I read on the WSJ about the new trend of mums in the U.S. taking up temporary executive jobs, and I think this concept is so cool!
Many women — highly educated and with secure career paths — leave work to be stay-at-home-mums. They realize that the rhythm and demands of their careers cannot be easily reconciled with raising a family first hand, and so they quit their jobs when their careers are on the ascent…. Which often means that they end up missing some of the (different) challenges of a professional life, and would still like the feeling of being able to use their hard-earned skills.  SWAT mum teams are being hired by corporations to fill the skills gap, or to complete a particular project.

Companies like Mom Corps, Flexible Executives or on-ramps provide a link between companies in need of temporary management and mums that have decided to free some space from their busy schedules to keep a foot in the labour force. They are normally available at short notice and they are not very expensive, because more than the money, they need to keep their skills up-to-date and to avoid long gaps in their resumes.
It seems clear that mothers need flexibility; some are starting their own businesses and have become known as mumpreneurs, and now executive women are getting the chance to have the flexibility, which was, until now, only offered to self-employed or unskilled workers. I just hope this brilliant idea crosses the Atlantic soon!

-Michela