Flaunting your “mama” title on LinkedIn

Since I write in this newsletter edition about why (many) men don't read books by women authors (men don’t seem to care enough about womanly experiences?), I'm going to take it further and spark another conversation about why hiring mothers can bring a whole new perspective — and a whole lot of skill sets — to any company.

Last year, I unabashedly added “Mother” to my LinkedIn profile. I mean, why shouldn’t I? I’d go so far as to argue that adding the title “Mother” should be seen by employers, human resources, and recruiters as an advantage to any team or organization.

All the skills we’ve developed, especially during this pandemic, can easily transfer into the workforce. Plus, any mother will tell you that if you have food on your face while also being able to provide tissues, Tylenol, Band-Aids, highlighters, hand-sanitizer, half-eaten snack bars, and even extra socks at a moment’s notice, “I’m prepared for any situation thrown at me.”

The skills we hone being mothers shouldn’t be discounted in the working world, and yet they are.

Why doesn’t being a mother count? Think about it.

Pre-pandemic, raising children to be kind, compassionate, smart, and responsible humans so they can be productive members of society was, arguably, the hardest (yet most rewarding) job one can take on.

It takes a special skill set to tell your kid — for the 18th time and without raising your voice — that his pants are on backwards, and, yes, he has to put them on properly before we leave the house, while also reminding them, “We’re going to be late!” for the 33rd time. (“I work patiently in stressful situations.”)

It takes skill to be able to remember the 119 tidbits your kid wants to tell you about Minecraft or to guess their 18th favourite animal. (“I like learning new things.”) 

It takes skill to keep your kid in their room at bedtime when they keep reappearing to demand a snack and the meaning of life. (“I like to encourage others and am comfortable giving direction.”)

It takes skill to have willpower when your kid has the same listening habits as a brick wall. (“I can work with all sorts of people and motivate them.”) 

It takes skill to shower and shove down a power bar in less than five minutes, because someone is yelling, “Mommy! Mommy! Look at me!” 5,000 times. (“I work quickly and efficiently.”)

It takes skill to perfect an effective calm mad mommy voice, one that can scare the crap out of both your kids (and, possibly, the next-door neighbours) into putting their damn dinner plates in the dishwasher. (“I’m a good communicator.”)

It takes skill to both listen to one kid telling me about their homework while ignoring the other kid whining because he finished his banana and doesn’t know what to do with the peel, while also disinfecting vegetables. (“I’m great at multitasking.”)

It takes skill to make the perfect peanut butter sandwich that my son usually sends back if he sees there is one iota of crust I didn’t cut off, or if there is too much peanut butter, or if there is not enough peanut butter, or if I didn’t cut it exactly into four equal squares. (“I’m a perfectionist and pay close attention to detail.”)

I’m also a “monster killer” at bedtime, telling my son that I hired ghostbusters when he was at his father’s. (“I’m a forward thinker and I think quickly on my feet.”)

Who wouldn’t want to hire someone who has all these competencies? And mothers are totally unappreciated! (“I work well, with little to no supervision.”) 

We are constantly sleep-deprived. (“I am willing to work long hours — I can work on four hours of sleep.”)

When my kids argue, I’ve literally told them, “Just stop looking at each other!” (“I’m skilled at conflict resolution.”) 

I have drilled it into their little brains that we are a family, which means when any one of us accomplishes something awesome, it’s a win for the entire family. Likewise, when someone in our family has had a bad day, we are to be compassionate and empathetic. (“I am a team leader.”)

Frankly, all one should really have to put down under skills is “one-piece pyjamas.” Anyone in a hiring position, who happens to be a mother, knows the skill level it takes to get squiggling toddler legs in the right leg hole, showing the dedication we have for our children. (“I’m a very loyal employee.”)

In fact, I’m trying to not let all these skills I’ve gained as a mother go to my head.

Mothers can get so much more done in an hour than some get done in a seven-hour workday. Yesterday, I took my kid to the dentist, drove my daughter to volunteer, ordered back-to-school supplies on Amazon, went to the bank, made a doctor’s appointment for both kids, filled out a passport form for my son, filled up my gas tank, picked up a prescription for my daughter, researched a story for work, and went on a short run all before noon! 

Which means I still had nine more hours of “work” before my “shift” ended. (“I am willing to work long hours.”)

I laughed when I was prompted by LinkedIn for my title, company name, and employment type. The choices — and you can only choose one — include Full Time, Part-Time, Self-Employed, Freelance, Contract, Internship, or Apprenticeship.

I mean, how awful would I look if I said I was a “freelance” mother? Or a “contract” mother? Newer moms could, I think, click on the “apprenticeship” box, since the average length of an apprenticeship is four years. But I’ve been at this mother-thing for 17 years! (“I’m not a quitter.”)

Choosing a title for my profile was a little trickier.

One article I read encouraged job-seeking mothers to use other variations, like “Domestic Engineer,” or, “Full-Time Carer and Household Manager,” both of which do sound more professional than “Mommy” or “Mama.”

There is a debate on whether to include the title “Mother” on LinkedIn profiles, resumes and cover letters, especially for those who have taken years off to be stay-at-home moms. 

But I can’t think of one other job that comes with so many responsibilities. (“I’m responsible. You can trust me. I’ve kept one kid alive for 17 years.”)

And now I fear that many mothers will have an even harder time finding a job, since schools may close down any minute — thanks to this new variant — which means that employers know we could be homeschooling online learning again at any given moment. (“I can be thrown into unknown situations and learn quickly!”)

I’ve had to be in constant contact with doctors, teachers, guidance counsellors, tutors, coaches, orthodontists, and other mothers setting up playdates and sleepovers and, pre-pandemic, organizing birthday parties and chasing down RSVPs. (“I’m very organized. I love to network. I thrive on deadlines. I can work under pressure.”) 

I also debate bedtimes, showering schedules, how much time is left before they have to shut off their devices. (“I’m a skilled negotiator.”)

When I told my son he could order one item off Amazon because he got a good report card (“I give praise where praise is due. I’m very encouraging to others.”) I had to redirect him from the $75 dollar wrestling figure he wanted to pick something that was $50 or less. (“I can also budget.”)

What do ALL these skills scream to you? To me, they scream “Mother!” and “You’re hired!”

Trust me, it’s not the worst thing to hire someone who has honed so many skills. So, what do we think of the title, “Domestic and Maternal Goddess?”

How many fathers would even think about putting daddy down? As always, would love to hear your thoughts here.

This edited piece originally appeared on SavvyMom.ca