The Career Pause and Caregiving Work

At Hay There, it is our business to empower women looking for ways to find what we called in our Fast Company article, “the 3 Fs”: flexibility, fulfillment and financial independence. We know that countless women find themselves in this position of needing “the 3 Fs” after deciding to take a “career pause” to put their full-time focus on caregiving for their family.

As a team of all women, this reality resonates with all members of Hay There but this is particularly personal to Hay There Founder & CEO, Emily A. Hay, who was a featured story in the Fair Play Documentary: a deep look into the need for changing the unbalanced care dynamic in the home and in society at large; written by Jennifer Siebel Newsom, produced by Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine and based off Eve Rodsky’s NYTimes Bestselling book.

What We Believe at Hay There

Not only do we believe women should not be penalized by society for the decision to lean into full-time caregiving, we also believe women’s ambitions should not be diminished or their achievements reduced through the lens of misaligned societal norms which affect their own mindset or the mindset of others.  Women should have TANGIBLE solutions to learn new skills and obtain new work in a matter of weeks.

The good news is: there is a national movement taking shape to rewrite the narrative about career pauses and downshifts.

Enter Mother Untitled.

If you aren’t familiar, Mother Untitled is dedicated to supporting women in what they call the Untitled chapter–the vast gray area between the old titles of stay-at-home and working mother.  It is founded by the mighty Neha Ruch, a Stanford educated professional, specializing in digital and brand strategy, based in Manhattan.  She has been featured in numerous publications such as Forbes, Oprah Daily. In 2025, she will release her groundbreaking book, The Power Pause (Putnam/Penguin Random House)

Each week, Mother Untitled serves women in the gray area through their empowering newsletters, and re-entry resources pioneering a mother-led workplace where meaningful and flexible part-time work is the norm.  To say they are a powerhouse is an understatement.  One of Mother Untitled’s most successful communications has been their Flex Jobs newsletter.

Enter Hay There Social Media.

Hay There Social Media, a company that delivers a proven path for women to become independent social media managers for businesses through our certified upskilling programs, and Mother Untitled are kicking off a collaboration on 3/1/24 with Hay There’s inclusion in the Mother Untitled Flex Jobs newsletter.

We’ve thoughtfully aligned our organizational strengths to help women in the gray area discover an actionable way to upskill TODAY giving them professional options TOMORROW.  The two organizations are working together to empower women to make their pause SMARTER.

Why Upskilling is Important

The word of 2023 is still 100% on-trend for 2024 and that word is…“upskill.”

Upskill: up·skill /ˈəpˌskil/ verb: upskilling is to gain additional skills, expand your existing ones and gain new capabilities.

Whether you are already taking a career pause, or contemplating one, the most powerful thing you can do for yourself during this time is upskill. BONUS points if you get a certification to bring extra credibility to your new skills.

Upskilling can help you avoid the motherhood penalty that traditionally accompanies a career gap. The sad reality we know too well is that:

• Applicants with work gaps had a 45% lower chance of receiving job interviews than those without.(shrm.org)
• The lifetime earning trajectory for women who take a caregiving pause is negatively impacted on average by 15%, and by some findings, upwards of $1 million.

And the best part? Upskilling can lead you to the doorstep of FLEXIBLE WORK.

Why Freelance Work is Important

As freelance experts, we have found the flexibility we need as freelance social media professionals, consultants, contractors, you name it.  By obtaining a certification as a freelance social media manager, women can:

• Keep themselves current with professional services businesses demand
• Learn how to deliver in-demand services including social media content, metrics and more
• Fine tune their professional acumen so they can thrive in the future of work by either going out on their own or by gaining traditional employment.
• Make a sound investment in an industry that compliments nearly all professional backgrounds

Who Mother Untitled Helps

Mother Untitled has helped COUNTLESS ambitious women leaning into family life by thoughtfully curating flexible job opportunities and by providing expert tips and insights to women on things they can do TODAY to give themselves professional options TOMORROW.

Who Hay There Social Media Helps

Hay There has helped women like….

Lauren G., a woman with a digital business and a strong social media background, Lauren took Hay There’s signature 6-week Core Training and upon completion was introduced to a referral client from Hay There and Lauren has been doing social media projects and taking on MORE work from that client for over a year now.

Emily W., a busy woman who decided it was time to add some additional skills to her project management background. She invested in Hay There’s “Core Training Lite” – their upskilling program in a box delivered to your door- and in less than 2 months landed not one but two social media clients that Hay There sourced for her.

And Nicole K., a graduate of Hay There’s signature 6-week Core Training who felt totally lost after a significant career pause but deeply wanted to blend her consulting background and retail sales experience into a flexible business. Not only did Nicole find clients to do social media management for but quickly grew into delivering social media consulting projects as well as an account management role.

Mother Untitled and Hay There Social Media Collaboration

At Hay There, we can’t wait to help more women through our upcoming collab in the Mother Untitled Flex Jobs newsletter as the women in our community will absolutely find additional value from Mother Untitled’s work.

Be on the lookout for the 3/1/24 Flex Jobs newsletter where Mother Untitled will be giving their community an exclusive discount and offering on Hay There’s proven training programs.

You can subscribe to Mother Untitled weekly for all of their resources here.

PS If you are looking to learn what you can earn doing flexible work as a professionally trained social media manager, be sure to snag our “Earning Guide” here.

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