SAHMs How to Handle an Employment Gap in Job Applications

SAHMs How to Handle an Employment Gap in Job Applications SAHMs How to Handle an Employment Gap in Job Applications 184 It goes without saying that parenting requires an ability to meet tight deadlines, communicate effectively, coordinate daily activities, and balance multiple priorities- but how can you creatively articulate professional development on your resume and cover letter when you’ve been out of work for over a year? Here three simple resume and cover letter tips for SAHMs to address their work gap: 1. Discuss the gap at the forefront of both your resume and cover letter. The resume: It’s important to acknowledge your leave of absence right away in the first section of your resume (the “value statement”) and within the first two paragraphs of your cover letter. There’s no need to divulge in the resume beyond describing your eagerness to jump back into the workforce after taking a temporary hiatus to take care of your children. The cover letter: This one-page document gives you a little more wiggle room to elaborate on how you chose to be a stay-at-home parent until your children were old enough to attend primary school, for instance. You can then add a statement suggesting that this new milestone (or any other notable parent-related experience) will allow you to re-enter the workforce at full-speed to leverage your diverse strengths in task prioritization, interpersonal communication, and event coordination. 2. Highlight your volunteer experience and any additional education or training in your resume. Volunteer work doesn’t have to be shoved into the back corners of your resume. If you’ve volunteered for anything notable or relevant, list it! It doesn’t have to be glorifying, altruistic work. If you’re applying for a project management position, perhaps you helped coordinate and execute a home renovation project. If you’re an accountant or financial advisor, try consulting friends or family members and documenting your experiences and results in your resume. The same advice applies to education. Taking online courses or attending educational speeches and seminars indicates that you are a proactive and dedicated professional. 3. Adjust the format and style of your resume. Stick with a chronological format that lists your relevant work history from most recent (even if it’s volunteer) to no longer than 15 years ago. Focus primarily on your accomplishments and skills gained from recent volunteer experiences or personal development activities. If you don’t have any recent volunteer experience, don’t sweat it! By simply addressing the gap from the get-go in your resume and cover letter, it directly implies that you have nothing to hide and that you are more than ready to break through to the career you’ve been waiting for. ResumeTarget.com provides professional resume writing services for clients of all career levels across North America. We are the only resume writing company that offers a professionally written resume coupled with the guidance of recruiters, to guarantee that your resume will get results. Tweet us with any resume questions you have at www.twitter.com/ResumeTarget, we’re here to help! Are you a mom looking for a job with flexibility? Take a look at these great work-at-home jobs for stay-at-home moms.