It’s a given that 100% of us will spend some time in the workforce in our lifetimes. Some will work until we have children, some will work while we have kiddos, others will enter or re-enter the workforce (sometimes several times!) once our kids get to a certain age. Whether you are working, staying at home or some combination in-between, here are 5 reasons why “mom” looks good on a resume.
Moms can work with anyone. Literally. any. one. Considering my current “co-workers” yell, throw things, have no clue what manners are, never clean up after themselves, fall asleep on the job, and, on occasion, soil themselves, it really makes me miss working with the lady who always left passive-aggressive notes in the office kitchen. If I haven’t quit this mom gig yet, then surely I can handle working with Steve from HR who can’t seem to figure out when it’s appropriate to refrain from using “reply all”.
Moms are master multitaskers. We have to be or we won’t survive. Y’all- I fed my kids lunch, practiced for my oldest kids church performance, ordered Christmas gifts and set up hair appointments all while we waited at HEB curbside for our groceries (so add that too!). I say that not to toot my own horn, but to say that moms are always thinking of ways to do things more effectively, efficiently and more budget friendly. What company couldn’t use all that? We are excellent multitaskers because….
Moms understand the value of time. From the second our 1st child entered this world we knew this to be true about time- it passes too quickly and there is never enough of it (with the exception of that pesky dinner-bedtime window, OMG eternity.). We also know that plans get interrupted, modified, changed and even completely cancelled so we know to get right to business. Give 36 year old me (with 3 kids five and under) just three uninterrupted hours and a to-do list and I can do more than what 25 year old me could accomplish in an entire workweek. Moms don’t play when it comes to the to-do list. Also, 25 year old me was useless on less than 5 hours of sleep. Give me 5 solid hours of sleep now, and I can probably perform a minor surgery while making you breakfast (there’s that multitasking thing again).
Moms can negotiate like a boss. We break up fights on the reg. You know, important fights about who was holding the train first or who is on who’s “side” of the couch. These are the things fist fights are made of. We can successfully make it to the end of each day with all of our children still fully intact despite their best efforts to take one another’s lives. That takes expert, U.N. level negotiation skills, people! We also know when to pick our battles. Wanna wear your Mickey Mouse shirt and hot pink athletic shorts with rain boots to kindergarten in December? Live your best life, kid. Want to stop brushing your teeth, like, forever? Um, nope. Same applies in the office. I’ll happily show up for your weekly Monday morning staff meeting, but start charging for the k-cups in the break room and that’s where I’m gonna have to draw the line.
Moms are loyal. When a mom is on your team, she’s on your team. Nobody goes to bat for you like your mom, right?!? Mom didn’t care that you sounded like a dying cat during your high school talent show, to her you were the best. Mom also didn’t bail on you when you decided against better judgment to get that perm while you still had braces. Or when you had that loser boyfriend that all your friends hated. When you hire a mom, you hire someone who will be loyal. You hire someone who believes in the company and sees value in it and she will certainly add value herself. After all, who was it that finally convinced you to dump that loser boyfriend? (using those mad negotiation skills)
I’m a better human because I’m a mom. I’m a nurse, negotiator, counselor, chef, housekeeper, investigator, accountant, gamer (Hi-Ho Cherry-O champ!), teacher, personal shopper, and nutritionist…..and those are all jobs that I do for free. So for all the moms who were beyond qualified but passed over for a promotion in favor of a male or a kid-free female co-worker, or the moms who in their 3rd trimester were told their position was being eliminated and they would no longer have a job after their maternity leave. To the moms thinking about staying home who get asked if their potential employment gap will affect their resume, or the moms who’ve raised kids at home and are now wondering how to jump back into work after all these years- you have a wealth of incredible skills, knowledge and so much wisdom that the workforce can use- go slay mamas!!
