The COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a major negative impact on the workforce. Few groups have been impacted quite as much as moms. Between the need to care for their families and the typical struggles that women often face, moms have dealt with a lot. Now it’s even more daunting for many who want to return to the workforce to regain a sense of normalcy. Let’s talk about this phenomenon and how mothers can get back to work.
Where We Stand
As mentioned, the pandemic was hard on everyone, but it was especially difficult for mothers of school-aged children. The act of raising a family is a full-time job in and of itself. When the pandemic hit and everyone was working and learning from home, the difficulty became almost impossible — especially for moms who were balancing motherhood and a career.
Many women who were employed before the pandemic had to quit their jobs so they could stay home and take care of their children. Due to social distancing safety measures, most kids were learning from home during the heart of the pandemic, meaning many moms had to be home to ensure that their kids kept up with the classes, completed their homework, and were able to handle the technical requirements necessary to connect to an online class.
Looking back, we now realize that moms and other working women were impacted the most during the pandemic, and the issue reached its peak in December, when 100% of the jobs lost were held by women.
Even though we are seeing many kids return to physical classrooms, that time off has created a gap in employment that many women have to explain to new potential employers, and unfortunately, not all companies are sympathetic to the situation. On top of that, many women are still dealing with the typical struggles that we have seen for many years, including lower wages and the untrue belief by some that women are less productive or committed than their male counterparts.
Needless to say, there is an uphill battle, but with a bit of strategy and a desire to succeed, women can find the employment they desire.
Strategies for Returning to Work
If it’s been a while since you’ve been employed, you’ll need to do some prep work. You’ll want to update your resume with current information and then think carefully about how you apply to the jobs you seek. The best way to stand out from the crowd is to level up your job application with supplemental information.
For instance, your resume should list employers from the last several years, along with the tasks that you completed to help those businesses succeed. However, in addition to your resume, you should also write up a cover letter that explains your desire to work for this new employer and why they should choose you out of all the others. If you are applying for a job like designer or copywriter, then you should also create a detailed portfolio that contains your best work.
If your resume is lacking in the education section, then this may be a good time to return to school to earn a degree or even your Master of Business Administration. Many people seek an MBA because while obtaining this degree, you learn real-life scenarios that you can show off during your interview. While you achieve your MBA, you can also grow your professional network, and one of those fellow students could get you in the door of a new job once you graduate.
Jobs You Can Get
Even though we are returning to normalcy, many moms may not be able to drop everything to return to work, especially if they still have kids learning from home or younger children that need their help. Luckily, there are options for jobs that are flexible enough so that moms can juggle work and family without faltering on one or another.
Some of these flexible jobs include working as a customer service rep for a call center that is open 24-hours, becoming a medical billing associate, or finding a job as a virtual assistant that works remotely from home. The flexibility of working in real estate is also attractive to moms because they can work when they want, and with perseverance and knowledge of the market, there is a lot of money to be made for the family.
Another interesting phenomenon that many companies are introducing is the idea of a “returnship,” which is a job opening available for those who have professional experience but have been out of work for at least two years. It’s an attempt to not overlook any qualified candidates, and it could be an opportunity for many moms to get their foot in the door again.
In the end, moms are just as entitled to the chance to work as anyone else, and by following these tips, you can get the employment you crave. Let’s all work together to keep our world and our economy strong.
