CV Advice - please help

[Mrstiggywinkel]

I'm about to apply for a couple of jobs for the first time in 6 years!

My CV is a bit odd and I am wondering whether to omit something and what I do about something else.

Firstly in to early 2012 the to local division of business I worked in for two years was in danger of being nationalised, consultations had started. There was no way I would have gotten any redundancy, they may have moved me to London or Manchester but didn't want that either.

Around same time an old colleague was on a fixed term contract managing a start-up who basically offered me a very shiney carrot so I handed in my notice and off I went - big mistake, the place was a nightmare on so many levels, told myself I had to give 18 months. But 8 months later an amazing opportunity came up in an industry I've always wanted to work in based 20 mins from home, applied got it. Stayed over 6 years!

It was over 12 years ago and I've had two other roles since, I am thinking this looks like a real anomaly. Would it be absolutely awful if me to spirit it and its gap away??

One of the jobs I am applying for has an online application and for each role it requires you to detail why you left. I just don't want to get into it.

Second question; DH runs his own ltd company ( I am a Director) and since 2022 have been employed by us. I was also employed by the company 2017-2019 - long and short of it is I loved the job I had before this but I had struggled to conceive for so long and was doing IVF abroad, the business were actually great to a degree but it just became untenable to work in a busy role full time also. So, I went on the books at our company, finally found myself pregnant within 6 months, went on mat leave. In reality did very little. Decided I wanted to dip back intp my career back as my baby approached 1 year old.

Fast forward to 2021 when we relocated, and my DH's business was going through a massive growth phase, I decided to come back on board. It made financial sense, I could actually be of use and it gave me much more flexibility around childcare which was starting to be complex even with remote working.

Does it look at bit odd that I have worked for my DH's business twice, would it be better to just chalk the past 2.5 years up as a career break?

Commenting to bump to the top! Xx

Don’t lie on a CV. They will almost certainly find out and can sack you for dishonesty if you’ve lied. No need for chapter and verse.

I find your post difficult to follow but I think your main questions are what reason to give for why you left a job - you can just say career progression - and whether you need to split your time working at your DH’s company - you can put it as one employment as the gap in the middle was maternity leave.
If it helps, on my CV I use the heading “relevant experience”, then I tailor it for different job applications, meaning sometimes I take out or add in a different combination of my previous jobs.

You shouldn’t go back more than 10 years on a CV so that’s one problem solved. The type of jobs that require continuous work history from the year dot are usually via application forms (ie teaching).