Capitalizing On New Skills Learned from Pandemic Era Parenting

If pandemic era parenting has taught us one thing, it is that the work that women – mothers – do in their homes is invaluable.

And with moms mostly bearing the brunt of our new home-bound life, this can mean careers are getting sidelined or put on a backburner as childcare and virtual or home schooling take precedence.

In fact, more than 800,000 women in September left the workforce – likely because of childcare reasons. In contrast, about 200,000 men left the workforce in the same time frame.

This information comes on the heels of the Mother Honestly “Caregiving and Work Summit” that was held to address the fact that, “The caregiving economy is in shambles, women are dropping out of the workforce in droves. Due to the coronavirus, parents are working longer hours and at home, the Boston Consulting group estimated an average of 65 hours spent on household work, equating to two full-time jobs.”

In many families, men still are the primary breadwinners, so when push comes to shove, women stay home, go part time or try to piece together a plan – putting their careers in jeopardy.

The silver lining to all of this is that while women are staying home in this pandemic era parenting, they are gaining valuable new skillsets that translate back into the professional world.

Because we believe “work” is ANY ACTIVITY – paid or unpaid— you decide to do for fulfillment that stimulates your “professional self” and uses your unique talents, we are here to help you in identifying your new skills and capitalize on them in the professional world or in other types of work, including your side hustle, a hobby, your own business or any volunteering or philanthropic work.

We are also giving you a template to capitalize on these new skills, by updating your LinkedIn profile – so employers, colleagues and others in the professional sphere see your new skills, resilience and accomplishments.

One thing is for sure — the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us how to hone our skills as a parent while working in an unpredictable environment.

And the time is NOW to showcase those acquired skills, whether you have been a stay-at-home-mom for years, lost employment due to the pandemic, or you are currently employed.

Here’s how to flex those relevant “skill muscles” on LinkedIn in five steps:

1. Log into LinkedIn.

It doesn’t matter if it has been 10 minutes or 10 years since you last logged in. It’s time to update your page.

2. Add new work experience.

For this part, simply add in “Pandemic Era Parent” as your title. The “company” you work for can be tagged to our Work Life Integration Nation™ page so it doesn’t show up as an empty business.

3. Add in a description.

This section can be customizable to your situation; however, we have included an example below you are more than welcome to use with a simple copy and paste:

“In my household during the COVID-19 era, I have demonstrated expertise with my abilities to drive a team forward in an ever-changing social, educational and unchartered health climate.

As the primary caregiver, I have expertise in creating complex schedules, managing multiple members of a team of different ages and stages of development as well as an ability to administer tasks without a proven plan to follow. With my diverse skillset, I can confidently execute personal and professional assignments under pressure.

My proficiencies include:
Problem-solving
Leadership
Negotiation
Organization
Communication
Time management”

4. Add a new headline (or add to your existing).

If you’ve never used this feature before, the headline is a great way to highlight your top areas of expertise. For this purpose, you can add in “Pandemic Era Parent.” This can be used by itself, or as an additional headline if you are currently employed.

5. Hit save and publish!

Moms, we want you to be PROUD of what you have accomplished over the past several months. You are of value! If no one is telling you they are proud of you, we are telling you now: Be PROUD of yourself. This is so hard. But you are doing it.

About the Work+Life Integration movement

Work+Life Integration Nation™ is a lifestyle brand that empowers moms to work flexibly and live intentionally. It’s about bringing together your professional responsibilities and personal choices into one…with synergy.

Mamas: You are welcomed and supported in Work+Life Integration Nation™.

Learn more about how to join the Nation here.

Pandemic era parenting: You’ve gained new skills. Here’s how to capitalize on them today.