3 Benefits New Parents Should Look for in Their Job Search

3 Benefits New Parents Should Look for in Their Job Search 3 Benefits New Parents Should Look for in Their Job Search Whether you’re re-entering the workforce or simply looking for a change of pace, both parents and soon-to-be parents face unique challenges while job hunting. Considerations move far beyond basic benefits and salary questions. Asking, “How well can I take care of my family with this job?” raises the stakes much higher than asking, “How well can I take care of myself and my partner with this job?” And when you add in the fact that everyone -   parent or not - wants to best serve their career goals with every job change, the situation becomes much more complicated. At Zappos , I’ve been fortunate enough to experience a workplace that is not only family-friendly, but in some ways, family-first. Since I began working at Zappos, I’ve had two children. I’ve seen the landscape evolve from flexible for parents to supportive to parents. It’s a subtle distinction, but it’s an important one. Although Zappos employees may be uniquely lucky in that respect, there are certain features that parents in any field should keep top-of-mind while interviewing for new roles. Here are the top three to consider: Flexibility alone isn’t enough, but it’s indispensable, particularly for new parents. Working around daycare hours, adjusting to a new nanny, even adjusting to the transition back to the workplace itself is difficult! I’d never recommend going into an interview and asking, “How flexible are you when I have childcare concerns?” but do pay attention to how flexible they are with scheduling in general. Having an employer who focuses on getting the work done well instead of when you’re doing the work is nice-to-have for a single person, but it’s a game changer for a parent. One benefit I’ve been seeing more and more employers offering is a “ramp back” program. It can take many forms, allowing parents to ease back into their working lives after staying at home with their little ones. At Zappos, we created a program around this mindset. We offer a program that allows new parents to work on an altered schedule so their transition back to work after maternity or paternity leave is less stressful. When heading back to work, parents aren’t always prepared for how disorienting the change can be. One day, you’re in all-consuming baby mode, the next you’re back at your 9-to-5. It’s a drastic change! New parents shouldn’t be penalized for taking maternity or paternity leave. Employers should make coming back as easy as possible. Benefits aren’t always intangible - don’t forget to take a look around at what they offer at the office. Here at Zappos, we’re always learning from like-minded companies and listening to feedback from our employees. One benefit we’ve recently implemented is emergency off-site daycare, meaning that parents never have to be put in the uncomfortable position of trying to find child care last minute. We also have “mother’s rooms” throughout the building for nursing mothers. I think this is really cool, because it means that if you’re breastfeeding, you no longer have to be relegated to the bathroom or closet, which is unfortunately too real for lots of moms. Not only do our mother’s rooms offer privacy, Zappos also provides hospital-grade pump machines (no more lugging bulky kits to work!) and refrigerators in every room to store the milk. While not every company has the resources for pump rooms or daycare , it’s important to think about proximity to your child while job hunting. Shaving off an extra minute here and there means a lot. Traditional benefits are still extremely important. A lot of companies are catching up with fantastic maternity and paternity benefits - at Zappos, we offer 4 months off at 100 percent pay, with an extra month ahead should it be medically necessary. When doing research on maternity leave policies, there are few that offer one year of paid time off or anything close to it so when you find a good policy jump on it! Our healthcare is similarly impressive, and great for families. We cover 100 percent of health care for employees and 50 percent of health care for dependents. When you get down to brass tacks, your health care plan is one of the most important benefits you get from your workplace. Even though parenthood presents a new host of considerations for your job hunting, don’t forget to interrogate the foundational stuff that would make or break another opportunity, pre-parenthood. Emergency daycare and offering flexibility in schedules is nothing without a healthcare plan that is both affordable and makes sense for your family.