7 Best Back-to-Work Programs for Moms

Did you know that 43 percent of highly qualified women leave the workforce either permanently or with the intention to return after having kids? We are exiting in droves. Today in America, there are more than 3 million women with college or advanced degrees trying to reenter the workforce. That is an insane number.

Returning to work is easier said than done, however, especially when you have a gaping five-year hiatus on your resume. Many women who no longer feel relevant and employable don’t return to work for this reason. When it comes to stay-at-home-moms trying to return to work, the punishment certainly doesn’t fit the crime.

In response to corporate America’s inability to meet the pressures of today’s modern family, there are many organizations being founded solely to help moms who left the workforce to raise kids return to work. The big idea underpinning them all: stay-at-home moms are an untapped resource who have valuable skills that are still relevant. Many who have founded and helm these organizations are frustrated moms themselves, and have come up with creative solutions for the changing social needs of the modern mom and family. Here are nine companies and organizations helping moms find their professional footing again. If you are a stay-at-home-mom looking to reenter work, I encourage you to spend some time on each website, as they all offer something unique.

1. 1. The Mom Project – Founded by Allison Robinson during her maternity leave, the former Proctor and Gamble marketing professional decided that moms needed a more flexible working solution in a less than full-time capacity, which is why many of the work they offer is project based and remote, though permanent, in-office opportunities exist as well. The Mom Project is a digital platform that matches moms up with employers from startups to Fortune 500 companies. There are currently 7,000 highly-skilled professionals signed up.

      The Mom Project is also spearheading “Mom Up,” a campaign encouraging people to petition senators and congressmen, asking for paid family leave, child care rebates, and business-supported flexible work arrangements (themomproject.com).

   2. iRelaunch -Think internships for the stay-at-home-mom. iRelaunch currently works with over 30 Fortune 500 companies to pilot and develop paid returnships for caregivers who have been out of work. Founder Carol Fishman Cohen is particularly excited that these programs only consider reentry applicants, which carves out a specified niche for returning caregivers (irelaunch.com) .

   3. ReacHIRE – ReacHIRE is another reentry program that partners with innovative Fortune 500 corporations to mitigate the gender gap. They educate companies about re-entry programs and gender diversity programs, while connecting and preparing more than 1.6 million women for professional work through training and coaching. (reachire.com).

   4. Apres – For $49 (currently discounted at $35), you’ll have access to a comprehensive job market. They also offer career content and inspirational stories, as well as coaching and classes, like basic photoshop and Microsoft office training (apresgroup.com).

   5. PathForward – PathForward is a nonprofit helping returning professionals find mid-career internships. They have partnered with with companies like GoDaddy and focus on the greater San Francisco Bay Area, as well as New York, California, Colorado and other major metro areas (pathforward.org).

   6. FlexProfessionals -FlexProfessionals was founded by three partners, all mothers and experienced business women, who understand the need for and value of part-time professional employment. We match companies looking for seasoned part-time employees with professionals looking for meaningful part-time work (flexprofessionalsllc.com).

   7. Fairygodboss – Much like Glassdoor, Fairygodboss holds a growing database of company and job reviews written by women for women. They help you get the inside scoop on pay, corporate culture, benefits and work flexibility among other topics (fairygodboss.com).

It’s quite possible that many of these reentry and returnship programs haven’t yet partnered with a company you’re interested in working for. If that’s the case, follow the advice of iRelaunch founder Carol Fishman Cohen, who encourages you to suggest the reentry concept to employers who may not have one in place. Why not be their first success story?