Getting Back Into Work After a Career Break

Our modern society has far higher levels of equality between men and women than it has ever had before, which is a good thing. However, when it comes to child rearing, it’s still predominantly women who take the primary role. It’s often a straightforward economic necessity – if the man earns more, it makes financial sense for him to keep working and his wife to care for the children. It is said, with great wisdom, that raising children is the most important job you’ll ever do, and indeed nurturing the next generation is a crucial role to undertake. Regardless of where you stand personally on women being the primary carers for young families, the fact is that many women do find they have been away from the world of employment for years at a time, and it can be a daunting prospect to get back onto the career ladder.

Revisiting your resume

The first task when starting to look at getting back to a job outside the home, is to review your resume, update it as appropriate, and add any new skills or experience that could be relevant for prospective employers. New skills needn’t have been formally accredited to be worth adding to your resume; it can be anything you’ve mastered since you were last employed, as long as it demonstrates an attribute that will add value. Check on the latest recommendations for resume design and content, as these principles are not set in stone and may have changed over the last few years.

Building up a new career

If you’re fortunate, and can find an employer who is happy to take you on despite your lack of recent experience, you could step back into a similar role to the one you left. However, it’s more likely that you will have to start at a lower level than you were on previously. One smart strategy is to apply to businesses that have good career prospects. For example, if you check out the Dollargeneral com careers pages, you’ll see they have a range of jobs from entry level, through to junior, middle and senior management. You could start at the level you were best suited to, and work your way up in a relatively short time.

Resuming your previous career

If you were in a professional role when you went on your career break, it’s likely to be a subject you have a personal interest in. Therefore, you may well have kept up to date with industry news and developments as part of your continuing professional development. If you’ve kept abreast of what’s been happening, you will find it much easier to resume your career at, or very close to, the level you used to be. For some roles you might need to take various courses to refresh your skills, or to revalidate your qualifications. You can check what you need to do to prepare for work via your professional body, who will be only too happy to help you.

Even if your break has been longer than a few years, if you had the knowledge and skills before you will soon pick them up again, so don’t be afraid of this new chapter in your working life.

The Enduring Word Journaling Bible ESV Giveaway and Review

Who wants to WIN a brand new ESV translation Journaling Bible??? You can win one from Concordia Publishing House by entering on GoodReads! Here is my review of the bible and then go to The Enduring Word Bible Giveaway and enter to win your very own copy! 

  The Enduring Word Bible by Concordia Publishing House
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I'm super excited to have a copy of the new "The Enduring Word Bible" from CPH. From what Ive read it's the first journaling bible in the ESV translation. ESV is a common translation and does a good job at staying close to the original scripture text and easy for us to read.
I love the easy to read font, soft yet durable cover, edging on the bible pages, the weight of the bible pages and most of all, since it is a journaling bible I LOVE all of the scripture drawings in the bible. There are over 300 of them in there for us to color. The drawings go perfectly with the scripture versus and they have inspired me to add in my own drawings as I read the bible.

This journaling bible is great for beginners or for those who have been bible journaling for ages!

View all my reviews

I love how the bible stays flat when open. This is great for bible journaling.

Beautiful artwork and easy to read font!

Full page illustrations to color. 

Do you need Bible Journaling tips & resources?

• Join my Creative Coloring and Bible Journaling Facebook Group
• Sign up for my blog Newsletter to keep up when I post about bible journaling
• Check out my post where I shared Free and On the Cheap Bible Journaling Resources 

Bible Journaling, Praying in Color, Adult Coloring pages and MORE!

Thanks to all of my followers who have been patient with me while I took some time off of blogging. I still blog for others as a business but haven't kept up with my own blog in about 2 years. 

To kick off my hiatus, here is a list of bible journaling, coloring pages and Praying in Color resources. Feel free to pin and reshare! I plan on sharing more recipes, crafty things, bible journaling and more! 

Sign up for my newsletter for more info, freebies and more! 

