I can predict how the interview will unfold. You will sit across from me, scrutinizing my resume. Armed with a pen, you’ll delve into my 11-year background in finance, my academic credentials, and my professional certifications. The timeline from 1999 to 2013 is clearly detailed in my resume. However, upon reaching the “Work Experience” section, you will encounter an evident gap beginning in 2013, causing a moment of silence.
From your perspective, it appears that I was once a highly qualified professional on a fast track, only to have “opted out” of my career to care for my children—a term popularized by journalist Lisa Taylor in 2003. I seemingly left behind a flourishing career, and now I must battle to re-enter the corporate world I once navigated so confidently in my business attire.
While this narrative may resonate, it is fundamentally flawed. Our society’s perception of stay-at-home parents is outdated, often drawing from clichéd portrayals from 1950s television shows, suggesting that these individuals spend their days in house dresses, lounging with sweets while watching soap operas. Ironically, I found myself more idle during my previous full-time employment than I ever am now.
We must shift our understanding of the roles of stay-at-home parents, and it starts with you asking the right questions. I am not advocating for you to ask, “What do you do all day?” with a skeptical look; I find that question almost as irritating as the implicit assumption that the answer is “nothing.” Instead, consider asking if I would like to discuss my recent years. Allow me to share how managing three young boys and a household is profoundly relevant to the professional realm.
If you extend that invitation, I will gladly elaborate. First, I want to emphasize that being a stay-at-home parent does not equate to being out of touch. With the help of the Internet and round-the-clock news updates, I have remained informed about market trends. While I may not have access to a Bloomberg terminal, I can still engage in meaningful discussions.
Secondly, overseeing a household involves budgeting, hiring help, and sometimes making the tough decision to let someone go. It requires mediating conflicts, multitasking, and crafting innovative solutions. Let’s not overlook negotiation—dealing with my strong-willed 8-year-old has provided me with hours of negotiation experience. If I can negotiate with him, I promise you, negotiating with corporate entities is a walk in the park.
The challenge lies in how businesses perceive parents. Often, the focus fixates solely on the time commitments that parenting demands, painting it as a downside. Yet, I have observed that parents in the workforce tend to exhibit greater compassion and patience. They are often more deliberate in their decision-making, working efficiently and minimizing wasted time.
Additionally, I haven’t touched upon the countless hours that stay-at-home parents invest in fundraising for schools, planning events such as auctions and carnivals, managing the Parent-Teacher Organization, and more. This extensive work is not only significant; it encompasses skills in networking, vendor management, database creation, and presentation capabilities, which all align with professional requirements.
During my tenure as a stay-at-home mom, I have engaged in numerous relevant activities. However, you will remain unaware of this, dear interviewer, if you continue to regard my absence from the workforce as a deficiency to overcome. On paper, I may appear to be an “opt-out” mom, but my time away has been characterized by diligent work and the development of skills that are directly applicable to the position I seek with you. You will only discover this if you ask.
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In summary, my experience as a stay-at-home parent has equipped me with a unique set of skills that are highly relevant to the workplace. It’s crucial to engage in conversations that go beyond surface-level assumptions to appreciate the value I can bring to your organization.
Keyphrase: career gap relevance
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