What to Look for When Job Hunting as a New Mom

Wow, what a whirlwind the past couple of months have been! Even though my blog continues publishing weekly posts, I’ve been MIA and haven’t been able to connect with the blogging community as much as I’d like. The most I’ve managed is uploading quick Instagram reels of my daily outfits.

So, what’s been going on? If you follow me on Twitter, you might know that I started a new job in February, whilst navigating toddlerhood for the first time! This round of job hunting hit differently because I was a mom, and before you roll your eyes at that statement, I do believe there’s a difference in job hunting as a mom vs not a mom. I’ve learned so much during this round of job hunting — navigating applications, interviews, and starting a new role as a new mom.

Starting a New Job as a New Mom

I never realized how uniquely stressful it would be to start a new job while also being a new mom! Here’s a bit of context on how I ended up in my current role:

I was working in the gaming industry, which has been struggling post-pandemic. In August, about nine months into my one-year maternity leave, I was laid off. Not long after, a competitor reached out with an offer for the same role, unaware that I was on maternity leave. After much discussion with Dan, we decided it was best to accept the offer and end my leave early since job hunting after maternity leave can be unpredictable, and I would no longer qualify for Employment Insurance once my maternity leave ends. Studies show that HR professionals in the gaming industry can take around nine months to land a new job.

Unfortunately, shortly after starting the role, I had doubts. The company’s latest game underperformed, business slowed down, and layoffs were happening across the industry. On top of that, I struggled to connect with my manager and senior leadership. Ultimately, I decided to start job hunting after just four months.

Ideally, I would have finished my one-year maternity leave and returned to my original company, which was remote-first, highly flexible, and led by parents who truly understood the challenges of raising a child. It would have been a perfect transition back to work with a great work-life balance while raising a toddler.

But as the saying goes, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade!

As a new mom, I had so many concerns about finding and starting a new job that I was ten times pickier than I normally would be. Having had an ideal setup before being laid off, I now had high expectations. Would my new job be family-friendly? Would it be on-site, hybrid, or fully remote? How flexible was “flexible”?

So, here are my top tips on what to look for when job hunting as a new mom:

1. Location

When the time came, I had two offers. Offer 1 required a 15–20-minute drive along the same route as Theo’s daycare. Offer 2 required a 30–40-minute transit ride. Despite my driving anxiety, I chose Offer 1. Those with driving anxiety know that even doubling your commute time is better than driving daily! The dread of a 20-minute drive was outweighed by getting home earlier to start Theo’s nighttime routine.

For example, I would never take a job in Richmond because crossing the Knight Street Bridge during rush hour is brutal. It could add an hour to my commute, and that’s time I can’t afford to lose now that I have a child.

While location is an obvious consideration in job hunting, your choice between driving and public transit will also impact your budget.

2. Workload

Being a working mom is stressful enough—consider the workload of your new job. Is the company a start-up? Many expect round-the-clock availability during ramp-up periods. Will your role require you to wear “many hats”?

During my job search, I interviewed with a start-up in rapid growth mode and knew instantly it wasn’t the right fit. I wasn’t willing to give more than eight hours a day or bring that stress home – and yes, I know that statement makes me contribute to the stereotype of moms not willing to go the extra mile for an organization, and I say “eff that”. Seeing my baby grow and establishing a good relationship means more to me than helping my CEO make his annual bonus. Maybe when Theo is older, I’ll be okay with working overtime after dinner—but right now, he doesn’t understand the concept of OT, and I don’t want to miss out on his early years.

3. Stability

I left the gaming industry because it’s in turmoil. I’m grateful to have the flexibility to switch industries—many of my peers don’t. Even now, I see posts about layoffs, and I’m relieved I no longer have that anxiety looming over me. As a parent, my priority is my family’s well-being, so I was highly selective about the industries I applied to.

4. On-Site, Hybrid, or Remote?

I recognize this might sound privileged, but I didn’t bother applying to full-time on-site roles. Even if the commute was short, being on-site means being away from home, which means catching up on chores in the evening or on weekends. I love hybrid work because I can use breaks during my remote days to do laundry, prep dinner, or pack Theo’s lunch, and then use my office days to socialize and get away from the house. These small tasks make a huge difference in avoiding an overwhelming evening.

5. How Flexible is “Flexible”?

Let’s be real: A company isn’t truly flexible just because they let you start at 9:10 a.m. instead of 9:00 a.m. My definition of flexibility includes:

• Starting at 9:10 a.m. but leaving at 2:00 p.m. to finish work at home.
• Running an errand when the day is quiet.
• Not micromanaging time away from the desk.
• Working remotely on short notice if daycare calls me to pick up Theo.

I’ve worked for micromanagers and hated every second of it. I once worked at a company with a strict 9–5 schedule, and it was ridiculous that I couldn’t leave 10 minutes early to beat rush hour traffic, even though all my tasks were completed. I’ve always appreciated flexible work cultures, but as a parent, I value it even more. Flexibility has saved me so many times, whether I was running late or needed to pick up Theo early from daycare.

6. How Family-Friendly is Your Company and Team?

I took this for granted at my pre-maternity leave job because I wasn’t a parent yet, but now I see how important it is to work with leaders who understand the realities of pregnancy and raising a family. My former managers let me leave for doctor’s appointments without taking sick days and even encouraged me to take time off to rest when I was pregnant.

Now, I appreciate that my new manager and team understand what it’s like to have a toddler. They get how chaotic mornings can be and why I might need to work remotely on an in-office day. And let’s not even talk about how often kids get sick from daycare! I’ll never forget when my COO told the company it was ridiculous to get mad at colleagues for having kids in the background during remote meetings. 

Currently, I’m still in my probationary period, and the stress has been lifted when my manager reassured me that the company is flexible and understands the needs of young families. I’m grateful that the last two probationary periods I’ve undergone assessed me based on work, and work alone, rather than penalizing me for leaving early or taking a sick day to care for my child.

A friend of mine once complained about a teammate “constantly stepping out to pick up their kid” or “taking yet another sick day.” It dawned on me that he simply didn’t understand the balancing act of parenting and working.

During one of my interviews, Theo was still asleep, and I grew anxious that he might wake up and start crying. But then I had a realization: If an employer wouldn’t understand that, I wouldn’t want to work for them anyway.

To top it off, last Christmas, my father-in-law—a classic boomer CEO—asked if I was returning to work. When I said yes, he replied, “That’s a shame. It would be great to stay home and raise kids.” (Hint: if the executive team believes women should stay home to raise kids, that company is not family-friendly or flexible.)

Final Thoughts

I know the economy is rough right now, and not everyone can afford to be selective. I also understand this topic can be controversial—some people genuinely believe you shouldn’t have kids unless you can be a stay-at-home mom (as if that’s realistic in today’s economy!).

If you’re a new mom looking for a job, I hope this helps! Not every role will check every box, but prioritize your top two or three must-haves. For me, a flexible, hybrid work arrangement with an understanding manager mattered more than a short commute.

Good luck, mamas—you’ve got this!