Once a woman decides on having a child, it does not mean that she has abandoned the thought of one day returning to the workforce.
However, being out of touch with the developments in one’s field can be quite a setback when looking to return.
In this process, the first difficult step is creating a resume that can truly help the woman instead of highlighting the time she was away from the working market. There are plenty of questions for mothers, such as how to prove that they haven’t been out of touch with the field entirely, or if other activities count.
This matter is definitely not black or white, and there’s a thin line between the two colors. This article will explore how a mother can return to the workforce as gracefully as possible.
Emphasis on Related Activities
The fact that no work experience was obtained in the years of staying at home shouldn’t stop a mother from highlighting other activities related to her previous work. Also, it is important to include only information regarding activities that are relevant to the job you are interested in at the moment.
The entire point of including these activities in a resume is to show the employer that the time spent at home did not consist solely of doing the laundry and watching the baby. On the contrary – the candidate was able to raise her children and also keep an active interest in matters related to her work field.
From the category of activities that should be included in a resume, self-employment or work-at-home jobs should definitely be one of them. That is a valuable experience which can truly be of use for the job position for which a mother is applying. Furthermore, any volunteer involvement such as fundraisers, PTA, charity work also counts as valuable work experiences.
A certain number of skills can be acquired as well from holding leadership roles. Also, constant professional development such as participation in conferences or memberships in professional organizations is precious. Lastly, a resume should hold any courses or freelance projects that are related to your industry.
Going Back to School
Before returning to the workforce, a woman should consider taking some classes that would suit the needs of the niche in which she wishes to launch herself. Also, it is a known fact that resumes tend to stand out when there is a master’s program in them.
Eventually, it all comes down to proving to the employer that one has used that time to learn something new and somehow develop one’s professional skills. Since there is a wild competition on the job market, it is essential to show that there are elements of current interest and current knowledge in that resume.
Careful Consideration of the Job Title
In most cases, women should not include parenting on their resume. The reason for that is because employers don’t particularly appreciate sugarcoating the fact that the woman stayed at home for a certain period and took care of her children. Instead, she should truly focus on showing how she used their professional skills in that period. If, however, there are no activities worth mentioning in that resume then she must begin taking some classes or volunteering before applying for a certain job.
However, there is a small category of women that can benefit from their role as a parent. Specifically, people that are looking for jobs as teachers or looking to enter an organization that serves children can outline their experience with children.
Omitting the Non-Essentials
Although volunteering is usually a good type of activity to include in a resume, if it does not have something to do with your professional skills, then it is best if left out. However, to somehow make your volunteering work useful, you can incorporate the skills obtained from volunteering that are helpful and relevant to the job.
Also, volunteer work that targets certain affiliations or political organizations, for example, should be left out since the employer might have a different view.
Did you find these tips useful? What other elements should the resume of a mother returning to the workforce include? Leave a comment below and share your opinion.
For more insights and perspectives on managing the workplace, discover TemPositions’ blog.
