Candy Kirby
It’s no secret that the pandemic has been especially damaging to working moms. More than 2.3 million American women have left the labor market since COVID-19 hit the United States, according to the National Women’s Law Center — in fact, women’s workforce participation rates are at lows not seen since 1988. And the devastating impact could continue to grow. According to a report from Lean In and McKinsey & Co., one in four women are considering leaving the workforce or downshifting their careers due to the effects of the pandemic.
One possible solution: more flexible, part-time job opportunities for women with kids. However, some companies are hesitant to hire part-time moms in fear that they won’t be 100% committed to their job.
Former recruiter Sarah Johnston wants those companies to know they have it all wrong.
Johnston, a North Carolina-based executive resume writing coach and once a part-time working mom herself, shared her insights on LinkedIn to let employers know just how much of an asset moms are to the workforce.
“A lot of hiring managers think that moms won’t make good employees because they will be distracted. OR they won’t be reliable,” Johnston wrote. “They are hands down always the most reliable.”
The human resources expert added, “When you intentionally create an opportunity to keep a woman in the workforce—even just 10 hours a week—you are investing long-term in greater workplace diversity and career mobility for women,” Sarah wrote. “Part-time jobs help women stay in paid work and make it easier to transition to higher paying full times roles.”
Her post resonated with many working moms, with Francey George, a Senior Human Resource Business Partner at T-Mobile, writing: “Thank you for this post!! This resonates with me because I moved to a new city a week before everything shut down last year. With no support system or family, I was forced to put my career on hold to care for my children. Unfortunately, I do feel there is still a bias, whether unconscious or conscious, regarding a moms ability to be a high performer in the workplace. As I search for a new job, I often wonder whether this decision will hinder my ability to secure a new position in comparison to other candidates.”
Samantha Sharpe, an Internal Research Investment Program Manager, also noted: “As someone squeezed out of the workforce by the pandemic and the burden it placed on our family (months-long daycare closure with 2 young children), I can honestly say I would cherish a meaningful part-time paid work opportunity.”
Are you a mom seeking a more flexible and/or part-time career opportunity? We suggest checking out these job sites, which are specifically tailored toward those needs:
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