Housewives find it difficult to reintegrate into the work environment — Photo: Getty
Most mothers who experience stereotypes report that problems arising from time off work appear on their resumes. Some feel their experience is undervalued, making it difficult to find a flexible position.
Kristen Shah, career trends expert at Indeed, says the workforce has changed dramatically since the start of the pandemic, and employers and job seekers alike are adapting to attract jobs and talent.
“Homework is one of the most challenging jobs in the world, and a resume can help highlight these unique and valuable skills,” she advises.
In other words, women can find ways to transform the skills acquired during homeschooling into useful skills at work, thus highlighting their strengths.
Whether it’s time management skills, balancing budgets, working with others or managing emotions…
However, not everyone agrees that highlighting parenting skills on a resume is the best strategy. There is evidence that many job seekers want to remove stay-at-home and housekeeping time from their resumes altogether.
Sociology professor Shelley Correll (Stanford University) completed a study of colleagues in which they sent resumes and cover letters to employers.
As a result, employers are 2.1 times more likely to contact a woman who is not a mother than a mother, even if both have similar qualifications. This suggests that showing motherhood on a resume can be counterproductive.
Why is there such a strong prejudice against fatherhood, so natural in human life? Research shows that this makes employers understand that candidates care more about family than work.
Not to mention, people tend to assume that women can only do one of two things well, be a warm mother or a good employee, but not both. Only when employers realize that people can be good parents and good employees will this stereotype be reduced.
A recent survey by Indeed found that nearly three-quarters of housewives face significant biases when returning to work, not facilitating reintegration.
Those looking to return to the work force after spending time with family should probably carefully weigh the pros and cons of including this work experience section on their resume.
Women = housewife?