Bible Journaling & Praying in Color Resources 

Contact

Susan Buetow 

cafescrapper @ gmail. com (join all the spaces together)

Creative Coloring & Bible Journaling Facebook Group - Susan Buetow 

Bible Journaling Pinterest Board - Susan Buetow 

Visual Faith Coach (Mid West) - Susan Buetow 
Find me here to learn more about Visual Faith Ministry and have me come speak at your next event 

Visual Faith Pinterest Board (new so follow and watch it grow)

SusieQTpies Cafe http://www.susieqtpiescafe.com/

Free or on the cheap sites to visit for printables, ideas, examples, tips and more!

Amanda Arneill - lettering 

The Bright Bible Facebook page

Dawn Nicole Designs - hand lettering & font ideas 

Flanders Family - free printables

JoDitt - free coloring pages 

Journaling the Bible 

Karen Dornacher 

KarenScraps - bible journaling and craft fun 

Little House Studio - Free printables 

LWML coloring sheets

Mary Dean Draws - scripture coloring pages

Paper Praises - bible journaling 

Praying In Color by Sybil Macbeth

Pure Joy Creative 

Rachel Wojo - Bible Journaling 

Sally Sulcove - bible journaling 

Sue Carroll - Fun printables 

The Holy Mess - free bible journaling kit 

The Thinking Closet - bible journaling 

Unconventionally Steadfast - Visual Faith resources

Visual Faith Ministries  - free resources

Vintage Grace - Visual Faith 

1 Art House - doodle 101 

ETSY

BibleVerse Coloring 

KarlaDornacher

PureJoyCreative 

Kids in Church

Adults & Kid Visual Church Lectionary Bulletins & special services Series B 

Lessons for Lambs - One Year Lectionary kid bulletins 

Cookies, Fruit and Coffee! Oh My Sweetness! #ad

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of In The Raw and SheSpeaks. All opinions are entirely my own.

Oh my sweet goodness! We are living in the good times because of all of the available products, seasonings, and spices we have to enhance the flavors of our foods. We also know that we have to watch our intake of particular foods, one of which is sugar. 

How do you cut back on sugar when baking? How about in your morning cup of tea or coffee? How about on fruit? Sometimes you want a lil' extra sweet treat without the calories of white sugar. For me, I love using Organic Stevia In The Raw® which allows for the little extra sweetness without the calories or guilt. Did you know that Organic Stevia In The Raw® give only 3 calories but provides the sweetening equivalence of two teaspoons of sugar (32 calories!!) Oh my sweet goodness! 

Do you ever sweeten your food with Organic Stevia In The Raw®? If so what do you sweeten? Do you just sweeten your food or do you also use it for others in your home? Every time I've substituted white sugar for Organic Stevia In The Raw® no one has noticed! I love that I can cut back the use of white sugar in the home for this clean, lower calorie, non-GMO, organic, gluten-free product!

One easy peasy way I like to get in a lil' sweet treat is to take fresh fruit like strawberries and blueberries and mix with Greek Yogurt. I then give a 1 packet sprinkle of Organic Stevia In The Raw® to cut the tangy taste of the yogurt and give the mix a small sweet kick! I could eat this every day for breakfast. 

I also love adding in 1 packet to a cup of tea, especially in the evenings when I'm wanting a little sweet treat after dinner. It works every time to cut the craving of a big, high carb/high calorie dessert.

I'm a huge fan of coffee, too! Check out my video of adding Organic Stevia In The Raw® in my work coffee cup! Just 1 packet does the trick!

When it comes to baking goodies, Organic Stevia In The Raw® can be substituted with white sugar. You can go check out their website for the conversion chart to convert existing recipes from sugar to Organic Stevia In The Raw®. I did that below when I made a batch of my old time fav Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies! NO ONE even knew I made the substitution and I've been making these cookies for 20 years!

