If you're ready to look for a job after staying home while your children were young, the idea of updating your resume can seem a bit daunting. Get a head start on crafting a winning resume that will help you highlight your skills and unique qualifications by starting from a template designed just for job seekers who are seeking employment after taking a break from the world of work to focus on parenting full time.
Resume Template for Moms Returning to Work
The resume template provided here is free to use and fully editable. To access the template, click the image below. It will open as a PDF file you can edit, save and print.
If you experience any challenges working with the document, consult this guide to printables for assistance.
Customizing Your Resume
Once you open the file, save it to your computer to create a working file that will ultimately become your completed resume. Then, begin entering information about your qualifications by clicking in the highlighted area you wish to change.
This resume is organized to highlight key skills you have to offer first so the first thing employers see when skimming your resume is what you can do for them. You don't need to state you are a mom returning to work on your resume. Instead, the document should highlight key skills and aspects of your background relevant to your ability to perform the job(s) for which you are applying.
Information Needed
To complete the template, you will need to fill in key details about your qualifications:
- Contact details: Your name, address, phone number and email address
- Objective: Statement specifying to the type of work you are seeking (optional)
- Skills: A list of key skills you have (regardless of where you learned them) that are relevant to the position for which you are applying
- Education: Details about your formal education, starting with the most recent
- Employment history: Information about previous positions, starting with the most recent (To downplay your employment gap, consider listing the number of years you were at each previous position instead of the start and end dates.)
- Volunteer experience: Relevant volunteer roles you have held, including information on skills applicable to the position
- Professional affiliations: List of any professional associations relevant to the job with which you are affiliated
- References: Statement indicating references can be provided upon request
Personal Touches
Of course, the order of each section is flexible, depending on your situation. The template is fully editable, so make necessary changes to highlight your background to your greatest advantage. The key is to present relevant information about yourself in a way that will 'sell' you to potential employers.
For example, if you were heavily involved in volunteer work during the time you were out of the workforce and gained experience relevant to prospective employers, you may want to feature it before your employment history. You could also blend employment history and volunteer experience into a single section.
If you feel a different format might be a better fit for you, you may find one of these resume writing templates and tips to be helpful.
Transitioning Back to the Workforce
Your resume needs to tell the story of why an employer would want to hire you now, at this point in your life, based on your qualifications and abilities. It does not need to tell the entire story of your life. You do not need to include reasons for leaving prior positions on your resume, and you shouldn't provide information about your kids or family situation on the document.
