Reentering the Workforce: Overcoming the Bias of Stay-At-Home Parents

Published Jan 23, 2020 by Maggie Martin

Welcome back to a brand new season of our Small Biz Insider podcast, part of our digital series highlighting entrepreneurs in the greater Houston region who are making a big impact in the small business community.

On today's episode of Small Biz Insider, host Maggie Martin sat down with Anna McKay, founder of Parents Pivot. This small business offers career coaching for stay-at-home parents who want to return to paid work.

Here are 5 key takeaways from McKay:

Between parents who've been laid off and those who've stayed at home raising a family, employers are more likely to interview the former. McKay cited a 2018 study in which the author sent out more than 3,300 resumes to job listings in 50 U.S. cities. 15.3% of those who received a callback were employed mothers, 9.7% were unemployed mothers and 4.9% were SAH moms. The study notes the findings were similar for dads.
But this bias doesn't make it impossible to land a job. McKay said these candidates need to leverage their wealth of transferable skills to fill the gap in professional experience. These parents have acquired so many skills and experiences that apply to the workforce, from volunteering to multitasking and strategic thinking. A lot of these skills connect back to a professional work environment, it's just about connecting the dots for employers through resumes, cover letters and the interview process.
SAH parents are well educated and experienced. McKay said about 95% of the parents she works with have a bachelors degree. About 43% have a Master's degree or higher. And 80% of candidates have 5 years or more of professional experience.
Involve your children in your employment process. McKay said it's important to have conversations with your children about what they can expect with these changes and ensure they feel like they're a part of your success.
Find a community to lean on for support. Many SAH parents say they feel isolated during the process. It's important to find a group of people who'll support and guide you.