Recommendations for single mothers seeking employment

30 Dec Recommendations for single mothers seeking employment

Around 1 and a half million women head a single-parent family in our country. Women who, on many occasions, have to get ahead without more help than themselves and who in 65% of cases find it difficult to make ends meet, according to Save The Children.

If this is your case, at the Adecco Foundation we can help you find a job through our network of offices and job offers. To do this, register your CV Job portal and sign up for the offers that suit your profile.

But in addition, in this article we propose some tips that will help you reflect on the (sometimes) so difficult task of reconciling employment and family and that, we hope, will contribute to making it something easier for you. Take note!

What to do if I cannot find a working day adapted to my situation?

65% of women who head single-parent families find it difficult to combine their professional role with caring for their own, demanding more work-life balance measures, according to the V Report on Single-parenthood and Employment, prepared by the Adecco Foundation. What to do in these cases?

According to Estefanía Fernández, a consultant for the Adecco Foundation in Navarra: “it is convenient to anticipate possible job proposals incompatible with the day we are looking for, betting directly on jobs that allow some flexible hours, even as a freelance. It is also a good measure to look for alternatives such as “time banks ”  of municipalities or entities, where you exchange services or favors without any economic counterpart. Its objective is to help families to solve small problems of daily life and, ultimately, to promote the creation of social networks based on mutual aid and solidarity ”.

For her part, Yolanda Quintana, a consultant for the Adecco Foundation in the Balearic Islands adds that: “ if we have not found a job adapted to our situation for a long time, a change in professional profile may be recommended, it does not have to be a change of sector but it can be a change of profile within the same sector ”. Quintana agrees with Fernández on the usefulness of seeking public resources such as summer schools, daycare tickets, or extracurricular activities, which allow mothers to fulfill their working hours while their children are well cared for. In addition, it alludes to the importance of creating a “ help network”, not only of relatives but with “friends, neighbors and other families in the same situation who can help us”.

 How to deal with my situation in the company?

Although having or not having children should not be the subject of a job interview, it is a question that could come out at some point. In this case, Quintana highlights the importance of “emphasizing that family responsibilities are not a problem since otherwise, it could arouse reluctance in the company.” To do this, it is vital to “ organize very well on a day-to-day basis, anticipating the unforeseen events that may arise (medical appointments, getting sick, etc.), through support networks and other alternatives, because only in this way will we be able to fulfill our day without setbacks. Planning will be our best ally ”.

If once we are hired, and despite having planned the possible unforeseen events, we have to absent ourselves from our position, “we have to show an open and flexible attitude with the company, emphasizing that we can compensate for this absence by staying longer another day or by being available to special needs that arise. The important thing is that they see us committed to the project and that they know that they can count on us ”.

How do I deal with financial problems with my children?

Estefanía Fernández highlights that: “it all depends on your age. If they are older, we can communicate it to them naturally and with a responsible and common position, and making them aware that we can all contribute and help. If they are minors, it is best not to worry them excessively, but to make them participate so that they are aware that they have to tighten their belts. A very good option is to involve them from a very young age in volunteer activities with people with financial difficulties. For example, going to help soup kitchens or any other similar initiative that helps us to be more human and less materialistic ”.

I don’t have enough time for my children, how do I manage it?

Being a single mother or father can be very stressful since the little free time available is invested in solving logistical issues of the home and children. However, the Adecco Foundation consultants recommend “ trying to find moments to enjoy quality time with your children. You don’t need a lot of time, just accompany them and listen to them doing daily tasks such as homework, games, movies, or music. That they feel accompanied because our company is the best gift for them ”.

On the other hand, they also insist on the need to “never lose a positive attitude, because our spirits will spread to our children, who are in very important stages of development.