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Applying for a job by resume



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amother


 

Post Sun, Dec 02 2007, 2:25 am
I've noticed that most ads for jobs ask for a resume, how do you write up one that will get noticed, and put you in a good light?

I have several problems, one is a gap in employment which looks bad on a resume ( I was a SAHM for many years), and another is age, I'm afraid that there is strong discrimination toward women in my age bracket, particularly if you haven't been in the work force for a long time.

Is it acceptable to write up a resume highlighting areaas of strength and avoiding work history, which is scanty in more recent years?

Maybe this should be posted in the over 35 forum. It's a problem unique to my situation in life, children are in school, and I need to work, but it seems that work is reserved for the young, or those who have stayed in the work force throughout.
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Hannah!




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Dec 02 2007, 2:37 am
edit

Last edited by Hannah! on Tue, May 06 2008, 12:39 am; edited 1 time in total
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nicole81




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Dec 02 2007, 2:45 am
firstly, no one will know your exact age from your resume.

secondly, no, you can't avoid work history, however you can try to minimize the impact of the gap. did you do any volunteering while you were home? tutoring? anything you can put in the timeline? if not, you can always address the issue in your cover lever (never send a resume without a cover letter!)

how to get noticed? make sure your cover letter stands out so your resume isn't immediately trashed. both your letter and resume have to be grammatically perfect. use a lot of action buzz words that grab the reader's attention.

and if you get an interview, if the employer asks about your employment gap, you have to be able to put it in a positive light. explain how taking care of your family has helped develop your time management skills, problem solving ability, ability to multitask, to think on your feet, etc. it's all about how you put it.

good luck!
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smiley:)




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Dec 02 2007, 2:52 am
Just so you know, I was working as a teacher for some time, and someone applied to the place where I was working and the director saw this person had taught when she was younger, and then was home as a mommy for a bunch of yrs and now was coming to work again. She found that kind of resume intriguing and definately didnt dismiss it.

Would you even want to work somewhere that doesnt respect you for having been home with your kids??
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Starhavah




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Dec 02 2007, 7:50 am
nicole81 wrote:
firstly, no one will know your exact age from your resume.


Not true. If the OP lives in Israel, they will. In Israel it is common to put your high school information on your resume. And yes, many employers use it to figure out how old you are.

You can beef up gaps in your resume with listing the education you did during that time. Many stay at home moms list Torah classes they took as multi-lingual learning. In today's day and age have skills in another language are extremely important. Unless you are looking for a job in the Jewish community or you live in Israel, do not list Torah classes as "Torah" or "Jewish" anything. Especially in the US. It will look like you are "too religious" for the American workplace or out of touch with American norms of job hunting skills.

Another idea to get you started is to sign up for a class (could be a refresher) in either the field you want to work in or if you are just looking for a job, any old job a course in some computer skills. Often your state (if you live in the US) employment agency will offer them for very cheap, then list that on your resume to show you are serious about getting back in the job market.

Good Luck,

Star Havah
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NotInNJMommy




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Dec 02 2007, 1:53 pm
I had, at the start of my job searching process, 1.5 yrs since I graduated and didn't work. At first, I didn't list it, but then people would start questioning me funnily...even on phone interviews. Basically, they were worried I was hiding being in jail or something, so I ended up putting in a blip about family leave at that point.

Yup, you bet I got some discrimination. Esp being frum withalready one kid, they knew I was fertile. BH it took a year of searching, but I ended up finding a very good job when I was 6 mos pregnant, and they totally didn't care that I had been out for 2 years, kept shabbos, and didn't shake men's (most of my coworkers) hands...with the timeline of relocation (which they paid for too!) they were willing to wait until my baby was 3 mos old even.

I didn't have much of anything to beef up my time out of work, but if you taught any types of shiurim or had any types of community involvement (organzing bakesales, fundraising events, whatever) list it in terms the velt will find attractive.
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chocolate moose




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Dec 02 2007, 5:23 pm
it's definitely not easy.

When my kids were little, I worked nearby in Jewish non profit and that did not translate well to The VElt at all when I needed to make more $$$.

You just got to keep trying that's all, and be honest when they ask you.
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