By Charlotte Pence Bond
Many moms choose to take time off their careers or limit their work hours when they have young children at home. They often fear doing this because of the impact it will have on their resume and what it might look like when they return to the workforce years later. This is unfortunate because women must know they can have a baby and a career. It is understandable that companies would see a “gap” in a woman’s resume as a negative component – a time when she was not developing or enhancing skills in her chosen field of work. I believe, however, that this time away from the workforce should be considered a benefit and looked at in a positive light because of the countless skills that moms learn and cultivate while they spend most of their day raising young children and not at a formal job.
Soft Skills and Hard Skills
Employers do not simply look at a resume when they are considering hiring an applicant for a position. For some time, an important emphasis has been placed on “soft skills” over “hard skills.” Hard skills are typically considered tangible ways that potential employees can show they have the ability to do a certain job – such as specific qualifications and instruction. Soft skills are less obvious and more related to someone’s qualities and how they will be able to work in a certain environment.
Moms master plenty of hard skills during their time away from work. If they have several children, they coordinate and manage the schedules of multiple people, especially once the kids are involved in activities. They also have to keep track of the basic needs of their children, such as when they last ate, what they consumed, what time their diaper was changed, or the last time they used the restroom if they’re potty-trained. As a primary caregiver, they have to be attentive to each child. They are the ones who will generally notice if their kid has developed a rash in the last hour, beginning a deductive reasoning process of where it might have come from and whether or not it’s serious.
How Motherhood Translates to the Workforce
Moms also develop soft skills while away from the workforce, such as cultivating more patience and understanding. They learn how to negotiate with toddlers who don’t always respond to basic rationality. They must also learn to gently instruct their children to play nicely with other kids and behave in public. Confrontation is a daily occurrence, as well, especially once discipline is a more active part of child-rearing, and learning how to have healthy conflict-resolution cycles with one’s children is a skill that can be applied to adult relationships.
The Importance of Spending Time with Children
When mothers spend more time with their children, especially when they are young, they help their kids develop and thrive. Even though this alone should be considered beneficial, it is helpful to the general cultural conversation about mothers’ relationship with work if there is also a benefit to companies hiring moms after this “time off.” I hope that employers will begin to shift how they see a mom’s “resume gap” after spending time away from a formal job. If moms have the confidence that they will be well-received if or when they decide to return to the workforce, they may be more likely to choose to spend time at home instead of feeling pressure to continue to work if that isn’t what they desire or what is best for their family.
Companies Benefit From a Mom’s Resume Gap
The time moms spend away from the workforce to raise children benefits society, and the skills they learn along the way will benefit any future company where they are employed. However, companies will only benefit once they acknowledge and apply this truth to their hiring process.
Check out more stories from Charlotte Pence Bond:
Time Management for Moms Pursuing Their Passions