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies 

2 c. butter Crisco
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup Organic Stevia In The Raw®
2 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs
2 tsp. baking soda
5 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
16 oz chocolate chips, your choice

Cream shortening and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour, soda and salt. Mix in chips. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Bake longer for a crunchier cookie.  Make 100 cookies.

Kitchen Notes- Use this dough for a skillet cookie. Bake it at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

I challenge you to make the change from white sugar to Organic Stevia In The Raw®! You will be amazed by the no change in taste while enjoying the less calorie option of using less white sugar! 

Follow Organic Stevia In The Raw® on social media to learn more about this product! Here are their links!

• Product 
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Pinterest

Last but surely not least, go enter the SheSpeaks giveaway to win your own Organic Stevia In The Raw®

Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker Discount Code & New Christmas Holiday Tradition! #christmas #ad

What are some of your holiday traditions? Do you have any traditions you want to start? One tradition I would love to start is going to see a Holiday show every year. This can include plays, musicals and ballets! This year we are headed to the ballet in Chicago! The ballet is the Great Russian Nutcracker by the Moscow Ballet!

In 1993, Moscow Ballet toured the Great Russian Nutcracker to Washington DC, Baltimore, Syracuse, Orlando, Ft Lauderdale, New Haven, Reading and Charleston WV for the first time to critical acclaim. Directed and choreographed by Stanislav Vlasov, former soloist with the Bolshoi Ballet, and well known as a "Grand Dance Artist," the inaugural six-week tour starred principal ballerina Lillia Sabitova. It also featured the innovative rolling backgrounds first created by a St Petersburg Conservatory of Music producer, and which were the inspiration for Eisenstein's cinematic technique. Since then the annual tour has increased to include about 100 performances on the tour to cities from San Juan to Calgary, and from New York to California, traveling with two simultaneously touring companies of forty dancers each.

Would you love to take your family to the ballet? I have a special code for my readers! Here is the information! My readers can SAVE 15% Off Moscow Ballet's Nutcracker CODE: BALLET. Use this code and click HERE to check out the tickets! 

Fall Pumpkin Spiced Latte Hot & Cold Healthier Recipes

Today my MOVE EVERY DAY group is celebrating the half way point! We've been moving more every day for the month of September. We are learning new ways to get started on a healthier journey and motivating each other daily to keep going. 

Want in the group? Leave a comment with an email, find me at my office, Coach SusieQTpies or email me at susieqtpies@beachbodycoach.com and I'll let you know when the next one starts up! 

Since it is the half way point we are celebrating the typical American way with FOOD! Food that is healthier or more nutrient dense than let's say a snickers bar (haha now you want one, right?)

My group will share recipes that are on the healthier side. I know that I don't need any extra temptations this week to make something not so healthy! Below are 2 recipes for Pumpkin! Pumpkin season is going full force! The warm version has half the calories as your typical latte and the cold version is so healthier you won't even realize it is a meal in a glass! I'll share some of our favorite healthier recipes again this week! So stop back in!  Enjoy! 

Remember if you want more info on the MOVE EVERY DAY GROUP or our HEALTHIER EATING group email me or leave a comment with your email. We will be starting up new groups soon! 

This is the healthier version aka way less sugar of the typical pumpkin spice latte. This one has half the calories of your favorite pumpkin fall treat. Thanks to Beachbody for sharing the recipe. 

Pumpkin Spice Latte - counts as 1 yellow with the 21 Day Fix! 

