Going Back To Work: A Survival Guide for Comeback Moms [Paperback]

Mary W. Quigley (Author), Loretta E. Kaufman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2004

Essential information and strategies for recharging a career or starting a new one.

The most comprehensive resource for any woman thinking about taking the plunge back into the workforce.

Women who left their careers to raise children-whether just for the toddler years or until the nest is empty-face economic and emotional challenges when deciding to go back to work. Going Back to Work is a rich trove of data and ideas to ease what can be a tough transition. Quigley and Kaufman have zeroed in on strategies that succeeded for women who have gone back to work, and frame the key questions involved in making the decision. Inside this book, you'll learn how to:

--Explain that big gap on the resume
--Understand that there may be no "perfect moment" to go back and why
--Recharge an abandoned career or start anew
--Find work with flexibility
--Face family challenges when mommy's role changes
--Say no to a new boss
--Negotiate everything from salary to flextime

Based on a national survey of 1,000 women and dozens of personal interviews, Going Back to Work is the ultimate coping guide to gearing up your career.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Many parents are torn, wanting to be hands-on, full-time parents but also feeling ambivalent about leaving interesting, financially lucrative careers. This handbook, by freelance journalists Quigley and Kaufman, focuses on those mothers who are returning to the workplace after time spent away: networking to find a position, negotiating salary and other benefits, starting a business from home and more. In a casual tone, the authors draw upon their own experiences as well as on those of other mothers who were interviewed or contributed anecdotes to the authors' Web site. While many of these career topics are discussed in other books, this volume offers a fresh perspective in several areas; sections on changing careers and using volunteer jobs as a way of getting a new position are particularly insightful. Furthermore, the solutions are realistic. For example, regarding reliable child care, the authors discuss the advantages of having a family member (sibling, spouse or grandmother) available for child care or emergency care. This is a solid guide that should appeal to mothers who can't or don't want to return to their previous careers.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Quigley and Kaufman follow up on their earlier book, And What Do You Do? When Women Choose to Stay Home (2000), with a look at women choosing to reenter the job market after their children are in school or have left the nest. The authors interviewed hundreds of women and learned that their number-one concern on returning to jobs or careers is flexibility. But they note an array of other issues: the higher expectations and demands of the marketplace; the unlikelihood of returning to the same job or even the same profession; the need to keep skills sharp and stay on top of current trends. The authors advise women to keep a notebook to articulate their desires and motivations for returning to work and to develop a step-by-step strategy, including volunteerism, job sharing, part-time work, returning to school, and starting a business. Interviews with women in the process of returning to work offer insights into everything from child care to personal insecurities to finances. A practical and informative resource. Vanessa Bush
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 292 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin; First Edition edition (August 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312313217
• ISBN-13: 978-0312313210
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,279,854 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Going Back to Work: A Survival guide for Comeback Moms, August 5, 2004

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Going Back To Work: A Survival Guide for Comeback Moms (Paperback)

Quigly and Kaufman's "Going Back to Work" was just what I needed to complete the "re-invention" of myself!
I was not a "stay at home mom". I had climbed the ladder to the top of my career of over 25 years while juggling a son, husband, and home. One week before 9/11 I was downsized from my job of over 16 years. After 9/11 I realized that working 50-60 hour weeks and making good money was not as important as my having time with my family, home and personal happiness.
I went back to school for technical skills on the computer and just graduated with honors. I am re-trained for a new career.....but now what?
In reading "Going Back to Work" I see that I am no different than someone who has stayed home many years raising her family.
We all share emotions of fear and anxiety starting a new career path from the bottom. We also share dreams and goals for personal growth, challenges, worth and satisfaction.I also do not necessarily want to have a fulltime job and Quigley and Kaufman have given me the knowledge and tools to get that flextime position!
As a 48 year old who does not know who I will be when I grow up, I recommend "Going Back to Work" as a great resource and confidence builder for your first step back into the work force. Read this book and good luck in your new job!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lots of creative ideas and practical tips, August 24, 2004

By 

R. Anderson "a mom from LA" (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Going Back To Work: A Survival Guide for Comeback Moms (Paperback)

I really enjoyed this book and got lots of useful ideas from it. My toddler will be ready for preschool soon and I am faced with the usual dilemma of how to resume my career while balancing family responsibilities. I know I don't want to return the corporate hamster wheel, but I need to do something interesting and stimulating.

Quigley and Kaufman give plenty of examples of creative solutions to this dilemma and some very practical tips on how to get there. They start with how to make the decision to go back to work, how to decide what to do and how to win your family's support. They even cover resume writing, interviewing and handling difficult bosses.

I highly recommend this well-written book to anyone who is thinking about going back to work after having kids. I also think it should be required reading for HR managers.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Going Back to Work....fabulous, April 16, 2005

By 

Venus (Kenosha, WI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Going Back To Work: A Survival Guide for Comeback Moms (Paperback)

I recently checked this book out of the library and am I ever glad I did! As a stay-at-home mom and business owner, I think about what it will be like when my three kids are off in college and it's just me and my husband again. I tell my friends to "get a life now because our kids will be gone one day," this book will definitely be read and reread as I go through this complex decision process. I'm now 40 years old and wondering what I want to do when I grow up, Going Back to Work will be a wonderful help with real life examples from all walks of life. It's an intelligent look at the real issues we all wrestle with as wives and mothers about our importance to our families and our contribution to our communities. I loved it and am recommending it to my friends and acquaintences.