How to rework your resume as a work-from-home mom?
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Reworking your resume might seem like a difficult task if you’re a busy parent who works from home or is looking to get back into your industry after a break. If you need ideas on how to update your resume, you’re in luck. Although the age-old tales of resume gaps and mom life hindering your job prospects persist, there are so many ways to creatively circumvent them. You can even use the skills you gained in your nonworking years to your advantage in the job market.
Whether you have a gap in your resume or you’re simply on the hunt for the best resume tips for remote work as a parent, there are plenty of creative resume updates you can consider. It’s possible to snag the career you love and achieve that work and life balance you’ve always dreamed of.
Fill in the blanks
Due to applicant scanning software on many hiring platforms, applications and resumes are often filtered through a series of qualifications before they even get into the hands of a real person. Qualifications like a college degree and consistent work history can be filtered through the system, and not having them can get your resume unfairly tossed.
You can get creative with your structure and experience to fill in the blanks. Just because you didn’t have a traditional job during your gap doesn’t mean you have nothing to show for your time. Have you volunteered at your child’s school? Did you do any freelance work or learn new skills? Think about transferable expertise and assets you’ve acquired. Parenting is a learning experience, just like anything else.
Get a second opinion
It can be abundantly helpful to get a second opinion while working on your resume, especially if you’ve been out of the game for a while. Giving it to a friend or colleague who is active in the industry you’re looking in can help you catch any key points or mistakes you might have missed. If you really want to polish your resume, you can even have a professional look it over so you can get a more expert opinion. While this isn’t always required, it can certainly add to your advantage, especially in industries where formatting and specific wording is important.
Use keywords
While tracking systems often filter through applicants for their own benefit, you can also use those systems to your advantage. Look for keywords throughout the job listing — including soft skills and technical knowledge — and include them in your resume to increase your chances of being selected for an interview. This may require a bit of extra effort and tailoring your resume to each job, but it can help you exponentially when it comes to getting through automated systems.
By using keywords, you alert hiring managers that you are a good fit for the industry and their specific job listing.
Change up your format
While the chronological resume format might be the standard, times are changing. If you happen to have a time gap, listing your most recent work experience might not be your best bet. You can instead sort by relevance or another metric that might work better for your job search. This can highlight your strengths even more and make you stand out from the sea of candidates by leading with your strongest qualifications.
How to rework your resume as a mom
Balancing work and family isn’t always easy, but you deserve to have the career you want while living your dedicated mom life. By ensuring your resume shows your skills and talents sufficiently, you’ll increase your chances of succeeding in the job market, no matter your field of choice.
Author BIO
Ginger Abbot is an education writer with an interest in career development, college, and remote work. She is also the Editor-in-Chief of the learning publication Classrooms, where you can find more of her work.