Hello! My name is Ann, an intern at Wantedly. I would like to introduce today about the event we held together in Singapore!

Last week, on the 7th of June 2017, we had the pleasure of hosting a Returner and Employer Networking event in conjunction with NTUC U Women’s Network, under their pilot Returner’s program. A total of 36 women returners and 8 employers have participated in the event.

The event was targeted at connecting back-to-work mothers with potential employers. Under the program, candidates who are recruited get a paid job trial lasting three to six months. The trial also includes training and mentorship. If successfully on boarded, the candidate will be offered a permanent position with full salary and flexible work arrangements.

We at Wantedly are immensely grateful for the opportunity to meet with returning mums, and to connect them with supportive and like-minded employers. We, as a social recruiting platform, believe in the maxim, find a job you love, and you’d never have to work a day in your life. Thus, it is our commitment to find the best possible fit for every returning mum, be it in terms of passion, career goals, or suitable work arrangements.

The first half of the 2 hour networking session involves focus groups discussions that were held to understand the concerns, needs, and expectations of returning working mums. We also shared more about our platform and guided those women returners who have yet create Wantedly profiles with on the spot registration. For the second half of the event, the ladies networked freely with a selection of employing companies who were already onboard Wantedly’s platform, and have expressed interest in hiring women returners.

Ms Yvon Bock, CEO and Managing Director of Hegen, and Ms Nathalie Benzing, COO of TradeGecko, both returning mothers who found success in the workplace themselves, took some time to dish out some advice to returning mums in the audience as well. They shared their experiences of juggling both work and family matters, and how they managed to achieve work-life balance amidst their busy schedules. Both ladies also highlighted the progressive workplace practises that their companies are committed to providing, such as flexible working hours and part-time arrangements, and how are they facilitated.

Ms Nathalie Benzing urged returning mums to “don’t underestimate the value (they) bring to the table as a woman.” She says, “It’s really about being able to articulate what the value is. Everyone is looking for someone whose values and passion match with the company. Focus on how your values and passion align with the company and make that clear to the interviewer.” Similarly, Ms Yvon Bock agrees that “everyone stands an equal chance” in the workplace.

Candidates enjoyed interacting with a variety of employing companies such as Cedele, Dishdash, and Dataspring, who took the chance to share the job placement opportunities that were available. We were heartened to hear feedback from both employing companies and back-to-work mums who found the event both meaningful and helpful. Spencer Ong, Dishdash’s Head of Operations mentioned that the event was able to help them as employers gain an insight into the skillsets and experiences that would fill gaps not just within our organization but also within the industry. He also shared that “it was a very humbling experience, getting a feel of the drive and motivations of each individual woman to come back into the working world.” As for the returners, Elin Chua, a double degree holder loved how the ambience made her feel “extremely comfortable” and assured her that she is “not alone” in her search.

The energy during the event was palpable. Through the buzzing discussions and hearty laughter, one thing was certain; fair and progressive work opportunities are abound for returning mothers.

With the increasing number of employers adopting flexible work arrangements, we hope that more mothers will take a confident step back into the workplace. What matters is that positive mindsets from both employers and returners should be adopted to learn, adapt, train and be trained. All of us at Wantedly are proud to support all returning mums in finding a fulfilling career!

“NTUC U Women’s Network is happy to partner Wantedly, Inc for a Returner & Employer Networking Session on 7 June 2017 to bring talented professionals back into the workforce. It is encouraging to see employers who recognise that the transition from a career break back into the workplace can be challenging, and to support us in leveraging this latent talent pool. The job trial and flexible work arrangement opportunities presented at the session will give meaningful experience for both the employers and returners.” ~ Ms Koh Yan Ping, Deputy Director of NTUC Women and Family Unit

Well this wraps up the event report for U Women’s Network x Wantedly Networking Event!
We will update more and more on this feed about our event reports and so on...so do look forward! :)