Mother of Multitasking
How being a mother makes you a better employee.
Being a mom is no less than a full-time job, regardless, most women do it effortlessly while fulfilling other duties and commitments. Yet, mothers who go back to work are often assumed to be less involved and incapable of making tough calls. This bias stems from gender roles that women, and especially mothers, are expected to live up to, resulting in fewer women getting hired post-maternity and being on the receiving end of a smaller paycheque. But don’t you lose heart, because we’ve some good news for you.
If you are setting out on a job hunt, motherhood is the best thing that could happen to you.
Here’s why!
1. Time Management — you are never off schedule.
Every day you wake up with the sun, run errands and make sure your kids are in bed just in time for your favourite show. You’re a management wizard and the corporate world can learn a thing or two from you in terms of being on schedule. With you onboard, no meeting will run too long, and audits might even wrap up before March. Take pride in the meticulous timetable on your refrigerator, and the reminders that fill your phone — they’ve turned you into a responsible, reliant candidate, ready to take on every task on the agenda.
2. Communication — You can talk the talk
Being a mom makes you more responsive to the needs of those around you. It helps you deal with people tactfully, which is a great skill to have when you are leading a diverse team. In the years you have spent away from work, you have developed patience and empathy, which will make you a leader and team player that everyone respects.
3. Organisation — A superpower like no other
Books? Check. Online classes? Making your child’s favourite snack? Check!
Schools have shifted online, yet projects and assignments are endless. But you have been blessed by Marie Kondo herself, and you can organize everything from messy shelves to unruly worksheets, and still find time to rearrange the decor. Being organized shows focus and clarity at work, hence, you’ll be a great fit in companies that require diligent employees who can put together a conference, or at accounting firms that live and breathe excel sheets. Take your pick!
4. Adaptation — You learn faster
Being a mother is a continuous journey, and you have navigated all aspects of motherhood by trial and error, adjusted your old habits, and introduced new ones. Being able to observe and make changes that are necessary requires awareness. If you possess the ability to adapt and change when the situation demands it, the workforce requires dynamic women like you.
In these times of cut-throat competition, where trends change overnight and one needs to upskill every now and then, someone with your capabilities can truly shine.
5. Conflict Resolution — You are the mediator.
Having more than one kid is challenging enough, throw some teenage tantrums in the mix and you have got yourself a showdown. Resolving heated debates about superheroes and football teams have prepared you to deal with any conflict that might come up while working in a corporate setting. Being able to maintain your composure, rationalizing with all parties, and coming to an agreement at the end, is a valuable skill to have in your arsenal.
6. Multitasking — You wear many, many hats.
Mother, teacher, chauffeur, and your child’s greatest cheerleader. You are all this and so much more. Fulfilling every duty, you live up to each of your diverse roles. The broad spectrum of skills that you display makes you a perfect choice for leadership roles. Busy corporations that need reliable and dynamic folks, with an ability to manage multiple responsibilities at once, would benefit greatly from having you on their team.
In today’s corporate world, being hardworking isn’t enough, you need to display an array of skills to be recognized as a capable colleague and a leader. Employees today must have interpersonal skills, an analytical mind, and a can-do attitude. These abilities come with experience and have been imbibed in you over many years of being a mother.
So go ahead and celebrate — yourself, your calibre, and motherhood.
Happy Mother’s Day!
Thinking of going back to work, and wondering where to start? Start with us!
Get a 30-minute coaching session with Rajani Seshadri — founder of indePenn. She is an experienced executive coach, training women to rejoin the workforce. This might just be the push you need to jumpstart your new career. It’s FREE if you email us at connect@indepenn.com with your queries before 12th May 2021.
If you aren’t an indePenn member already and would like to get access to workshops and resources to help you make a smooth re-entry to work, sign up here.
