Maternity, sickness, childcare, elder care, rest and relaxation - whatever your reason for taking a leave of absence, there's no need to take leave of your professional ambitions too. An extended home stay offers the perfect opportunity to focus your career goals and sharpen your skills with an online degree program.
Caught up in the daily rush of activity, it's hard to keep perspective on your long-term goals. Time at home can help you reorient yourself or discover new priorities. Here's a look at career transitions inspired by time at home.
Finding a Work-Life Balance
Many people find that a stint away from the office changes their priorities. Maternity leave can bring home the realization that it's time for a more child-friendly career. Corporate lawyer, Charmaine Papallo, found she "wanted to be available and be there to raise my child." In search of "something more flexible," she built an online business selling gifts for babies. E-commerce lets stay-at-home moms engage their business acumen while still putting their kids first.
Focus on Business & E-Commerce
Online degrees in business and e-commerce offer a thorough foundation in the business and technology of electronic retailing. Business courses focus on entrepreneurship, financial analysis, and online marketing. Technology training includes an introduction to the Internet, networks and telecommunications, and business system development. In addition to learning the ropes of online start-ups, you can rub elbows with other e-business owners.
Making a Difference
Survivors of life-threatening illnesses know better than anyone the value and fragility of life. This recognition compels many to find a more meaningful channel for their professional skills. Psychotherapist, M.A. Hoffman, observes that many patients coping with terminal illness "respond with a deep desire to make a long-lasting contribution to society and leave some legacy of their lives."
As Roberta Hurtig puts it, "At the end of our lives, how many of us say they wish they negotiated one more contract or oversaw another merger? It's really about the difference you make in the lives of others." Her sister's cancer diagnosis prompted her to trade in a 20-year career with Polaroid for an executive director position at Samaritans, a suicide prevention organization.
Focus on Nonprofit Leadership
Nonprofit managers face a unique set of challenges--they must find creative ways to finance a charitable organization and further its cause, attract and manage volunteers, coordinate grant applications, and develop benchmarks for tracking progress. An online MBA in Nonprofit Management prepares graduates to apply traditional business skills in a nonprofit environment. Coursework covers marketing, financial management, public relations, training, and human resource fundamentals, as well as nonprofit-specific skills such as grant writing and advocacy.
Keeping Current
Extended time off work can cause workers to lose their edge--especially in a rapidly evolving field such as IT. Senior management recruiter, Toby Marshall, observes that, "Employers want to be confident that your brain hasn't taken a break as well, so they need to understand that you are up to date with what is going on in the industry." At least one employer--accounting firm Deloitte & Touche--sponsors training sessions to keep employees on leave up to speed. Continuing online technology training courses are available in just about every field, from accounting to architecture, law to nursing.
Focus on IT Training
Information technology professionals face one of the steepest learning curves, with an ever-changing landscape of high tech applications. Homebound employees can take advantage of online technical training programs in specific technologies. These interactive online courses include Cisco Networking, Object Oriented Technology, MS SQL, Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer, A+ certification, and more. With online certifications, IT professionals can reenter the workforce without missing a beat--perhaps even skip ahead.
Fulfilling Intellectual Interests
Time off provides an ideal time to explore interests neglected in the single-minded pursuit of work. Catherine King, a Wall Street securities trader, became a stay-at-home mom after her second child was born. To complement her new 'job description,' she embarked on a Master's in Education (M.Ed.), focusing her studies on Early Childhood Education "because I wanted to be the world's best mom and it kept my mind active." A home stay can inspire you to pursue knowledge for its own sake--whether or not it translates into a career.
Focus on Early Childhood Education
Stay-at-home moms have an intimate stake in understanding early childhood education--after all, they are their children's first teacher. An online degree in Early Childhood Education focuses on the critical formative years of a child's cognitive, social, and physical development. Coursework covers child growth and development, educational psychology, teaching skills such as reading, and more.
Time away from work inspires people to take a fresh look at their career goals. With major life changes afoot, many housebound professionals resolve to change tack entirely in search of greater flexibility or meaningful work. Others take advantage of the time to further existing career skills, or establish new ones. The common thread: online career training enables them to put their dreams into action from home.
This article is sponsored by Lincoln College of Technology
Lincoln gives you the academic reputation and personalized attention of a traditional college along with the convenience, flexibility, and value you need and expect from an online college... That's the Lincoln Difference.
