Ways for women: 7 job interview tips every stay-at-home mum needs to know before going back to work

CNA

25-05-2025

Once you've made the decision to go back to work after being a stay-at-home-mum (SAHM), it's time to get busy with job applications. It's normal to be nervous about taking this big step, regardless of how long you've been out of the workforce.
You might be keen to get back to full-time work but the key is not to rush into anything. This phase involves a lot more than just applying for jobs, going for interviews and accepting the first or best offer.
'Too often, women returning to work jump right back in,' said Sher-li Torrey, founder and director of Mums@Work Singapore, a career portal that provides working mums with support, assistance and advice.
'Take a step back – write down the reasons why you want to go back to work, list what you have to offer a company as well as what you have learned or how you have grown during your career break.
'When you know yourself well, you tend to be more confident when questioned in an interview setting,' she added.
Once you're ready to face the professional world once again, concentrate on the job interviews. The right preparation will help you zone in on what you need to do to ace it.
1. GET ALL THE NECESSARY DETAILS
It sounds simple enough agreeing to an interview then showing up for it but there are several things you should know beforehand.
Find out if the interview will be conducted in-person or online and add it to your calendar. You're a busy mum, so this will ensure you don't double book and that you have childcare arrangements sorted in advance.
Give yourself a buffer for the interview to run late so that you won't have to leave the meeting early to pick up your child or run an important errand, for example.
Find out if it's a one-on-one session or if you'll be facing a panel. Or is it just a chat with someone from the human resources department or will you be speaking with your potential boss?
If your interview is going to be over the phone or via a weblink, make sure you get out of mum mode for that duration. Figure out which part of the house will give you the most peace and quiet to get into a professional headspace for the interview.
2. DO YOUR RESEARCH
Finding out all you can about the company you'll be interviewing with is probably the most important step in your prep. Torrey advised that you know as much as you can before your interview.
'Read up on the corporate website and the less formal sites such as Quora, Glassdoor and, of course, LinkedIn,' she said. 'If you have friends or acquaintances in the company, ask them about the work culture and also the team you'll potentially be joining.'
The company aside, take the time to find out more about your job role and what is required of you. This ensures there are no doubts about your responsibilities and you'll be able to think about how your skills can match this job as you prepare your answers.
3. REACH OUT TO YOUR NETWORK
Torrey suggested meeting with friends or ex-colleagues who are currently working in your industry. This is so you can get updated on what has changed since you were last in the workforce.
'Ask them for advice on what's happening in the industry and find out what skills tend to be preferred,' she said. 'Having people you are comfortable with share knowledge you should know helps make you feel less fearful of taking the next step.'
If your industry has online boards, get onto them to find out if there are any new technologies you need to know or any changes in corporate culture.
4. PRACTISE WITH MOCK INTERVIEWS
Being able to answer interview questions confidently is not natural to most of us, said Torrey. Therefore, in a stressful situation like a job interview, we need to be prepared with our answers – 'having some mock interview practice definitely helps'.
Prepare what you'll say for standard interview questions, such as what are your strengths and weaknesses, why do you want this job and what can you bring to this job.
Jot down things about yourself you really want to get across, such as your skills and how they can be applied to scenarios that may pop up in your job scope.
Also, you might think it will come naturally to you but you should include simple things like practising smiling and making eye contact.
Use a mirror or take videos of yourself doing mock interviews then pay attention to your body language when you rewatch them. Being nervous could make you forget to smile or you might be over-compensating by smiling too much.
You could also simply be out of practice when it comes to communicating professionally so these small touches will help.
And, if it's a phone interview, remember to smile as you talk even though the interviewer won't be able to see you. Your voice will certainly come across as more friendly this way.
5. GET READY TO SELL YOURSELF
From her experience at Mums@Work Singapore, Torrey said managers are most concerned about 'relevancy and balance' when it comes to hiring back-to-work mums.
'How up-to-date are her skills? How well can she cope with new working environments, such as hybrid versus full-time office roles? How technologically savvy is she?
'They'll also ask if she has figured out how she will balance her time between work and family, as well as how ready and supportive her family is in partnering her journey back to work,' she added.
Your interviewer would already be aware of your career break as it would be in your resume so rather than saying, 'I had a career break', focus on what you did during this break to up-skill and focus your conversation around your potential.
'Often, experienced hires talk about how much experience they have in particular skills but this can be a challenge for those with a career break,' said Torrey. 'So speak in 'potential terms' – much like how fresh graduates would advocate for themselves in a job interview.'
Torrey added that employers look for attitude, rather than playing down the fact that you did stop work for some time. So highlight what you are going to bring to the table going forward.
6. WHAT SHOULD YOU WEAR?
It might seem like a trivial issue but the truth is, you need to look professional in this interview. How you dress largely depends on your industry and type of company.
Your outfit can range from business casual to business formal but Torrey points out that the rule of thumb is: 'You don't get penalised for over-dressing but you can get some biased opinions from under-dressing'.
7. BE CONFIDENT
You should project two levels of confidence – about your decision to be a stay-at-home mum and your professional qualifications.
You need to show your potential employer that you can do the job. Tell them how you've been keeping up with your industry's advancements, mention if you've done volunteer work or attended networking events.
Finally, don't be afraid to ask questions. Find out about professional development opportunities, ask about working styles, what a typical day is like for a person in that position or what are the career prospects for someone in this job.
Anything relevant to the job that isn't in the job ad is fair game here. It shows you're interested in the job and gives you the information you need to decide if it's really the one for you.