A woman plays various roles in our society. She is a daughter, a wife, and a mother. A woman has to sacrifice her own dreams in order to fulfil the dreams of others. She has to look after the household, and the children. In midst of all this she forgets her own identity, and her own independence.
Being a housewife is in itself a hectic job. But working can not only act as a financial support in the family, but a woman can feel that she has control of her own life in her hands. A job is not only about finance but about self-actualisation as well.
If you are a housewife who is looking to enter back into the field of work, here are a few points you must consider. The blog presents a career guidance for homemakers, mentioning housewives career options available in India.
CAREER COUNSELLING FOR HOUSEWIVES
As a housewife, you must often view the idea of working or re-entering the professional world with confusion. You would question whether working would take your family time away or if you would be able to take care of your children.
Even if, as a married woman, you are working, you would require months and years of leave in domestic situations such as maternity leave, health care problems faced by family members. A woman has to manage it all alone. And working along with being a wife, a mother, just makes it difficult. Many women leave their jobs because it becomes hectic for them.
But after their children grow up, women wish to start their jobs again. However, they find it difficult to re-enter the workforce after a long break. The world moves forward at a faster rate, and women find it difficult to keep up with the pace.
If you are restarting your career after being a housewife, you need a career counselling session. It can help you figure out the right path. Here is why you must try career counselling while thinking of re-entering the workforce.
EVALUATING SKILLS
One of the key job requirements is skills. A person develops skills while working with different organisations, people and on different projects. But a housewife stays mostly at home and may not have the working experience required. However, the job of a housewife in itself highlights various key skills. A housewife in her day-to-day life organises, arranges, and manages various events of her time, highlighting skills such as responsibility, leadership, organisation skills, management skills, etc.
- A career counsellor can help figure these skills out through different psychometric tools like tests and interviews, helping women realise their true potential.
- The career counsellor helps align the skills with the current job opportunities.
- Based on the skills, the career counsellor can also help upgrade skills through different courses and opportunities.
BUILD PSYCHOLOGICAL SUPPORT
When a housewife decides to re-enter the workforce, she faces a lot of questions from the society and herself. She wonders if she is doing the right thing or not, or whether she would be able to do it or not. With these questions, the morale and the confidence of the woman reduces. Often due to lack of confidence in oneself, these women quit the dream of working and stay as a housewife.
In such situations, a career counsellor becomes really beneficial. They can not only help with skill development but can counsel towards mental upliftment as well.
- As a housewife, women, before entering into work, often face challenges that makes them question their own worth. A career counsellor helps women see their real potential, and build self-confidence.
- As a homemaker, women often face overlapping identities. As a mother, wife, and worker, they often find it difficult to figure out their identity. The career counsellor helps them figure out the identities. The overlapping professional and personal identity often creates a situation where the housewives drop their decision. The counsellors help separate and maintain those identities.
- Career counsellors help discover options that align with the personal and professional goals of housewives.
FIGURE OUT ALTERNATIVES
It might be difficult for housewives to manage a full-time job along with managing home. Career counsellors help housewives figure out alternative career options that help them manage home along with work.
- One of the most popular option for housewives suggested by career counsellor is work from home.
- Housewives can also opt for start small businesses that they can carry out along with managing home.
