In my house, the “Back to School” checklist for fall starts before my kids have even finished the current school year. When I notice the sneakers are worn out, the sweaters have all gotten too small, and that backpack strap has finally given out on us, I know it’s time to start planning for September. And with a fall game plan ready to go in June, I can enjoy the nice weather and more easily prioritize errands and chores on the days the weather isn’t as nice.
Many caregivers who are ready to return the workforce look to September as an ideal time to open that next chapter. If one of your goals is to get back to work this fall when the kids return to school, now is the time to start planning. This way you can enjoy your summer while still making progress on your goals.
Here are three things you can do in June to get you started:
- Do the “write your next job description” exercise to figure out what jobs to focus on.
- Create a target list of companies you’d like to work for.
- Start with companies that are within a reasonable commute of your home (and those who advertise specifically for remote opportunities).
- Look to sites like Fairygodboss and Glassdoor to narrow your picks to companies that you think will have the right culture fit. You might want to include Path Forward partners!
- Research your target list. Read their career sections.
- Sign up for job alerts — you can even sign up for all their job alerts just to see what kinds of jobs they hire for.
- Learn as much as you can about their business, their culture and their workforce. When a job becomes available that you have the skills and experience for you will be ready to pounce on it.
Fall gets busy quickly and using the “slower” summer months to get ahead on home and work projects can help ease the crunch and make headway on your personal and professional goals for the year.
And, if you are already back to work or just looking to find ways to have more time this summer for job search activities, check out our summer childcare strategies.