resume help

boyohboyohboy wrote: I need help making a resume. I havent worked in three years since I have been a SAHM. I am wondering where to start, how far back do you go in work history?
and do you just say you stayed home to care for your kids?
I want to get mine updated and ready just in case it might be needed in the near future..
but I dont know where to start..how do former SAHMS get started again?

lovemy2 replied: I was recently told that a functional resume - one which highlights and draws attention to your experience rather than your work history is very good in that situation - google it - I just did one for myself for a Board of Directors application -

Don't forget to put your skills as a domestic engineer as well - those are very important and very difficult skills to obtain and excel at

sc_mom2five replied: My domestic engineer skills actually helped me get my last big job and the guy who went over my application with me helped me specify them. I couldn't believe the things he was listing, such as personal bookkeeping, management skills, and just plain things like clean-up and organization skills.

Hope you get it figured out and get the job your hoping for!

boyohboyohboy replied: I am a nurse, I dont know that those skills would help me in what I do..
My old resume contained all the jobs I ever had, but I was thinking that there was a limit to how far back you should go..

lovemy2 replied:
I am sure your compassion and caring would help you in nursing

Take a look at the functional resumes - but I would think you don't need to go more than 10 years back if that? Anyone??? Guess it depends on how many jobs you had....

boyohboyohboy replied:
Christine can I take you with me to an interview!!!
you are a great cheer leader!

CantWait replied: If you worked many jobs with the same skills than only put the most recent one down, or the one with more time at, otherwise don't keep repeating skills. You can discuss that more at the interview, or in a cover letter that explains how long you've incurred those skills.

My3LilMonkeys replied: In my experiences assisting in HR, there's no "limit" to how far back you go. The important thing is to keep your resume to the point, easy to read and all on one page. If you can easily and clearly fit all your jobs in without looking overcrowded, great. If not, start eliminating the oldest ones and/or ones where your time there was very short (under a month or two) until it looks good and clean.

When an employer receives 50+ resumes and they're only looking to hire one person - unfortunately a lot of times that means resumes that are hard to read or 3+ pages long get put directly in the No pile without even being read.

boyohboyohboy replied:
do you recommend skipping a cover letter page then and just doing one resume direct to the point page.

in nursing moving jobs isnt uncommon..I havent worked in three years. My last job lasted 5 yrs and before that it was 3yrs..
I was thinking of just adding the last three jobs and then explaining that I have been off caring for my kids...
keeping my license updated and my cpr status should have helped too.

Hillbilly Housewife replied: Here's a little exerpt of my resume, it's covering things that I'd have done at home without actually saying I was working at home. "self-employed".


I've only included what could pertain to "staying at home, daycare" etc...

My2Beauties replied:
Ditto. Keep it short and sweet, I would not go over one page.

My3LilMonkeys replied:
A cover letter is not necessary, but it doesn't hurt either - some employers really like them, others could care less. It might even be a good place to explain your time off.