Job Search After 5 Years at Home

Just don't say you were a domestic engineer for those 5 years. That resume would go straight into the trash if I were reviewing it. Good luck going to back to work, I hope you find something that works great for you!

I used to work in HR. I recommend putting it in your cover letter, or as the Objective on your resume. Just say "Looking to return to the work force after five years as a stay at home mom."

If you were heavily involved in some kind of volunteer work while staying home that could directly relate to the job you're applying for, it's great to put that on your resume. This would be things like planning a major event, being on a preschool board, etc. But only if it relates to the job. Otherwise, do not list "stay at home mom" as an actual job and don't put any job duties. Employers don't want to see anything like "Household Manager" on your resume.

good luck.

I asked my business/ management teacher the very same question not too long ago! She worked for several years in HR and as a recruiter before retiring to teach at our college. She told me to just put down "stay at home mom" on the resume, as if it were a normal job. Obviously you aren't going to put down references or job duties, but it explains why you weren't working for so long.

Everley just said exactly what I would. People in this world should be able to understand how important that was.

I have Family leave listed when I was a stay at home mom. I was out for our first child then out longer for our second child. I worked 3 years and went to another job in Feb. I worked there 2 months and hated it. I'm looking again. Good luck!

I was lucky in two ways, the whole time I was a stay at home I was also a very active volunteer. I always had board positions so even though they were unpaid they fit right in to my resume. The other bonus was I got a shiny new degree going in so it gives the appearance, not of an unemployed house wife due to a divorce.

There is no right answer but there are plenty of wrong answers. Like what has already been covered, don't give yourself some clever name, it isn't clever. It just kind of makes it look like you either took staying at home too seriously or you are not taking the job you are applying for seriously.

Part of the process is finding the right job. Some employers value family more than others. Here we have hired women eight months pregnant without even batting an eye. Been a stay at home, fine with us! What is important to us is that you project that you are with us for the long haul, that on a whim, after we trained you, you are just going to miss your kids and quit.

The hard part is projecting that without breaking the rules of the dance.

So are you going back, to the same field, that you had before your SAHM years???
In social work/education, many women were SAHM's and return to it. So it is not unusual.

I have been a SAHM since my daughter was born 10 years ago.
I got a job last year, at my kids' school. It was no big deal that I had a gap in my employment and was a SAHM. Because, in schools/education, many women have been SAHMs then return to work.

There are resumes, cover letters, job application forms.
It was on the job application form, that I listed, my years of employment/when. Because this is a per the employer's form, per dates etc. I did not have it on my resume, nor in the cover letter.

This belongs in the cover letter. Something like: "I am looking to return to the work force after five years as a stay at home mom." Please don't include it on your resume, or put in any cutsey names for your time out of the workforce. Just address it in the cover letter and know that your previous work experience should speak for itself.