Twenty first century mums need to adapt if they are to thrive in a changing workplace

According to the experts, women are in an ideal position to make the most of the fact there’s no longer any guarantees of a job for life, but they don’t realise it.

Leading Aberdeen recruitment company Thorpe Molloy says it frequently meets women who are concerned about taking career breaks to have children.

Amanda McCulloch, Managing Director of Thorpe Molloy Recruitment explains,

“As well as their career expertise, the skills women gain at home with children are undervalued, consider multi-tasking, listening, consideration, patience, prioritising, these skills all enhance how much work actually gets done in a day,but often even the mums themselves undervalue it.”

 “My fellow directors, Judith Thorpe and Karen Molloy and I have 7 children between us, and, from our own experiences, we know that employers hugely undervalue the benefits of employing mums.”

“Employers need to look at the skills people have and appreciate that they do not always need full time hours to get a job well done. Indeed flexible working and job sharing can result in a very productive “2 heads are better than 1” situation.”

Aberdeen mum of two, Alison Shaw knows that being able to adapt to change has been crucial to her career as a journalist.

"I was a freelance for 10 years, working for newspapers, magazines and in television as a researcher and producer. I had two young children at the time and chose to work only three to four days a week which meant I could spend a bit more time with them. 

"There are so many different eras in mum's life - babyhood, schooldays, teenage years and university - all demanding in different ways. Sometimes you need to change your career to adapt to motherhood but it can change for the better. I have grown-up children now and I've taken the plunge into freelancing again. I couldn't have done that a few years ago but I'm embracing empty nest syndrome! I can choose to do work that I like, when I like.

"This just marks another stage in a varied career - my kids are away from home but I now get the chance to see my parents much more, thanks to the flexibility of working for myself." 

Sarah Mack left a high profile job as a presenter at Grampian Television seven years ago to become a full time mum to her four little boys. But she has now returned to television as a reporter and presenter for BBC Scotland’s rural affairs programme Landward. She says she’s delighted to have a second bite at the professional apple.

“Having stepped off the career ladder to have children, I didn’t find it an easy decision to go back to work.    However with the chance to restart my career, it was definitely a case of "it's now or never." 

“The difference this time around was that when I was considering returning to work I tried not to put myself under too much pressure to achieve.  Going to work is more for a breath of fresh air than climbing any corporate ladder."   
 
Leading consultant and coach Sam Pringle, who specialises in supporting women in the workplace, says mums are good at adopting to change and being flexible, but don’t see that in themselves.

“Mums’ are very critical of themselves, but for instance on a day to day basis they are very creative and are able to deal with different circumstances at home as well as being very organised and planned. These are all the kind of things that employers are looking for nowadays.”

“There’s no one better in a crisis than a mum and they are naturally very flexible and adaptable. My personal advice for those thinking of returning to work is to get a fresh set of eyes on their C.V and ask their friends and colleagues what they are good at because they don’t see they have the qualities which employers now want.”

For mums thinking of returning to work this year, Sam Pringle has the following advice:

Find your life balance

Ask what’s important to you in your career and with your family. Prioritise these things so you know what is and isn’t negotiable. Focus on what you want not what you don’t want.

Self Belief and Confidence

Once you know what you want think about what’s preventing you from having this now. What will help you achieve it?

Self Promotion

Ask someone else to identify your strengths. Think of times when you have done these things as evidence. Positive self promotion is very powerful to change your body language and behaviour.

Network

Social and online networking is a powerful tool. This is ideal for mums who don’t have time during the day. Ask other mums at play group or the school/nursery gates for contacts and advice on different careers. Everyone knows someone who can open a door for you. You just have to ask!

Sam Pringle is the trainer for Women in Science Engineering and Technology’s FREE workshop in Aberdeen on 20th March on Self Belief.

For further information please contact Jacqueline Christie on 01224 327031.

< back to news archive