Are you struggling to effectively highlight your stay-at-home mom duties on your resume? Returning to the workforce after being a stay-at-home mom (SAHM) can seem daunting, especially when it comes to updating your resume. I know because I’ve been there personally! It’s super intimidating.
However, it’s important to keep in mind that the skills you’ve honed and the duties you’ve undertaken as a stay-at-home mom are incredibly valuable. You are likely wondering, how do I figure out which mom duties to list on my resume and how exactly should I list stay-at-home mom resume duties?
Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered, mama! Below, I’ll outline how to transform your stay-at-home mom resume duties into compelling resume content that showcases your strengths and achievements and makes you a competitive candidate for the job market.
Step 1: Understand Your Value
First, it’s important to recognize the massive amount of skills you’ve developed as a stay-at-home mom. These can include time management, multitasking, conflict resolution, teaching, budgeting, and so much more! Not only that, these skills are highly transferable and also just so happen to be extremely sought after skills in the professional world.
You’ve likely heard things like “being a stay-at-home mom isn’t a real job,” “you shouldn’t put stay-at-home mom on a resume,” and my all-time favorite, “stay-at-home moms don’t work.” Sigh. This is simply not true. As we stay-at-home moms well know, being a SAHM is probably the hardest job a person can have. Stay-at-home moms get few (if any) breaks, we’ve got a never-ending list of house work, and let’s not forget about caring for kids.
Luckily, we’re starting to see some more recognition and respect being given to stay-at-home moms. For example, LinkedIn recently added a feature under the Experience category where you can select titles like “stay-at-home mom,” “stay-at-home dad,” or stay-at-home parent.” For anyone out there who doesn’t think SAHM belongs on the resume, according to LinkedIn which just so happens to be the world’s largest professional networking platform, you are incorrect.
Take Charge of Your Future
Bottom line, if you don’t understand and recognize the value you bring to the table, you cannot expect a recruiter or hiring manager to recognize it either.
Step 2: Compile a list of stay-at-home mom duties and responsibilities
Start by making a list of your daily tasks and responsibilities working inside of the home, then match these to skills that are relevant in the workplace. This will make it easier and faster to list your stay-at-home mom duties on your resume.
Here is a sample stay-at-home resume mom duties list:
- Financial Management: Managed household budget and finances, demonstrating strong numerical and budgeting skills.
- Education and Development: Facilitated remote learning / homeschooled children, developing tailored, differentiated curriculum that caters to different learning styles.
- Time Management and Organization: Coordinated daily schedules for the family, ensuring smooth operation of household activities, trips, extra-curricular activities and sports, and medical and academic appointments.
- Conflict Resolution: Mediated disputes between siblings, fostering an environment of cooperation and mutual respect.
- Creativity and Problem Solving: Devised innovative activities and solutions to keep children engaged and address academic, behavioral, and social / emotional challenges effectively and diplomatically.
- Advocacy: Successfully advocated for special needs child in school and recreational settings, acquiring and monitoring individual educational plans (IEPs), accommodations, and services as needed.
- Crisis Management / Calm Under Pressure: Maintained composure during numerous medical emergencies, developing ability to multitask and deal efficiently and calmly with highly stressful and chaotic situations.
This is just a sample of some of the many stay-at-home mom duties that exist. If you have more specialized experiences or skills to list and they are relevant to your targeted job, go ahead and list them! For example, let’s say you are applying to be preschool teacher and you recently got certified in CPR / First Aid. You should definitely include that on your resume!
Step 3: How to list your stay-at-home mom duties on your resume
Now that you’ve got a good idea of the types of stay-at-home mom duties you can include on your resume, I’m going to demonstrate exactly how to describe them on your stay-at-home mom resume.
Stay-at-home mom duties on the resume examples:
“Developed and managed comprehensive household budget, reducing monthly expenses by 20%.”
“Implemented structured educational program for two children, resulting in dramatic improvements in academic performance and social / emotional growth.”
“Contributed over 200 volunteer hours to local community center, leading children’s workshops and events, enhancing community engagement and leadership skills.”
“Leveraged digital tools and software to support children’s remote learning, becoming proficient in educational platforms and enhancing digital literacy.”
“Developed comprehensive daily scheduling system to manage family commitments and home tasks, enhancing overall household efficiency and productivity by streamlining processes.”
“Created and facilitated home-based learning environment for two children, incorporating innovative educational technologies and curricula adjustments that improved math scores by 30% and reading comprehension by 25%.”
Step 4: Tailor your stay-at-home mom duties to each job
Read the job description carefully and highlight keywords and skills that align with your experience as a stay-at-home mom. Tailoring your resume to every job you apply for in this way shows prospective employers that you have the specific skills they are looking for. This also gives them a clear picture of how you can add value to the organization and the role.
Step 5: Keep learning and updating your skills
Consider taking online courses or get certifications related to your field of interest. This not only enhances your resume but also shows your commitment to professional development. You can include these skills and certifications along with your stay-at-home mom duties on the resume.
Step 6: Network with other moms
Don’t underestimate the power of networking. Join mom groups on social media. Facebook has dozens of mom-related groups. Make sure to participate! Post about your return to work. Ask fellow moms for tips. Offer to take a mom out to coffee who works in your targeted field. I don’t know about you, but I would never pass up the chance for a free latte!
In conclusion
It’s important to recognize and market the valuable skills you have gained from being a stay-at-home mom on your resume. The experience of managing a household, multitasking, problem-solving, and raising kids is one of the toughest gigs a person can ever have. By effectively your stay-at-home mom duties, you can showcase your capabilities and demonstrate the unique perspective and dedication you bring to the table. So don’t hesitate to proudly display your stay-at-home mom duties on your resume – they are an asset that can set you apart from other candidates.
Frequently Asked Questions
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How can I effectively market stay-at-home mom duties on my resume?
Highlight your stay-at-home mom tasks by focusing on transferable skills such as multitasking, time management, organization, and problem-solving. Emphasize the valuable experiences gained from balancing household responsibilities, child rearing, and any volunteer or freelance work you may have done during that time.
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Are there specific keywords or phrases I should include when mentioning stay-at-home mom duties on my resume?
When describing stay-at-home mom duties on your resume, include relevant keywords and phrases such as managed household responsibilities, coordinated schedules, nurtured children’s development, planned and executed activities, handled budgeting and finances, and adapted to changing needs.
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Where should I list stay-at-home mom skills on my resume?
You can include your stay-at-home mom skills under your work experience section. You can list your SAHM experience like a regular job and list your mom skills within the descriptive phrases you write to describe your experience.
You can also include a skills section on your resume and highlight your stay-at-home mom duties there as well.
