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Original poster

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

492 replies

likeababyelephant · 01/06/2017 18:57

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.

OP posts:
Rawhh · 01/06/2017 20:24

God! The grammar - I can write properly, promise.

LRDtheFeministDragon · 01/06/2017 20:25

elendon, I get what you are saying, but the bottom line is that the OP would like to get a paid job.

Come the revolution, I would (like you) love it if caring for your own children were properly understood as economically valuable. I am aware that someone needs to care for all children and therefore, the OP is doing a job. But if she's going to piss off everyone trying to hire her, getting on her (or your) ideological high horse isn't going to help.

Instasista · 01/06/2017 20:25

"Today 20:10 Babbitywabbit

Today 20:07 Elendon

'So what is a career then?'

That thing you tried and didn't get on with, so I wouldn't worry involving yourself in a thread about it"

Sorry but 😂😂😂😂 this is so spot on

StatisticallyChallenged · 01/06/2017 20:26

I don't understand your care home story elendon what is the point you're trying to make?

Her digs at childcare staff failed, so now she's trying a different role to prove her point that being a parent is a job? Grin

AyeAmarok · 01/06/2017 20:26

Put "career break".

And Elendon, you're being deliberately obtuse. Of course it's a career break. Working in a childcare is not your career. Even if it were, you're still having a career break if you stop working in the nursery to look after your own children instead.

soapboxqueen · 01/06/2017 20:26

Full time mum is a silly phrase and I don't think it should be on a CV. Career break etc as pp have mentioned is far more suitable. Contriving skills from looking after your own children is rather odd. Don't think many would be impressed with that.

However, there are a small number of jobs where a caring responsibility is relevant. I was a teacher, I'm not working because I'm a full time carer for my ds with Asd and pda. If I ever went back into work, those skills would be massively relevant.

UndersecretaryofWhimsy · 01/06/2017 20:26

elephant in that case, did you have your children right out of school, then start your degree after that - so you haven't really started your career yet?

In that case, you're basically in the same situation as any other new graduate. List your time as a SAHP as 'career break' before you started your CV and list any proper extracurricular or volunteer roles you had during or before that period. Competition for entry level roles anywhere is tight, and HR is popular. I'd work your networks as much as you can. You may actually have the edge over new 21 year old grads by having a greater level of maturity and direction. But being a mum definitely does not belong on your CV, sorry.

YoloSwaggins · 01/06/2017 20:27

Full-time mum sounds like you're trying to justify yourself, like my friend who is travelling calling himself a "full-time explorer" on LinkedIn. Full-time anything other than paid work sounds daft on a CV.

Just say "career break to raise a family"!

tickwhitetick · 01/06/2017 20:28

Nooooooooooo take it off! So unprofessional and well, thick sounding

UndersecretaryofWhimsy · 01/06/2017 20:31

LRD, I really don't think it's to do with caring for your own children being viewed as economically valuable. It's absolutely valuable, but it doesn't make you more qualified for a job in HR than someone with the same work experience but no children. Your CV is for documenting the things you have done that make you more qualified for the job you are applying for. It's a marketing document for a specific role, not a measurement of your life's worth.

StatisticallyChallenged · 01/06/2017 20:32

I definitely wouldn't include it for grad roles - it shouldn't matter but in that environment and given that most of your competitors will be free of responsibilities the sad fact is it could be detrimental.

I say this as someone who got a grad role when I had a 1 year old - but I'd worked full time while I did my degree and so had a lot more work experience than those I was up against. They knew I had a child because a friend worked for the same company - and I got asked at interview how I'd manage to balance the requirements of the job with my child. I had enough experience (and the right family setup) for it not to be an issue but it easily could have been.

Elendon · 01/06/2017 20:32

Unpaid work is an ideological high horse is it? LRD

No. It's absolutely not. This is the problem facing governments soon when it comes to caring for the elderly. It's no longer seen as 'women's work', nor should taking time out to look after children be seen as a lifestyle choice, especially given the high cost of child care. Why should women work for peanuts? It's abhorrent in this day and age.

