Embrace Motherhood: A Powerful Career Asset

Motherhood is often seen as a period where careers take a back seat, but this perspective overlooks the myriad of professional skills that mothers develop. Recognising, embracing, and articulating these skills can transform your parenting experience into a formidable career asset. Whether you are re-entering the workforce or looking to pivot into a new career, the competencies honed through motherhood are invaluable.

Time Management

Motherhood is an unparalleled exercise in time management. Juggling appointments, meal preparations, chores, and extracurricular activities for children requires meticulous planning and prioritisation. These skills translate seamlessly into the workplace, where effective time management is crucial. Employers value individuals who can allocate time efficiently, handle multiple responsibilities, and adapt to changing schedules. For example, managing school pick-ups and drop-offs alongside ensuring dinner is ready cultivates a knack for deadline management and productivity enhancement, making mothers adept at squeezing more into their day.

Crisis Management

From the first scraped knee to more serious injuries, mothers learn to remain calm and collected during crises. This ability to manage emergencies without panic is a vital skill in many professional settings, including project management and client services. The experience of resolving unforeseen issues at home equips mothers with the capability to handle workplace crises efficiently, ensuring smooth operations under pressure.

Communication

Explaining complex concepts to toddlers requires creativity, patience, and clarity—skills that are equally important in professional communication. Whether it's persuading, negotiating, or simply conveying ideas effectively, the communication skills developed through parenting are extensive. Mothers often mentor, teach, and counsel their children, which enhances their ability to facilitate group discussions, listen actively, and communicate persuasively in a work environment.

People Management

Managing a household, particularly with young children, can be more challenging than managing colleagues. Mothers naturally improve their negotiation skills, learn to mediate conflicts, and motivate others—key aspects of people management. Organising teams for school events or setting up social groups are relevant experiences that showcase a mother's ability to lead and manage people effectively in any professional context.

Problem Solving

Parenting is a constant exercise in problem-solving. From handling everyday mishaps to addressing more complex issues, mothers develop a proactive approach to finding solutions. This skill is in high demand across all industries. Teaching children to solve their problems while providing the necessary tools reflects a managerial approach that is both nurturing and effective.

Organisational Skills

Running a household smoothly requires superior organisational skills. Planning family events, managing budgets, and ensuring that all family members' needs are met involve project management skills that are directly transferable to the workplace. Documenting these achievements and articulating them in a CV or interview can highlight a mother's capability to handle large-scale projects and meticulous planning.

Multitasking

While multitasking is generally considered counterproductive, it becomes a necessity in parenting. Mothers often handle multiple tasks simultaneously, such as talking to the doctor while calming a crying child. This ability to juggle various responsibilities without losing focus is valuable in roles that demand attention to multiple areas simultaneously.

Negotiation

Negotiating with toddlers can be one of the most challenging tasks, often requiring creative and strategic thinking. This skill is directly applicable to professional negotiations, where the ability to find compromises and win others over is essential. Whether negotiating a bedtime or a business deal, the principles remain the same, and mothers often excel in this area due to their extensive practice at home.

Collaboration

Daily activities such as mealtimes and bath times require collaboration between mother and child, even when the child is uncooperative. This experience fosters the ability to work with individuals with different skill sets and attitudes, a common scenario in the workplace. The patience and perseverance developed through these interactions make mothers excellent team players and collaborators.

Showcasing Your Skills

It’s crucial to frame these motherhood skills in a way that resonates with employers. Here are a few tips on how to do that:

Use Professional Language: When listing skills on your CV, use terminology that aligns with the job description. For instance, "multitasking" can be framed as "effective time management" and "prioritisation of concurrent tasks."

Provide Examples: Use specific, measurable examples to demonstrate your skills. For instance, "Coordinated a fundraising event that raised £10,000 for the school, involving planning, budgeting, and team management."

Highlight Transferability: Emphasise how these skills are applicable to the job you're applying for. For example, "Negotiated daily with a toddler, developing strong negotiation and conflict resolution skills applicable in sales and client relations."

Be Confident: Don’t downplay the skills you’ve gained. Parenting is an intensive, full-time job that requires a high level of competency in various areas. Approach your job search with confidence, knowing that your experience as a mother has prepared you well for the professional world.

Independent Career Paths

For those mothers who find it challenging to fit into traditional employment structures due to career gaps, independent career paths can be an excellent option. Freelancing and starting their own businesses leverage parenting skills while offering flexibility and autonomy. This path allows mothers to be their own bosses, apply their organisational and teaching skills, and balance their work and family life more effectively.

Embracing the Future

Motherhood is not a career setback; it’s a career development phase. The skills honed during this period are profound and diverse, preparing mothers for a wide range of professional roles. By embracing these skills and learning to communicate them effectively, mothers can turn their parenting experience into a powerful asset, advancing their careers and achieving new professional heights.

My advice to mothers is to recognise and celebrate the professional growth that comes with parenting. Your journey as a mother has equipped you with a unique skill set that is invaluable in the workplace. Embrace it, articulate it, and watch as new opportunities unfold before you.