Hi there,
We've received a couple of inquiries over the last several weeks from mothers that are looking to reenter the workforce, and thought that some of our best practices might be really helpful to IvyEyes forum readers.
There are ways for moms (or anyone who has taken a professional hiatus) to create truly compelling resumes that market themselves as serious professionals, but also acknowledge and own their personal history. Being a mother is a full-time job, and, can actually be cleverly captured and translated on your resume.
So, mothers, keep in mind the following:
-One of 'our moms' had experience in film in the 70s, raised a family, then went back to work five years ago. To avoid aging her and keep her more 'relevant,' we bucketed the recent professional roles in 'experience,' and the film experience in 'other experience' to more cleanly illustrate the gap.
-Including ancient job history? Consider whether the skills you employed are transferable or bring depth to your resume. Does it position you for the job to which you are currently applying? You just may want to include the position from 1982!
-Underwhelming educational background? Expectations for education has changed over the years--and you may not have a college and/or graduate degree. Think of other inventive ways to show skills (tech skills, certifications, etc)and leadership (volunteer, community organizations, etc).
-Format: beware of using outmoded, unnecessary resume filler like 'objective' and 'summary of skills.' Today's resume should be a forward-thinking advertisement that markets your strengths.
-Make the most of your skills and professional accomplishments. As always, think about making more out of 'clerical skills.' Use active verbs, not passive phrases like 'was responsible for.'
-Use 10-12 size font (bigger is cartoonish and a serious 'mommy' spoiler alert) and create enough content to fill 1 page.
-Remember to check out our blog for general tips on resume writing, including how to write the perfect, impact-driven bullet:
ivyeyesediting.blogspot.com/
Should you have any additional questions, email us for a free critique of your resume! Go Moms!
Cheers,
Brooke
Ivy Eyes Editing
www.ivyeyesediting.com
