Maternal CEO

A woman I met at a networking event told me an interviewer asked her about a one-year gap in her resume. She explained she had stayed at home for a year with her children during a rough patch in their development.

"You must not really need a job then," he replied, shuffling some papers on his desk. Interview over.

Excuse me!?! Of all the things he could have asked to determine her eligibility for the job, he picked a gotcha question like that? Doesn't she get to decide whether she needs a job or not?

And anyway, he's wrong on both counts. She doesn't really need a job working for a retro-guy like him.

I can only imagine the scorn he would have for me, someone who chose to raise her own kids for the last ten years.

But I know for sure what I would have said to him. "Mister, I've had a job for the last ten years--raising my kids. Now I've got a question for you. Are you implying that raising kids is a hobby?"

Out of curiosity I googled "stay at home mom estimated salary." The best hit was mom.salary.com. It helps you tally up all your duties as mom (I prefer Maternal CEO to Roseanne Barr's domestic goddess). Mine came up to nearly $65,000 annually! It would have been more in years past. When my kids were younger, I did more housework than I do now, because I've taught them to do chores. (There was no designation on the website for life skills instructor. That would have boosted my salary big time!) I also used to do more janitorial work back when I hosted a weekly Cub Scout den meeting here. And I definitely did more nursing work when they were little. With my college-bound senior I've done college advising and career counseling, but those categories were also missing on mom.salary.com.

Why, I've practically worked my way out of a job! That's why I'm seeking work outside the home.








mom.salary.com