HR Mamas SAHM on Resume?????

Updated on July 19, 2011
M.M. asks from Tucson, AZ
10 answers

Okay so i am going to start looking for a job probably in 2 weeks. I need to get my resume ready.
I haven't worked in almost 4 years because i have been a stay at home mom.
I worked in the medical field last and am nervous to as whether doctors will even hire me after not having done shots, blood draws, blood pressures, ect in such a long time.
I want to work in the same field again, because i loved it. I only worked for a year and a half also which i think will be against me.
So i have this 4 year gap on my resume. Do i put the dates and as job put SAHM? Then do i list my duties: cleaning, taking care of kids, ect???
TIA

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J.T.

answers from Dallas on

no no no no no no no! it shouldn't even come up in the interview that you HAVE children, and they are not legally allowed to ask. it looks very unprofessional to list that on a resume, and you really don't want to walk in advertising that you are the sole caretaker of little ones(an employer will hear "i will have to leave work often to care for my children"). good luck!

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J.B.

answers from Boston on

There is little else more campy, un-professional or over-compensating that I can think of like putting SAHM on a resume and listing your duties. Please don't this, it will land you in the reject pile.

People will notice the gap, see that you're female from your name, guess how old you are from the dates of your graduation and employment and assume that you took time off to raise children. Someone interested in you may ask and you say that you stayed at home when your children were younger but are now ready and eager to get back to you profession, which you really enjoyed. This is very common - people have resume gaps for all kinds of good reasons (raising a family, caring for a loved one, going back to school - I worked with a guy who took 2 years off to travel the world and golf because he was successful and he could). But you don't list those things as jobs.

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S.B.

answers from Houston on

It might take you some time to find a position. How is the medical field job market in your area? Remember, you will be completing with people who have been in the field longer so don't dispare. It just might take a little longer.

Are there any medical staffing companies? If so, can you sign up with them to "fill in" for vacationing medical workers? The reason I ask is because this would be a way to get in the door, work more on your skills and get them up to date.

What you can put on the resume is something like: NOTE: "I stepped out of the medical profession for x amount of years to raise my children. I am now looking to come back to the profession I love". You can put that on the top in your Professional Experience section of the resume. I wouldn't list any duties.

I have been in HR for several years so that is what I would do.

7 moms found this helpful
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A.B.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Not to say that the duties you do as a SAHM aren't legit in developing certain skills, but I do the same ones as a working mom and I wouldn't list them on my resume. I think it's expected that a mom would do those things and wouldn't strike anyone as outstanding or professional.

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D.B.

answers from Charlotte on

.

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K.C.

answers from Los Angeles on

I was a recruiter for several years before becoming a SAHM. I would not list it as a job on your resume the same way you list your other jobs, and I certainly wouldn't list the duties. Just put something on your cover letter or in your objective that you are looking to "re-enter the work force" and that you want to return to the field that you loved working in before.

If you were heavily involved in something like the PTA, you can mention it towards the bottom of your resume in a section like "extra experience" or "additional skills." But, if these duties weren't in any way related to the job you're applying for, it's not necessary.

Good luck in your search!

4 moms found this helpful

C.O.

answers from Washington DC on

Mama!!

As a recruiter - I would want to see what someone has done for 4 years...
I don't want to make assumptions - so listing that you have been a SAHM on your resume is FINE by me...

legally a hiring manager can ASK what you have done for the past four years - it's pertinent to the questions....but they cannot hold it against you...they CANNOT ask you if you plan to have more children...they cannot ask you certain questions....

I would HOPE that in the medical field - they would be family friendly (I don't recruit for the medical field)

You can do it...YOU GO!!! It will be fine!!

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S.B.

answers from Los Angeles on

Sorry that I'm not answering your question directly (and I'm not an HR expert), but can you get take some continuing education in your field that you can list on your resume? That might help address concerns an employer could have regarding how current your skill set is.

3 moms found this helpful

J.H.

answers from San Antonio on

I haven't worked in nearly 10 years (except for the three seasonal jobs I had three consecutive Christmases) and my resume is worded in such a way that it has everything I do as a stay at home, but the equivalent in the corporate world.

For instance:

Transportation Coordinator-arranges for all pick up/drop off of personal for all appointments, including but not limited to vacations, school and training related and personal

My entire resume is filled with these things all under the heading "Employer: H****** Household, April 2002-present"

I've gotten four different in-person interviews and six phone interviews with this, so I guess it's working some.

ETA: The positions I've applied for are doula and midwifery related with the exception of one that was in a law office. (I had two interviews at the law office and they decided to go with someone else.)

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K.B.

answers from Milwaukee on

I would put Mom on Call, mother, homemaker or family manager in that years gap but no need to list duties (many others have done similar running the home duties or taking care of a child so they know what it means). This will show you are open and honest about the gap. Also if you voluntreed any where or other activites you have been apart of running I would add under those years.

If a company does not like it then they are not family friendly and you would want to be able to find someone who is a little family friendly so you can care for a sick child or whatever comes up later on down the road.

EDIT: Just found this and thought it might be insightful to your question (better put then I said above).
http://www.thejobbored.com/resume-writing-tips-for-stay-a...

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