And there are loads of jobs/careers out there actually. Where is this huge pile of CVs people are talking about? Unemployment is down to an all time low. Seems to me that some HR managers are sitting on 'cushy numbers'.

Instasista · 01/06/2017 20:34

Being a mother is just one part of you. Elednon you suggest as I work full time I can not be a full time mother also. Does that make me a part time woman? A part time wife? A part time sister?

No paid employment is what we describe as doing full or part time. Being a mother is a life role, and totally irrelevant to your CV

LRDtheFeministDragon · 01/06/2017 20:35

under - that's absolutely true too.

elen - I never suggested it was a lifestyle choice, did I? I think you have misunderstood my point. It might be that the OP has her pick of jobs, and that she only needs to apply for the next one before she'll be welcomed with delighted smiles. But, she doesn't have any assurance of that and she needs the money.

It's not feminism to guilt-trip women who're currently not being paid, for not standing up to your ideals. And I know you don't mean to do that, and you feel you're defending her, but I suspect we'd both be better campaigning to make sure bosses understood that childcare work is work .

Terramirabilis · 01/06/2017 20:35

To be brutally honest, I would laugh and put your cv in the trash if I saw that. By definition, any woman employer who has kids that your cv is seen by can't be a "full-time mother" in your terms since she's obviously working some amount of hours per week to be in a position to be considering hiring you. That's going to be very offensive.

I disagree with some previous comments against skills-based cvs. I've seen them work, and had them work for me when I was changing career. But given your age, perhaps presenting yourself as a career starter rather than a career breaker is best?

Original poster
likeababyelephant · 01/06/2017 20:35

under

No I had my DD during university. I got pregnant in my first year, had a year off and now I'm at the end of my second year.

OP posts:
Schleeping · 01/06/2017 20:36

All mothers are full time mothers. If I read that on a CV it would be an immediate eye roll and bin to be honest.

Schleeping · 01/06/2017 20:37

For what it's worth your CV is to list your employment history- if you haven't been employed don't put in a crass made up title.

mollibu · 01/06/2017 20:38

Please please please don't write that on your CV. I work in recruitment and it grinds my gears when people write stuff like this.

Take it out, it's for the best OP. Flowers

Rawhh · 01/06/2017 20:38

I wouldn't put anything then. Just list your degree.

UndersecretaryofWhimsy · 01/06/2017 20:39

No I had my DD during university. I got pregnant in my first year, had a year off and now I'm at the end of my second year.

OK. In that circumstance I wouldn't even bother distinguishing it. You're just taking a bit longer to complete your degree, which lots of people do for lots of reasons. No need to list it just as there's no need to list maternity leave when you return to the same job.

Instasista · 01/06/2017 20:40

I agree with schleeping- you're a graduate with presumably no work experience (not even a Saturday job?) you don't really need to explain what you've been doing. It doesn't add anything to your offering. People seem to be of the mindset that the CV is some kind of set document explaining exactly what you have been doing since birth when actually, it's simply to sell yourself for a specific role.

JustHereForThePooStories · 01/06/2017 20:41

Why should women work for peanuts?

Many, many women don't. Lots of very high earning women out there, Elen. I know you weren't one (you reference high cost as being £1,000 so that's obviously a lot of money to you), but there are many.

Funnily enough, you've criticised roles in HR, childcare, and caring; traditionally female-dominated industries. You obviously had a bad experience when you tried to work and seem to have quite the chip on your shoulder.

TinselTwins · 01/06/2017 20:41

As opposed to what? us women who are childless and nubile from 9-5 and only exist as mothers in the evening?

I've put the following on application forms (but only where it has very specifically asked me to account for ALL years:
" any gaps in employment have been due to maternity leave (one of my Mat leaves was a "gap" as in I wasn't employed - was self employed so no SMP), I have otherwise been working consistantly in this field for X years"

Slimthistime · 01/06/2017 20:42

OP I feel like we are pulling teeth to get the relevant info

I think it will be fine just to say whatever you'd say to get the HR starter job. One year out of a degree is fine, just put "caring responsibilities" if you feel it's essential to account for the time.

I'd look for another careers adviser though, hopefully there's others at your uni? You say your application was good, but if you've not done many, then how do you know it was good?

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