Although returning to work after starting a family is not easy for any new mom in the fast-moving world of remote work, Suman Humane shows us that it can be done.
In this article, Suman shares how she restarted her career after a break by leveraging Trailhead to up-skill and ease her transition from a stay-at-home mom to Senior Salesforce Professional.
After my daughter’s birth, I worked from home for a bit and took a break for two years, but longed to get back to work. For some work from home can be a blessing, but I found that it can be difficult with a toddler.
I graduated as an engineer in 2004 and like any fresher, looked forward to a stable job. I got my first job in a startup, relocated to Bombay after my marriage, moved to Pune and then Hyderabad where my daughter was born.
As an industrial engineer, I struggled to find employment post my graduation as the number of women who get employed in the manufacturing sector is limited. Under these circumstances, my shift from a non-IT background into an IT job was a milestone in my career.
During the course of my career, I had the opportunity to work and travel abroad, where I learned about the varied work culture in different regions. But once my daughter was born, I decided to take a break for two years.
While I was looking for opportunities to rejoin the workforce, I was also keen on up-skilling myself.
Although I did have prior experience of working on the Salesforce platform, the #Journey2Salesforce program, gave me the opportunity to understand the platform capabilities even better, which helped me get the role of a Salesforce Consultant.
The #Journey2Salesforce program leverages Trailhead, Salesforce’s free online learning platform, to empower and equip individuals with in-demand skills for the jobs of today and tomorrow.
This program supports participants, like me, by providing mentorship opportunities and access to Trailhead’s Community of Salesforce customers, partners, product specialists, and employees.
This initiative has helped me stay relevant in the industry. The best part about the program is its ability to be unique and simple at the same time. I would encourage anyone looking to kick start their career in the Salesforce ecosystem, or looking for a career transformation to get on the Trailhead platform.
The content in the self-paced program is curated based on feedback from employers and partners. It encourages people to register anytime and finish at their own pace.
Although I do not have formal training as a developer, this initiative has equipped me to get over my fears and learn about the basics of coding. Trailhead has given me confidence and made me more aware of how the Salesforce platform can be leveraged.
Personally, I love going into the office. I enjoy the energy, meeting colleagues and talking about things apart from work. Being in the office gives you a chance to build a better bond with your team.
This is much harder to cultivate while working remotely. At the same time, it is definitely a boon for many as you save a lot of commute time which in turn increases your productivity at work.
When I decided to take a break from work, something that I really missed was financial independence. Trailhead helped me transition back to the workforce while maintaining a balance between my personal and professional life.
Being a part of the trailblazer community also gives individuals the chance to connect with other people who can help you through your journey.
I believe you must give 100% wherever you are - whether you're in the office or at work, be there, give your 100% and be productive. We need to overcome the self-doubt about whether we can do justice to our role.
As a mother, the guilt of leaving your child to go to work can be overwhelming and you have to mentally prepare yourself for that. I found that prioritizing your work and the quality time you spend with your kids makes all the difference.
My advice to women who are just starting out in their careers is - don't stop yourself, don't have inhibitions. Reach out, ask for help and keep an open mind.