Have you decided to go back to work outside the home after being a stay-at-home parentfor several years? If so, there is no reason to feel intimidated or insecure. Though your skills may be rusty at the moment, you can still get yourself back to work with proper preparation and the right mindset.
Here are some tips you may want to consider:
1. Never include child-rearing on your resume. No matter how hard it is to raise a child, child-rearing should never be listed on your resume as a job. Your resume is meant to be a document containing your professional accomplishments.
2. Explain the gap in employment. Your potential employer might wonder why you’ve been out of work. You can explain this in your cover letter by stating that you took some time off to take care of your kids, and that you’re now ready to go back to work fulltime.
3. Don’t use a functional resume format. Even though you’ve been out of work for a while, don’t use a functional resume format. It raises an immediate red flag to employers. Though it downplays the work gap, it can be a disadvantage. The chronological resume format will still highlight your skills as long as you explain in your cover letter why you’ve been out of the workforce.
4. Connect with your network. Your network is one of your most important connections when looking for a job. Since you’re competing with younger candidates with more recent work experience, your connections with employees inside companies will be a huge help in landing interviews.
Hopefully, you’ve been keeping in touch with your network over the years, even if you were unemployed. (Keep in mind that it isn’t right to ask someone a favor if you haven’t maintained your relationship.)
5. Join a professional organization. This will be a great way for you to meet people in the same industry, giving you more job leads and the confidence to return to your area of expertise. If possible, take the opportunity to serve on your organization’s board or in a committee to help give you more exposure and get back up to speed.
