The decision to reenter the workforce is never an easy one for a mother. Still, U.S. Department of Labor statistics show that the majority of mothers – a full 72 percent of us – are members of the workforce in some capacity.

A single mom, Nichole Calautti of Pittsfield, Mass., always knew she'd have to work to support herself and her young son. "Like everyone, I had bills, and I had a child to take care of," she says. "I took the state-allowed maternity leave, then went back to work."

Other moms take time off before returning to employment. "I had a full year off after the birth of my second son," says Ann Murray of Williamstown, N.J. "It made it a little harder to go back, because I was a full year away from the experience and network I had before."

It doesn't matter if working is a financial necessity or a personal preference. What does matter is that – once the decision is made – the mom must re-evaluate herself as a potential employee. Are you still marketable?

Taking Inventory
You're only as marketable as the skills you've acquired, so the first thing to do before beginning a work search is to create a "skills inventory" – a laundry list of your work experience, volunteer experience, education and skills. Then honestly evaluate what you have to offer an employer. Your skills may have become rusty while you were at home (for example, Murray says it took months before she returned to her pre-maternity leave typing speed of 70 words a minute).

Your skills may be topnotch, but obsolete. "I used to know all the computer programs involved with my work," says Shana Hitchcock, a Philadelphia, Pa., loan servicer. "But after taking five years off to raise my daughter, I learned it was a whole new world. The employers were talking Microsoft and scanners, while I was still thinking WordStar and punch cards. I found it essential that I get up to speed before I could compete for a job."

By studying the ads in your field of interest, you will soon learn the "premium skills" – the ones that all employers are looking for. If you have them, make sure they're up to speed. If you don't, consider taking a class or two before starting a work search.

"A friend of mine wanted to return to the workforce, but needed to change careers because her previous job as a retail manager didn't work with her family's needs," says Hitchcock. "While I was taking refresher courses and making up for lost time, she found out what was essential to her career goal, then took courses in those areas."

One word of warning about school: Make sure that there is a demand for your occupation of choice before investing time in schooling. After all, there's nothing more frustrating than to spend months in a classroom learning something, only to graduate and learn that the field is currently flooded. Your state Department of Labor is a good resource to use when determining which fields are "up and coming" – and which are a waste of time.

When you're performing your skills inventory, remember to emphasize the skills that fit in with the work you're looking for. If you want an office job, for example, there's no need to mention your experience waitressing or driving a truck. Relevance is key, so focus on your goal and weigh your skills against it.

Creating a Resume
Focusing on your objective is the best first step to creating one of the most important tools in your job search: your resume. Think of your resume as a marketing tool, telling the employer why you are qualified for the position, despite your time away from the workforce.

Although it's traditional, a chronological resume – one in which you detail your work history, starting with your most recent job – may make your absence from the workforce obvious. Instead, moms returning to work may choose to create a functional resume, in which skills and accomplishments are emphasized. In this way, you can make sure the employer notices your abilities and skills – even those learned or used while away from the workplace – before he sees the timeline of your employment history. Sell him on your skills, not your past.

Once your skills are competitive and your resume reflects that, you need to establish a network. Think of your network as your safety net – a group of people who will be looking out for you and your employment goals. Remember that old shampoo commercial, where one person tells two friends, and then they tell two friends and so on and so on until everyone is using Fabrege? Well, that's basically how networking works. You should tell everyone you know about your work search, then ask them to refer you to others or to tell everyone they know. This is the "secret path" around numerous employment obstacles, because you'll be receiving a lot of "inside tips" about job openings.

"It helps to remember how job openings are made public," says professional employment counselor Frank McCormack from Philadelphia, Pa. "Often the first announcement is made inside. A manager may ask his department if they know of anyone who might be qualified for a job he needs filled. Many job opportunities end right there, because an 'insider' passes a name onto his boss."

So how do you expand your network beyond your immediate family and friends? One good way is to take advantage of job fairs, which are offered regularly by private industry, government agencies and colleges. "A job fair is a great investment of your time, because often you'll have dozens or even hundreds of employers gathered at one location – and they're all looking for potential employees," says McCormack.

The secret is to invest some time. Don't just breeze through the fair, dropping a resume on each table. Instead, take time to speak to the representative, learn a bit about the company and get a card from those that interest you. Then make sure to follow up. A week or so later, call the representative, mention your meeting and ask if he has had the chance to review your resume. Viola! You now have your foot in the door and a contact to check in with on a regular basis, so that when the "inside call" for an opening comes, you'll come to mind immediately.

Consider Temporary Work
Many mothers rejoining the workforce may take a "side door," that is, through a temporary agency. Temps are hired by the agency and then placed on appropriate jobs for a set period of time. Working as a temp, Murray spent a month as a receptionist for a car agency, worked part time typing invoices for an accounting firm and worked on a computerized accounting system for a mortgage company, which eventually led to a permanent position.

"I found temping a win-win situation," Murray says. "I didn't waste time interviewing and waiting, because the agency sent me out. I was exposed to numerous different worksites and learned where I liked to work. I was free to turn down a job that I didn't like or if I needed time off. And, since I wasn't really part of the team, I never became involved in office politics – and the employers always noted that my focus remained on my work."

Temping is also a good way to increase your network. Before leaving an assignment, speak to the employer about the type of work you'd like to do and ask him to keep you in mind if an appropriate opening does develop. Leave your resume and ask him to pass it on if something comes up. Then keep in touch. If you did a good job as a temp, the employer may pass on more than just your resume. He'll be your first glowing recommendation – and that's a great step toward landing the job.

Part two of this series will cover the art of interviewing.

Want to see more?

• Back to Work: Returning After Maternity Leave
• To Work or Not to Work: The Mother's Dilemma
• Stay-At-Home Moms Discussion Board
• Work-From-Home Moms Discussion Board
• Working Moms Discussion Board