"Ful time mum" on CV- yes or no?

[likeababyelephant]

I just received a rejection from a job a spent ages tailoring my CV for and writing a very good cover letter for. Only to be told there were others with better skills/more experience. This is for an HR entry level job btw.

I can't help but think that it's because I put "full time mother" on my CV. But I would expect recruiters to seek to diversify their workforce, especially as it's an HR job. Are they discriminating against mothers or something?

Should I omit this information from my CV. I feel like I have better/more skills as a mother than I did before I had DD.

I'm with MrsDC7 on this. No need for anything. Just fill the career gap as stated. If company is interested they will as about your time at home.

I put full time parent to cover the long gap when I wasn't working and filled in a few years with various voluntary responsibilities. Not sure what the problem is with defining it in such a way - it means exactly what it says, that I have been parenting full-time as opposed to those who work full-time and use childcare.

Job applications start next year

Yeah. Come back and let us know how the job interviews go if you're going to take that attitude.

Just put career break don't put full time parent.

Agree you don't define it on a CV - it adds nothing to your employment profile and may put some employers off. I'm keen to see what your previous experience is and how you've kept in touch with methods and trends in your break, I'm not interested in anything else you've done in your break - if the break is more than a few months I want to know you've not just vegitated and not used your relevant to me skills for a protracted period - otherwise your in the category of once knew how to do XYZ - probably rusty now. I am largely after young, relevantly skilled up to date non distracted staff. Whilst at work I'd say we are equal opportunities, in reality my firm likes you to pack up at 50, not be a woman with kids, not to have been on a career break and preferably a cheap under 30 single with total flexibility - sorry as my HR Professional daughter says it's a terribly short sighted waste of resource, but in most large companies I think it's true.... only as a company we'd never say so. I'd say unless you have a personal introduction, very few people get employed now, and even fewer of those will have been on a break of any sort.... rule of thumb if you have to explain something you've already lost... so don't explain it, don't justify it just focus on what you've got or done that makes you an ideal candidate for the employer... everything else they're not interested in at this stage.

I think the fact you had a child and still got on and finished your degree is quite impressive but I wouldn't mention it on your CV as if was a job as it isn't. Definitely, don't state that you were a "full time mother" as this could offend potential employers. I would perhaps mention it if talking about non-paid work or other interests though.

Also op it's no discrimination against mothers not to shortlist someone who puts full time parent on their cv.
If you want to work in hr you need torus up a bit on what discrimination is.
Most hr professionals are female so it doesn't promote diversity anyway to recruit more women

Just noticed that you are still doing your degree and looking for an internship. I think that if you are getting good grades despite also having a child to look after than then could impress some potential employers as it shows that you are hard working with good organisational skills but keep that for the interview stage.

I am a full time mum, I'm also a full time HR Manager. Concentrate on your professional skills, experience and previous roles and cover the gap in employment by stating 'raising children'. I would not shortlist you if there were other applicants with skills more suited and relevant to the post - sorry!

The problem with it, as many of us who are a) women b) mothers c) recruiters have said is that by putting it, it seems rightly or wrongly that you are using it to define yourself. I have been a mother for 14 yrs and have yet to mention it on a CV or at an interview. Because it's nothing to do with the job. ANY job. I happen to be a mother. I happen to have a child. That's all.

Sadly, for those asking about caring responsibilities for disabled children- yes, you are probably going to be sidelined, because employers are going to think you are going to be taking time off work.

I would go as far as to avoid the term "caring responsibilities" with the "career break" thing. Everyone knows that a woman in her 20s/30s with a 3-4 yr gap in her CV was going to probably have been changing nappies. No need to go into further detail than just "career break". if they're bothered about it, they'll ask at interview.

Also, it may well be illegal to discriminate against mothers. That's not what the rejection letter is ever going to say, and it's not, in all honesty, what the recruiter is going to have been doing. They will simply have seen someone for whom being a mother is more important than the job they are offering (or not) that person.