Total Time: 10 min.
Prep Time: 5 min.
Cooking Time: 5 min.
Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients:
1 cup nonfat milk
1 Tbsp. pumpkin puree
¼ tsp. pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 cup brewed black coffee or 1 shot espresso
1 dash ground nutmeg (to taste; optional)

Preparation:
1. Heat milk, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and extract in medium saucepan over medium heat; cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until mixture is hot, but not boiling. It is ready when there are many small bubbles on the sides of the saucepan.
2. Remove from heat; mix vigorously with a whisk until frothy.
3. Pour coffee or espresso into serving mug; top with milk mixture.
4. Top with nutmeg if desired.
5. Yours won't look like the photo unless you know how to do the fancy pouring, which I do not. The photo is from Beachbody! lol

Healthy Pumpkin Spiced Smoothie aka Shake- counts as 1 Red 2 Yellow with the 21 Day Fix (you can get ride of the milk and just have water to cut down to 1 yellow) 

Total Time: 5 min.
Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients:
1 cup unsweetened almond milk or nonfat milk
1 serving of Chocolate, Cafe Latte or Vanilla Shakeology (click link to get more info)
1/2 cup canned pure pumpkin
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup water
3 ice cubes

Directions:
1. Add all ingredients to a shaker cup and shake. Drink up!
2. Optional directions include adding all ingredients to a blender and blend! Drink up!
3. Optional directions include freezing the pumpkin and spice mixture in ice cube trays. Then add that to your shake 3-4 cubes. You can still hand shake or blend in a blender.

Video!

Fall Pumpkin Spiced Latte Hot & Cold Healthier Recipes

Today my MOVE EVERY DAY group is celebrating the half way point! We've been moving more every day for the month of September. We are learning new ways to get started on a healthier journey and motivating each other daily to keep going. 

Want in the group? Leave a comment with an email, find me at my office, Coach SusieQTpies or email me at susieqtpies@beachbodycoach.com and I'll let you know when the next one starts up! 

Since it is the half way point we are celebrating the typical American way with FOOD! Food that is healthier or more nutrient dense than let's say a snickers bar (haha now you want one, right?)

My group will share recipes that are on the healthier side. I know that I don't need any extra temptations this week to make something not so healthy! Below are 2 recipes for Pumpkin! Pumpkin season is going full force! The warm version has half the calories as your typical latte and the cold version is so healthier you won't even realize it is a meal in a glass! I'll share some of our favorite healthier recipes again this week! So stop back in!  Enjoy! 

Remember if you want more info on the MOVE EVERY DAY GROUP or our HEALTHIER EATING group email me or leave a comment with your email. We will be starting up new groups soon! 

This is the healthier version aka way less sugar of the typical pumpkin spice latte. This one has half the calories of your favorite pumpkin fall treat. Thanks to Beachbody for sharing the recipe. 

Pumpkin Spice Latte - counts as 1 yellow with the 21 Day Fix! 

Total Time: 10 min.
Prep Time: 5 min.
Cooking Time: 5 min.
Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients:
1 cup nonfat milk
1 Tbsp. pumpkin puree
¼ tsp. pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 cup brewed black coffee or 1 shot espresso
1 dash ground nutmeg (to taste; optional)

Preparation:
1. Heat milk, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and extract in medium saucepan over medium heat; cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until mixture is hot, but not boiling. It is ready when there are many small bubbles on the sides of the saucepan.
2. Remove from heat; mix vigorously with a whisk until frothy.
3. Pour coffee or espresso into serving mug; top with milk mixture.
4. Top with nutmeg if desired.
5. Yours won't look like the photo unless you know how to do the fancy pouring, which I do not. The photo is from Beachbody! lol

Healthy Pumpkin Spiced Smoothie aka Shake- counts as 1 Red 2 Yellow with the 21 Day Fix (you can get ride of the milk and just have water to cut down to 1 yellow) 

Total Time: 5 min.
Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients:
1 cup unsweetened almond milk or nonfat milk
1 serving of Chocolate, Cafe Latte or Vanilla Shakeology (click link to get more info)
1/2 cup canned pure pumpkin
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup water
3 ice cubes

Directions:
1. Add all ingredients to a shaker cup and shake. Drink up!
2. Optional directions include adding all ingredients to a blender and blend! Drink up!
3. Optional directions include freezing the pumpkin and spice mixture in ice cube trays. Then add that to your shake 3-4 cubes. You can still hand shake or blend in a blender.