Summer is coming quickly and that means that our momma brains are already starting to kick into overdrive. School being out for the summer means we have to prepare for rearranging daily schedules for new extracurriculars, summer camps, and vacations. Even during a pandemic, things change from season to season and I’m guessing you are already in your planner looking at the months and days!
Whether you realize it or not, summer time takes a lot of strategic thinking, planning, and adaptability on your part. And I’m guessing you are knocking it out of the park!
By taking care of all of those logistics for your family, you are using skills that are valued and sought out in the workplace. If you are thinking about returning to work after a career pause, don’t underestimate these important skills that you are developing as a mother. You are likely using strategic thinking every single day inside your home and not even realizing it.
Hiring Managers and Recruiters will take notice of these skills listed on a resume and cover letter. And once you land an interview, don’t shy away from explaining how your hard work at home will translate into proactive strategic thinking that will benefit their short and long term plans for growth, team building, and collaboration.
Positioning Strategic Thinking As Valuable In The Workplace
It’s not always easy to know how to communicate your mom skills into workplace transferable skills. It’s all about the confidence in knowing what employers are looking for and why you are the perfect person to fill their vacant role.
Here are a few ways you can position motherhood’s strategic thinking as a transferable skill in a way that employers will notice.
It will be rare that important tasks or possible issues will slip by your radar.
Think of all the things that need to get done on a day-to-day basis around your home. You adapt to ever-changing situations, routines, and schedules and yet little slips passed your mom radar. That sixth-sense won’t just go away when you are at work – it’s not built into your DNA as a soon-to-be working mom. When problems arise or the unexpected happens, you’ll keep moving and catching the balls as they (try to) drop.
You can factor in the interests and tastes of their “target market.”
It’s rare to have a family where everyone’s interests always align. Maybe your daughter loves outdoor ninja warrior obstacle courses and your son would rather play video games all day. Yet, you somehow find ways to choose family activities that everyone enjoys – or at least mediate compromises and negotiations that keep the peace. As businesses target audiences, decisions will never be made that please everyone. That’s where you come in. You can find the common threads that tie everything together to form a cohesive, streamlined message, keeping in mind what’s important to your “target audience”, and plan to move forward. Especially if it means getting a little creative!
You will excel at lining up the team’s moving parts for optimal performance. You are a pro at managing a team (AKA your family) at home. And everyone on your team has different priorities, schedules, needs, and goals. You can line up all of these moving parts to ensure your home is operating like a well oiled machine, placing everyone and everything exactly where they need to be for the best possible outcome.
You aren’t just talk. You can execute the plan.
When it comes to finding great workers, a key thing that hiring managers look for is whether or not they think you can get the job done. They don’t want someone who talks a good game but then can execute the plan. You, momma, can do both. And do both well. You organize your families schedules, while also making sure your home isn’t in complete disarray. You ensure everyone is well fed, healthy, and active. You plan, execute, and then you adapt when things change.
Planning For Your Future Career Without Sacrificing Summer Fun
You have more transferable skills than just strategic thinking! When preparing your resume, cover letter, and interview talking points, consider your communication and organization skills too. And as you plan your summer, you can plan for your future career too – without sacrificing fun!
Need A Support Pivoting To The Workplace?
If you’d like some support from like-minded mommas, Parents Pivot also offers one-on-one and group coaching to set you up for success. Contact us today to start a partnership that will lead to pivoting back into the workplace and your dream job.
