As a stay-at-home mom during my marriage, I needed a new start when we separated and divorced. I had skills, but they were over a decade out of the corporate workforce and honestly, my industry had changed. So many of us are in the same situation and we don't even have a clue where to start. Maybe you already have a job, but you need a better one -- you're still gonna need a new resume.
So, let's start with Step One.
One.
Make a list. What have you done in the last few years? Have you led a Brownie troop, volunteered at school, managed your household budget, run your own side hustle business? All of those things count as experience and belong on your resume. I used a few of these on my resume, and at each interview people commented positively on them.
Two.
Don't minimize the fact that you've been managing a household. Chances are high that you've been juggling kids schedules with school, practices, social engagements and transportation. Those are valuable skills. Balancing a spreadsheet of family income and expenses is tougher than you give yourself credit for. It's appropriate for you to place that household and budget management on your resume.
Three.
Volunteering is a big part of most stay-at-home mom's plan. PTA experience is HUGE. I had a couple of chairmanships and a school PTA presidency on my resume. These are conversation starters. Perhaps the person interviewing you has kids at that school as well. I got my current job based on the fact that I raised a ton of money for our non-profit private school during a fundraiser.
Four.
Part-time work at school, helping your aging parents or working for their business, petsitting or walking neighborhood dogs, and even seasonal work during the holidays is worth listing. Maybe you helped at your friend's boutique for Christmas and were paid in merchandise .. that still counts as experience. List it. And think about what all you did, don't discount those small gigs.
Five.
Side hustles are a big deal these days. Workouts, skin care, nail strips, essential oils, and Uber driving. The list of options is extensive, and the opportunities are vast .. perhaps you even want to kick your side hustle up a notch. That's ok too if you think you can make enough money to support your family. I know several people who've been able to quit their 'day jobs' and make the side hustle their main gig. It's an awesome way to stay flexible in your schedule. But, if you don't wanna go all in with the side gig .. the side gig gets it's place on the resume.
Finally.
Don't forget what you did and who you worked for in the corporate world. It doesn't matter when it was - two of my old jobs didn't even exist anymore, but it showed my time that I worked there. You're going to have to account for all of your time since college - for some of us, that's several years. It seemed like forever to me, and good golly were there a lot of jobs! Employers like to see all of the years listed, even if you didn't have a job outside of your home. Just list the years as stay-at-home parent and note what you did during that time.
It's important to realize that nothing happens in two shakes of a lambs tail. Don't get discouraged with what's out there, what you're 'qualified' for might not be what you want to do. When the listing says Bachelor's Degree preferred, go for it anyway! Keep applying, don't give up and aim high!
<3
Harper
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