Pair a thriving job market with growing companies, and you have an abundance of job opportunities. It’s an employee’s market, which means that unemployment rates are low, making it hard to find talent. Unfortunately, hiring managers are missing an entire group of high quality candidates. YOU, the parent returning to work. Despite the gap in work experience on their resume, parents returning to work have unmatched work ethic and have built up the experience companies need for management and leadership roles. All gained within the bounds of motherhood.
Here are the top reasons why hiring managers need to start seeking out parents returning to work to fill their open positions.
Education & Experience
Many stay-at-home moms are armed with excellent education and advanced degrees – Solid Undergraduate, Masters, Doctorates, and Professional Degrees – making them highly valuable employees. Not to mention the life experience of raising kids and caring for a family equips you with practical knowledge to positively contribute to the company’s success. You’ll have your eye out for crises that need quick thinking, individuals who need support, and projects that need completed. A mom's super power is relevant and needed in the workplace!
Vast Experience Level
Moms returning to work usually fit in the toughest experience gap to fill: five-to-ten years experience. Return to work candidates often have a proven track record as successful professionals in the corporate world prior to pausing their career for parenthood. The Applicant Tracking System won’t pick up on this, but that experience makes them knowledgeable about the way the corporate world works, gives them an understanding of processes, and the ability to provide leadership.
Fresh New Perspective
In addition to corporate experience, stay at home moms and dads reentering the workforce bring a fresh, new perspective. They have the unique position of having both experienced the corporate world and taken a break from it. The stay at home parents may see things other employees who have stayed in industry are blind to. This unique perspective can help improve a company.
Commitment & Leadership
Many parents reentering the workforce make a conscious decision to return. They have given thought to what they want to do; they are hungry to make an impact in the world; and they are committed to the right kind of company. Given the cost of turnover, it’s in the company’s best interest to hire committed team members who are in it for the long haul.
Build your women in leadership pipeline
Hiring mothers is also a great way to build your women in leadership pipeline. Moms often have the opportunity to develop leadership, motivational, and emotional intelligence skills during their career pause. They may have held leadership positions within the PTA or a nonprofit board. They may have worked on committees with people of all personality types. They may have researched, strategized, negotiated, and collaborated with others to get the best educational experience for their special needs child. These skills are highly transferable to a paid work situation.
If you’re a stay at home mom wishing to reenter the workforce, don’t let a gap in your professional resume hold you back. Position yourself the right way, research companies open to return to work candidates, and you’ll be one step closer to your dream career. At Parents Pivot, we help women return to work after having children and can do the same for you! Contact us to learn more.
