Finding a family-friendly workplace

Children are expensive. And unless you are Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie or some other celebrity, no one is just dying to give you money just to look at them.

So you must have a job or some way to make money.

Sometimes I can’t believe I work for the organization I do. When I first interviewed for a position for my current workplace, I was so nervous about my prospective boss finding out I had a three-month-old baby at home. 

How would I be able to compete with the fresh-out-of-college, eager-to-please, no-baby-to-run-home-to-at-the-end-of-the-day college graduates?

Luckily, my boss has four children of her own and could relate to the sleepless nights I was in the midst of, and voiced her amazement in the fact that I could pull myself together enough to make it out the house and into her office for an interview.

In this case, I think having a child helped me. She was able to see that I could handle multiple responsibilites, something that gave me a leg up on the rowdy Spring-Breakers who were also looking for jobs.

So how do you go about landing a job with an organization that is family-friendly? Keep these tips in mind:

1. Consider your career field first. What is your dream job like? In order to get ahead, will you have to work long hours to establish yourself? Will finding childcare be a problem? If so, you may need to reconsider what jobs you apply for.
2. When interviewing, pay attention to the atmosphere in the office. Do people have pictures of their children on their desk? Are crayon drawings hung up on the wall? See anyone drinking out of a #1 Dad mug? All these might be signs that people won’t flip out if you need to rush home to pick up Junior because he suddenly came down with pinkeye. More than likely (and as long as you don’t make it a habit), they’ll understand because they’ve been there.
3. Treat motherhood as a bonus, not a negative. If you worry about how people will perceive you as a young mom, you will make it harder on yourself. Think about it: You’re able to juggle one of the most demanding jobs there are, without much of the luxuries older moms may have. I call that talent. Play up the fact that you work harder than the average 20-something, and you might get kudos for your efforts.
4. Inquire about policies such as flexible hours or alternate hours. I work 8-4 instead of 9-5 like most people in my office, which is lovely because I’m able to get a solid hour of work done before the office starts buzzing, and I’m able to leave before rush hour traffic hits so I can get to my daughter’s daycare on time. Be sure that if you ask for these perks that you’re able to deliver impressive results. They’re not going to let you work from home if your work is sloppy on those days, or you’re hard to get ahold of.
5. Check with Human Resource Organizations in your area who regularly compile lists of “best workplaces” in your town. They might highlight organizations with policies that meet your needs, or highlight perks that you might not have thought about.
6. Might sound sexist, but check how many women work there – especially in management positions. I don’t know if I would have been hired if my immediate supervisor wasn’t a woman. No, scratch that. If she wasn’t a mother. More women at a workplace, more possible mothers. Mothers have an unspoken bond. We look out for one another. Look how many female managers (ones who have the authority to create flextime arrangements and other family friendly policies) there are in the organization. The more people you can have on your side, the better.

So what do you think? How family friendly is your job? Does your workplace make it easier for you as a mom? Let me know in the comments.

originally published July 14, 2008