(my first para to Robinia's point btw)

I agree with the other posters. As a working Mother it would irritate me straight away if I read that on your CV. I'm a full time Mum too! I stop being a Mum just because I work!

I agree with Vintageperfumista if you don't need to mention it the leave it out completely. My CV covers my professional skills, it doesn't mention my age, marital status or the fact I am a mother, none of these things are relevant. In my industry however we have to cover each applicants full work history due to the legislation we operate under, so in that case raising children covers the gap.

How many men would ever mention their children on their cv?

Yeah. Come back and let us know how the job interviews go if you're going to take that attitude.

Is this not an 'attitude' though?

This discussion seems to me to be 'twix those who return to work asap post baby into a high paying career and those who return to the humdrum jobbie to pay for food and the odd trip to the Med.

How many men stay at home to raise kids? They don't mention it, because it is rare for men to have a gap in work history because of raising kids.

The thing is, even the humdrum jobs are often competitive. Why potentially piss off the person reviewing your CV if you can use a less irritating phrase and approach?

"Career break-caring for children" sounds good.

Career break-caring for pre-school age children would let the employer know the reason for the break and that they're now in school so you are free to devote the time to the job.

But employers know that children get sick and have long breaks from school such as half terms, xmas, and the summer holidays. Basically, with primary school children, you are never going to devote the time to the job.

You might not, Elendon, but I can assure you that successful working people do. Otherwise they might not be quite so successful in their chosen career.

I've taken the opportunity at two interviews recently to let the panel know that I'm at a stage in life where I've had my children, they are now at school so I have the energy and space in my life to focus on work.

I got both jobs.

"Basically, with primary school children, you are never going to devote the time to the job."

Clearly those of us who've held down jobs successfully while having primary school age children are just kidding ourselves. We're shite at it really

Speak for yourself Elendon, I manage to devote the time just fine.

likeababyelephant
I had kids whilst studying and I completely omit this when looking for a job. If the recruitment panel has three people, one surely thinks that it means you parental responsibilities might clash with the job because your child is still a baby. You interrupted the studies but didn't withdraw the course, you just stopped the clock for a year. I wouldn't consider it a gap. Put your starting date and expected graduation date. If someone asks why it might be taking you a year longer, you can say you had some extension due to family circumstances.

I would focus on showing skills that highlight that you are a team worker, reliable, organised, sociable, you pay attention to detail, meet deadlines, IT skills, etc. I therefore would mention things such as being part of sports clubs, book clubs, scouts/brownies, your best grades and how you achieved them, an example of a project that worked well, volunteering, web design, etc. Don't put your personal website if you just talk about parties, but mention it if you've helped a classmate to set up her own blog, for example. If you've done things such as lead a class group, or obtained a grant, an award, or were mentioned in the school newsletter, etc. If you have always submitted on time coursework (if you had extensions, this is still on time), what was the best feedback that you had: if it said it was well written, well structured or organised, or that you clearly have used extra sources for references, used the referencing guide appropriately, etc. That you take pride in your punctuality and have a very good record of attendance, whatever.

The important thing is to say ONLY what is relevant for that job. I used to put everything I did because I wanted a long CV, but unless it's for certain sectors, two pages maximum. Even if you can only put one or two jobs, describe in more detail what skills you acquired there, instead of adding non-relevant activities.

Something useful is to make a table with two columns. One with what they are asking, the job description or personal requirements. On the other column how you can prove you fit that requirement. If they ask for someone organised, you don't necessarily need to proof you have worked at timetabling people in an office, but can discuss how you liaised with all the classmates in your group assignment, made sure they submitted their parts on time, arrange a meeting to combine the different parts, set tasks for proofreading, discussed feedback for improving the final draft, etc.

I'd be happy to have a look at your CV (remove personal data and change companies' names if you want) and give you more specific advice.