Network Like A Mum

Going back to work after having a baby can feel like putting on jeans that don’t quite fit anymore. Your priorities have shifted, your energy looks different, and sometimes, frustratingly, your colleagues treat you differently too.

If you’re feeling a bit lost in your career post-baby, you’re not alone, and there’s no need to feel hopeless. It’s time to Network Like a Mum.

Fight Your Corner

If you’ve become a victim of the motherhood penalty (ask around and you’ll find out just how common it is), knowledge is power. Understanding your rights can help you advocate for yourself or find the right professionals to fight alongside you.

Pregnant Then Screwed is a great place to start. It has brilliant resources on your rights and practical advice for dealing with workplace discrimination. You can also turn to Careers After Babies for resources, coaching and support to help you navigate the transition back to work.

Above all, don’t suffer in silence. There are so many people out there who understand what you’re going through and want to help.

Time For Something New

Fancy a fresh start? There are some brilliant job boards and recruitment services designed specifically for working parents who need flexibility (i.e. all of us).

Careers After Babies promote loads of employers who are either accredited or working towards family friendly accreditation.

You can also check out Ten 2 Two, 923 Jobs, Find Your Flex and Flex Matters to find roles that work around mum life.

All of these organisations promote employers who understand that parents develop transferable superpowers –but also have to do school pick-ups and take the odd sick day to nurse their small people.

Flying Solo

Lots of parents go freelance after having children, or decide to build their own business. Flying solo allows ultimate flexibility, but it can also be lonely. That’s why finding your tribe is essential.

The good news is that there are some incredible networks for women and parent entrepreneurs that offer real support, not just surface-level networking.

Here are some of our favourite communities:

• Found and Flourish and Female Founders Rise for women building businesses
• Doing It For The Kids for parent entrepreneurs who get the juggle
• Mums Building Companies if you’re starting something new or scaling something bigger

As well as hosting an active online community, these groups hold welcoming face-to-face meetups where you can rebuild your networking confidence and make connections that matter.

Find Your Local Community

Coworking spaces are goldmines for parent connections. Our top tip is to seek out the other parents in the space – ask the team for introductions or put a call out on the online member platform. Even better: join The Working Mums Club, where you’ll be surrounded by like-minded mums from day one, with plenty of opportunities to enhance your skills and discover new opportunities.

If you’re not ready to cowork yet, you could always create your own network by putting a message out on your local parent WhatsApp group or school Facebook page. Other working mums will jump at the chance of connecting for mutual support and recommendations, or an extra pair of hands when life gets hectic.

Get Back To Business

Networking Like a Mum means finding people who understand that your 9am might become 9.10am after a nursery drop-off drama, and your lightbulb moment might have happened in full darkness, during the fifth feed of the night. It’s about boosting each other’s confidence and sharing opportunities. It’s championing businesses that truly support and advocate for working parents.

We’re so excited to be creating a space where you can Network Like a Mum every day of the week. The Working Mums Club is a community built by mums, for mums, where you can be a brilliant professional and present parent without having to choose.