explaining a break on a resume

Kumphort

Mon, Jun 13 2011, 2:08 pm

For the past 2 years, I have been at home with my kids, I am now looking to go back to work. I was wondering if there is any good way of explaining on a resume, or cover letter, why I have not worked for the past 2 years. I feel that someone just looking at resume's wouldnt be interested in someone who hasn't been employed for two years, without even investigating why.

any help or ideas?

NotInNJMommy

Mon, Jun 13 2011, 3:24 pm

I put "family leave" and the bounding dates. no more. no less. I found it helpful to have since some employers would be suspicious of why there was a gap..ie. an employer I don't want to talk about or being in jail. I had far fewer problems with just putting family leave and very few questions. If it is a recent gap, they will want to know what was going on then, so there's no way to hide that. You never know if that would mean a pay cut more than any other reason for a gap. The gap is there. It's hashgachah pratis.

chocolate moose

Mon, Jun 13 2011, 4:23 pm

Listed on the resume? That's not professional. It's not a dateline or journal of your life.

Mrs Bissli

Mon, Jun 13 2011, 4:25 pm

I think family leave, or left employment to look after family, is a perfectly acceptable thing to put on a CV. Is there something else you can put, like volunteering? Employers like to see someone who remained active. Also be prepared to answer how you manage to keep job-related skills, if relevant. Standard answers are having children to look after made you more focused on prioritising, get things done more efficiently, improve communication skills, etc. Hatzlacha.

chocolate moose

Mon, Jun 13 2011, 4:28 pm

In America, it's not done. It's not professional.

If OP consults a resume specialist, she will find that out pretty fast !!!!

marina

Mon, Jun 13 2011, 6:16 pm

on some resumes or applications, gaps must be explained. There I would just write personal leave.

But in general, I would try to tailor the resume to fit the position and highlight those of my experiences that would enhance my candidacy rather than just listing every job I've held.

hop613

Mon, Jun 13 2011, 6:27 pm

If you organize your resume by category rather than by timeline, and you have enough relevant experience, the gap may not be that noticeable. However like other posters have said, because it was a recent break, you will most likely have to explain what you were doing.

NotInNJMommy

Mon, Jun 13 2011, 7:15 pm

chocolate moose wrote:

Listed on the resume? That's not professional. It's not a dateline or journal of your life.

On the contrary, it was both professional and necessary. Family Leave and dates only isn't unprofessional at all. I was in fact advised to do this by several successful, professional women and a male hiring manager. The gap would be asked about, and it was more suspicious to have it not accounted for as it was recent and I was early in my career and had little post-grad work experience.

I suppose if the gap wouldn't be questioned, there's no point to put it, but in my case, it was a necessity.

NotInNJMommy

Mon, Jun 13 2011, 7:15 pm

marina wrote:

I agree "personal leave" might be even more parve.

Mon, Jun 13 2011, 7:46 pm

I haven't felt the need to explain family leave on my resume, but formal job applications typically ask you to justify any break in employment of greater than three months, and to explain why you left your previous jobs. I typically put "family obligations" as the reason for leaving my last pre-motherhood job.

In your cover letter, describe how you have kept up with your profession through continuing education, society memberships, and so on.

Some types of volunteer work may enhance your resume, if they demonstrate transferable skills in leadership, management, marketing, fundraising, etc.

Hope this helps!