Current Employer on application form - SAHM - what would you put?

[GraceK]

I am currently filling in my first job application form after 7 years out of paid employment. There is a big section for 'Current Employer' (with the stress they want a continuous employment history since leaving full-time education).

I'm tempted to put DD2's name under Employer's Name and SAHM under Post Held. Do you think this is too facetious? Don't want to leave it blank but it's not leaving much room for info / how I feel.

Thanks

[Zhx3]

I'd probably put "n/a" under "current employer", then under "post held", I'd probably put "not in paid employment due to caring responsibilities" or something.

If I was looking at a CV, and it had your daughter's name under "employer", I probably wouldn't take it seriously.

[tethersend]

Say you've been in the human manufacturing industry.

[GraceK]

Bump - help please

[Ragwort]

I would put n/a - I left X employer in to care for my children.

Or N/A I took a career break in

Do NOT put anything cringeworthy

[Ragwort]

Don't be too disheartened, I just got a job after 12 years as a SAHM and it was the first I applied for.

[needthemoney]

Wow well done ragwort how the hell did you manage that??!!!

Getting back to OP - I have put N/A in those sections. Really struggle with forms and CVs for this reason - 11 years out the job market for me!

[AnnoyingOrange]

I would just put career break and the dates

[MyMILisfromHELL]

ragwort please spill the beans! I'm a long time sahm wanting to return to work. Experiences shared/ advice given would be gratefully received. Thanks

[Ragwort]

Thanks need and MyMIL - I have done lots and lots of volunteering over the last 12 years as a SAHM (I do mean lots ) and the job I have been offered is in the charity sector so I think the fact that I could show I had so much experience - in a variety of different roles that used different skills (leadership/fund raising/recruiting other volunteers/organising events etc) obviously helped a lot.

I know it is a bit of a cliche on Mumsnet to say 'volunteer to keep your skills up to date' but in my case it clearly worked.

[Daffodil05]

I know I'm totally just barging into this thread, and it would have been more polite to start my own, but it's related.

Ragwort - would you be so kind as to answer some questions? I basically am a SAHM at the moment (have been for nearly 5yrs) and am likely to continue to be for a number of years, as my youngest is nearly 2, my husband works away a lot, and we have no family nearby to help with childcare (and no money available to pay for it!). I think I'm just having a bad week... When you were a SAHM for 12yrs, did you sometimes have moments of despairing about your future career? Did you feel regretful about stopping work? I had no choice but to stop work as we simply couldn't afford childcare for 3 under 5s, and most days I accept being a SAHM, but then some days I freak out massively, and just wonder how on earth I am ever going to be work-worthy again.

How did you do it? I have a vague 8-year plan (I figured that when my youngest is 10/11, my eldest will be 14/15, so she can then look after her sister and brother hopefully), which involves me retraining and doing a 3yr degree to start another career. But it just sounds petrifying when I think about it too much. I plan to volunteer lots/hopefully get some sort of part-time job when my littlest starts pre-school/school, but it still worries me sometimes. What exactly did you do as voluntary work? And what are you doing as a job now? I'd love to hear from people on the other side of this very tall fence that is overwhelming me a bit at the moment... Thank you in advance.

[Bobsmyaunty]

Ditto all of daffodil questions! Tell us ragwort!

[Ragwort]

Thank you for your questions .

I have to be honest in that my situation may be a bit different to most mumsnetters as I was a lot older than the average first time mother - I had my one and only child at the age of 43 so I had many years of a fulfilling and rewarding career before I gave up work & got my university degree straight from leaving school. I made a conscious choice not to have children in my 20s/30s as I wanted to concentrate on my career - if I'd had to stop work then I would have resented it.

By my early 40s I wasn't resentful about stopping work as I was ready for a rest and we had nearly paid off our mortgage.

I did lots of different voluntary work - meals on wheels, pre-school (including applying for grants/employing paid staff/dealing with difficult situations etc etc), setting up a food bank, fund raising - anything really!

Also my job now is in no way a 'career type' job, it is fairly responsible working for a charity but only pays about a quarter of what I earned over 20 years ago (even allowing for inflation ).

[Ragwort]

PS: I admire you for having 3 children under 5 daffodil - I could never have done that .

[MerylStrop]

Career break or if you are volunteering now you could put that as a current role

amplify your most recent employment and also any voluntary work since

i would urge any SAHMs who plan to return to work to keep up with their contacts and networks, even if you plan to retrain, don't just drop off the planet.