Job Search and Resume Advice After Being A Stay At Home Mom
When the time comes for an at home mom to return to the workforce, she feels a sense of enthusiasm and a touch of apprehension.
Finding a Job
There are many ways to search for a job now. You can look online at places like monster.com, careerbuilder.com and craigslist.com. With these online search engines, it is quick and easy to locate jobs in your field.
There are job listings still advertised in some local papers. However, the days of sifting through the paper are disappearing. The internet is just a lot faster and easier.
You could ask friends and family if they know of any jobs that are available in your area. Some states have resources available for individuals that are searching for jobs. To see if your state offers this service call your state’s employment department.
When you have been a stay at home mom for a lengthy amount of time, it can be difficult to re-enter the workforce. It is hard to create an impressive resume, here are some tips to help you with the difficult task.
Closing the Gap
The biggest problem for the stay at home mom is the gap in her employment history. There are some ways to fill in the gaps and increase your chances of being called for an interview.
Here are some tips you can follow when you are preparing your resume:
-Try to refrain from using ‘cute’ titles to explain your position as an at home mom. Unfortunately, some individuals may view this kind of humor in a negative light.
-Try to acknowledge other aspects of your life, not just your home life. Consider referring to any continued education, freelance or volunteer work you may have done.
Some of the community/volunteer involvement activities you could mention in your work experience section include charity work, PTA and fund-raising. It is irrelevant whether you received financial compensation or not, volunteer work is equivalent to a paid position on your resume. If you were a leader or made any kind of a ‘difference’ in the organization, make sure to mention it and outline the skills you developed.
-Draw from your experiences. If you were employed prior to deciding to be an at home mom, you should emphasize that. If you did anything that kept you involved with your previous profession, make sure you document that on your resume.
-Never leave a blank time gap. Make sure you write something in this area, even if it is just stating that you had been an at home mom during that time.
Formatting Your Resume
The format of your resume is also very important. It is a critical component in getting your resume noticed. It is a good idea to take some time to review various sample resumes that can be found online. This will give you the opportunity to visualize your resume and give it a very professional look and feel.
Stay at home moms need to stay away from the ‘chronological’ format and use a ‘combination’ format. It has been said that a stay at home mom using a ‘chronological’ resume format can be eliminated within seconds.
Moms who have not worked for several years and do not have very much alternative experience to fall back on should use a ‘functional’ format. You can look at some of the sample resumes online that show a ‘functional’ resume format.
It is true that the hiring managers do not generally prefer ‘functional’ resume formats, but this format is best because it allows for emphasis of the skills you do have and downplays your history of employment.
Honesty is Always the Best Policy
Briefly explain your employment gap on your cover letter. Be sure to emphasize that your skills are up to date and you are looking forward to returning to the workforce.
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