The many jobs of a mom
Customer Service associate, Mediator, Planner, Accountant, Project Manager. What do all these job titles have in common? Well, they are all titles I have held as a mom and in the workplace. We all laugh at the different titles that we see on memes explaining the details of jobs mothers do if they were on a resume or a job search. But it’s true. Being a mother lends us to learn much more and be able to translate that over into the outside work world than we actually realize. Just think about the PTO Chair at your child’s school. They use team building, organization skills, time management, accounting, marketing. The list goes on and on. Now why in the world would that not cross over into our work outside the home?
I worked as a nursing assistant in various medical fields after I graduated college. Then my first daughter came along. I felt the pull to want to be home with her full time and not have to split my hours of work and motherhood. So for the next 6 years I became a “stay at home mother.” My “work” became diaper changer, meal planner, book reader, comforter, best dang bubble blower there was, and much more. I enjoyed my time at home. The days were long, but looking back I was free to go and come without being tied to a work schedule. I enjoyed the freedom it lent to me and my now 3 girls. When the opportunity came along for me to head back out and work outside the home, I took it. It was difficult, but it was a breath of fresh air. What I didn’t realize over the next 8 years was that I had not lost skills and time from being out of work; I had gained so many more.
It’s not just about changing dirty diapers
Being a mother, you learn so much about yourself, and you learn it quickly. Being thrust into being outnumbered as a parent helped me to focus and perfect my organization skills. Managing 3 children, now 4, and their school work, activities (LAWD the activities), their social calendars, etc. I would now put myself in the category of Boss Organizer. Being able to translate that over into the workplace has felt natural and easy. It’s what I do on a daily basis, so being organized and having time management at work doesn’t seem out of the ordinary. Knowing that you have people to get home to at night also made me a more efficient worker. I don’t tend to waste my time on unnecessary items.
Being a mother has also given me people or “customer service” skills. I have 3 girls (13, 11, 11), so you can imagine the amount of “complaints” from my customers I get in a day. Being able to understand, reason, and talk people off a ledge is another task that takes place frequently at home. So when at work, being able to listen to my teammates or my users, and know what to say is second nature. If you can talk a teenager off a ledge because her pants are tight but also too loose at the same time, you could probably diffuse a bomb blindfolded.
So ladies, do not think that your skills that you are or have developed while raising children are for naught. You are creating a resume that is stronger and better than you could have imagined! I remind my husband and co-workers frequently that if I can grow a human, I can dominate any project you put in front of me, and so can you!
