Four years ago, Parents Pivot was born out of a desire to support moms who had left paid work to take a career pause and wanted to return, but were finding it difficult. During a career pause, moms have time to reflect and aren’t necessarily the same person they were before their pause (motherhood changes you!) or they no longer have the same goals. While that is completely normal and OK, many moms lack the confidence to navigate the job search with their new-found perspective.
The thing is, moms are superheroes that take life by the horns and successfully manage their household despite all of the uncertainty, chaos, and mundane routines that come with parenthood. From budgeting and organization to strategic thinking and problem solving (and much more), moms have what it takes to reenter the workforce and pursue new career goals. Not only that, they are often more equipped and qualified than many who did not take a career pause!
Building Your Value Through Your Entrepreneurial Spirit
One mom skill that is transferable to the workplace that Parents Pivot is passionate about building awareness in the lives of moms is an entrepreneurial spirit. Most people think “entrepreneur” equates to starting your own business. While it can and does mean that, an entrepreneurial spirit can also take you far in leadership within an organization.
Here are a few ways that you can position the entrepreneurial spirit you’ve built during your career pause as a desired job skill.
You see what needs done, and do it! As soon as you become a parent, something shifts inside your brain and your mama bear instincts kick into full gear. That means protecting your child, but it also means that you will do whatever it takes to provide for them and create an environment that is the best for them to learn and grow. When you see something that needs to be done, whether that is meal planning, cleaning dried up apples from under the couch, or organizing the local soccer carpool schedule, you do it! There is no task too big or too small for you, when it comes to ensuring success for your family. That same mind set is a well sought after skill in the workplace, and is proof that you lead by example.
You work well with a team. Let’s be honest, it takes a village to raise children and you have learned when to ask for help. The list of “teammates” you work well with may include babysitters, teachers, extended family, and medical professionals. You coordinate and communicate with them to ensure the best care for your children. It’s a sign of wisdom to know that you can’t do it all on your own. In the same vein, successful teams and businesses need a collaborative group of people with a variety of skills to create a well rounded operation to reach their business goals. And they have to be able to work well together to achieve success.
You work well independently. While it takes a village, and teamwork is important, you work well independently too. Sometimes – like that night when a stomach bug decided to hit your little one at 3am – you have to problem solve and make decisions in the moment, on your own. You assess situations quickly and move toward action when you need to. You are good at thinking on your feet and don’t freeze when you're needed. In the workplace, this is a critical skill for any position that will ensure your potential employer that you can work under pressure and still achieve results.
You are always on the lookout to make things more efficient. Part of business is making money. For non-profits that means raising money for a cause and for-profits make money to grow and expand their offerings. In all circumstances, operating as efficiently as possible is important for a lean and healthy budget. The same can be said for time as well. Time is money, after all! You are an expert at doing things efficiently, because if you don’t… it could result in a missed soccer practice, a meltdown in the grocery store, or going over budget on eating out. You group tasks together to get them done quickly, you delegate when it makes sense, you eliminate things that are not the best use of your time.
You make decisions based on value added. Sometimes, it just makes sense to spend money for the best end result. For example, paying a monthly fee to have your groceries delivered is likely worth the investment because it keeps you from going over budget, avoids potential meltdowns when children are in toe, and saves you time that you can invest in doing something else. You are good at weighing the pros and cons of an investment and deciding what will yield the highest return on your investment. This is evidence of a true entrepreneurial spirit!
You problem solve when the unexpected arises. I love this “broom” story that came up in one of the Parents Pivot THRIVE cohorts. Let’s say you ask a mom, “could you please go get the broom out of the closet?” She goes to get the broom but it is not in the closet. She doesn't just come back and tell you the broom isn't in the closet, she thinks about where else the broom could be and looks in other places. She takes ownership of the problem and tries to find a solution on her own without coming to help right away. This is true for how you will handle work problems as well.
Find A Partner To Help Your Value Shine
Have you taken a career pause and feel that your goals and career aspirations have changed? Don’t let that discourage you from pursuing a professional life that will bring you joy. Parents Pivot has helped over 100 moms through our Thrive Like A Mother job search coaching group, and hundreds more through 1:1 coaching. We’d be honored to help boost your confidence in applying for – and securing – a job that allows you to return to paid work.
You can explore the Parents Pivot website for resources, job openings, upcoming events, our coaching packages, and more. Be sure to sign up for our newsletter (at the bottom of our homepage) to receive tips and the latest information to help you pivot to paid work directly in your inbox.
