. As a result, we all need to think about ourselves as our own businesses and learn to market our skills to potential clients.
My next book, co-authored with Hannah Morgan, addresses this topic: “Social Networking for Business Success” will be out in July!