Re-entering the workforce can be daunting, and you may have questions about how to create a resume if you haven’t been employed in a few years or have significant gaps on your resume. Use the tips and templates below to craft a compelling resume highlighting your skills, such as family and management and handling projects as a volunteer.
Most Popular Stay-At-Home Mom Resumes
Environmental Science Stay-At-Home Mom Resume Example
Why this environmental science resume example is strong:
This resume first lists older but relevant work experience and follows it up with current volunteer work, all under the professional experience section.
Medical Coder Stay-At-Home Mom Resume Example
Why this medical coder resume example is strong:
This mid-career resume showcases the applicant’s older work experience and follows it up with current volunteer work to showcase that the applicant may have been out of the field for a while, but is still working in some way.
Attorney Stay-At-Home Mom Resume Example
Why this attorney resume example is strong:
This resume opens with a profile illustrating the applicant’s vast experience and follows that with a detailed professional experience section.
Health Care Stay-At-Home Mom Resume Example
Why this health care resume example is strong:
This resume summarizes the applicant’s achievements at the beginning to let employers know how well they’ve performed in their previous positions.
Human Resources Stay-At-Home Mom Resume Example
Why this human resources resume example is strong:
This resume focuses on professional experience and calls out highlights from each work history entry to make sure employers see those important points.
Marketing Stay-At-Home Mom Resume Example
Why this marketing resume example is strong:
This marketing resume example brings the applicant’s most important achievements to the top of the resume in the summary section.
Stay-At-Home Mom Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples
How To Write a Stay-At-Home Mom Resume
1. Write a dynamic profile summarizing your qualifications
Modern resumes have traded the objective for a profile summary. This section should give a hiring manager a quick overview of your skills and the type of position you’re seeking. It’s fine to write your profile summary as if you don’t have any gaps in your resume, but if you need to explain, you can add “returning” or something similar before the job title to make it clear you’re coming back into the industry.
Senior-Level Profile Example
A compassionate, empathetic attorney with over 10 years of experience in family law. A proven track record of managing complex negotiations and litigations for over 500 legal cases. Adept at identifying peaceful resolutions to preserve family relationships and secure fair compensation for clients.
Entry-Level Profile Example
An environmental science expert with an advanced knowledge of land management policies, habitat conservation, and community outreach. A proven track record of collaborating with naturalists, planners, and conservationists to address local and state issues facing communities in Florida.
2. Add an accomplishment-driven professional experience section
The professional experience section is usually the largest on your resume. If you previously held several jobs, focus on those most relevant to the position. Something doesn’t have to be a paid position to count as professional experience. If you did volunteer work, including these roles can give you more recent positions to list. Generally, you don’t need to worry too much about time gaps in your resume, as you can explain these in the cover letter and interview.
Senior-Level Professional Experience Example
Associate, Germaine and Associates, San Diego, CA | 2009 – 2015
- Represented clients in all areas of family law, including divorce, custody, paternity, child support, alimony, and distribution of assets and debts
- Drafted and reviewed all pleadings, briefs, and oral arguments, performed comprehensive legal research, and oversaw discovery motions for pending litigations
- Provided legal support for mediations, negotiations, and litigations in over 500 legal cases and communicated empathetically with clients during divorce trials
Entry-Level Professional Experience Example
Volunteer, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Durham, NC | 2016 – present
- Volunteered for a state-wide environmental campaign for a conservation nonprofit, which included supporting initiatives to expand education and grow awareness of environmental issues across communities, schools, and local governments
- Assisted with lobbying efforts to garner support from local politicians for environmental legislation, attended public hearings, and performed grassroots campaigning
3. Include relevant education and certifications
Your resume should always include any certificates or academic degrees relevant to the position. Still, it’s also a good idea to add your educational background, even if it’s not a direct fit for the job. Some employers require specific academic qualifications, such as a bachelor’s or master’s degree, regardless of the field of study. If you took classes as electives or completed any special projects relevant to the industry, you can also list these.
Education
Template
- [Degree Name]
- [School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] – [Graduation Month and Year]
Example
- Associate of Applied Science in Health Information Technology
- Arapahoe Community College, Littleton, CO – May 2008
Certifications
Template
- [Certification Name], [Awarding Organization], [Completion Year]
Example
- Certified Professional Coder (CPC)
4. List pertinent key skills
When hiring managers create a job description, they generally list the needed skills and responsibilities. Use this to your advantage by including a list of key skills and proficiencies on your resume. Add any qualities you possess in the job posting and anything else that might be relevant. Being a stay-at-home mom gives you unique skills that can be valuable to an employer. Here are some qualities you may use on your resume.
| Key Skills and Proficiencies | |
|---|---|
| Budgeting | Communication |
| Computer literacy | Creativity |
| Decision-making | Emotional intelligence |
| Flexibility | Leadership |
| Multitasking | Negotiation |
| Organization | Patience |
| Project management | Resolving issues |
| Teamwork | Time management |
How To Pick the Best Stay-At-Home Mom Resume Template
Most professional resumes should be formatted in a way that is clean and easy to read. The main exceptions to this rule are creative positions, such as graphic design, or a job that requires a more personal connection, such as a nanny. When looking for a resume template, consider the industry you’re applying for and whether to use a reverse chronological or functional resume.
Frequently Asked Questions: Stay-at-Home Mom Resume Examples and Advice
What are common action verbs for stay-at-home mom resumes?-
Writing the professional experience section of your resume is as simple as breaking your job duties down into bullet points and starting each with a strong action verb. But creating a unique verb for each bullet isn’t always easy. If you need some ideas to get you started, we’ve compiled a list of action verbs below that should fit most stay-at-home mom resumes.
| Action Verbs | |
|---|---|
| Adapted | Balanced |
| Budgeted | Collaborated |
| Coordinated | Created |
| De-escalated | Facilitated |
| Implemented | Managed |
| Monitored | Negotiated |
| Nurtured | Organized |
| Planned | Prioritized |
| Researched | Resolved |
| Supervised | Supported |
How do you align your stay-at-home mom resume with a job description?-
If you’re ready to re-enter the workforce, it may help to look for a job in an industry projected to experience above-average growth. Often, there are more open positions, and you may face less competition from other applicants. Ensuring you target your resume to each role can also give you an edge over other candidates and increase the chances that your resume makes it in front of a human reviewer.
What is the best stay-at-home mom resume format?-
If your resume has a significant time gap, avoid the traditional reverse chronological format. Instead, consider a functional or combination resume. A functional resume focuses on your skills and qualifications so the hiring manager can see what a great candidate you are before noting gaps in your work history. A combination resume is the best of both worlds, letting you organize key skills like managing a home or volunteering while showing you have traditional work experience.
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Your resume and cover letter are a team. A resume quickly lets a hiring manager know who you are and what your skills are. The cover letter provides context for your professional achievements and gives you a chance to explain why you’re interested in the position. When writing a cover letter, decide whether to explain any gaps in your resume or why you’re re-entering the workforce, but keep it to just a sentence or two if you do. The focus of your application, including your resume and cover letter, should be on what you can do for the employer now.
