Help with wording for CV.

[Ishtar2410]

Just wondering whether anyone could offer advice with wording for my CV?

I left work in 2004 just before having my DD and have been a SAHM ever since. I'm now looking to return to work p/t and I'm struggling to word it in a positive way.

At the moment I'm saying that I made a conscious decision to leave paid employment in order to devote my time to bringing up my children. I've added in some of the skills I think this requires: organisational skills, keeping calm under pressure, etc, etc.

But, it's lacking a bit of oomph...It'll drive me mad before long!

Thanks in advance.
D.

I was just going to post this same question - I was made redundant at the end of 2008 for having the temerity to have a child and have chosen not to work since. However, money is getting very tight, so I need to start applying for jobs. However, I am cautious about how to present two years out of employment on my cv. I'm also worried that any hint of having young offspring will land my job application straight in the nearest bin. Could I explain it as 'a career break' or 'time spent travelling' - these don't have the negative connotations of needing flexible working that having a young child inevitably entails (let alone if they think I may have more children). Help!

"I made a conscious decision to leave paid employment in order to devote my time to bringing up my children."

as long as you have not been 'wordy' about it, that's a good thing to put. I'd put it as follows (as a example)

2005-2007 Career Break in order to raise a family.

"I've added in some of the skills I think this requires: organisational skills, keeping calm under pressure, etc, etc."

Great!

A CV should not be written in paragraphs, or the way you would talk. It's much more like a 'list' of what you've done. Avoid too much personal detail

The point is to make it easy for a recruiter to pick out the parts that make you suitable for them to employ -

Quite honestly they dont care if you made a 'conscious choice' to take a break to raise your family, but they will want to know what you were doing, in neutral terms, during that time period (ie: 'career break to raise family')

blushbaby
"I was made redundant at the end of 2008 for having the temerity to have a child"

If that was the case, you would have had a very good case for unfair dismissal!

I'd suggest you produce a skills-based rather than chronological cv which will highlight your positives rather than drawing attention to your career break.

Have a look here

Fantastic! Thanks v. much hairytriangle. I didn't want to go over the top with it, but just wanted to put in what I've been doing over the past 7 years, without it sounding like 'and then I...'.

I'll have a look at a skills-based CV too - thanks TheHouseofMirth - hadn't thought about doing it like that, but is definitely worth looking at in detail.

Thanks again
D

Just another suggestion. I find non-chronoligical applications difficult and unfortunately, assume there may be something to hide if someone hasn't accounted for all their time.

I once interviewed someone who had a large gap, but when questioned, admitted they'd made an error. Anyone good enough to get to interview but still making errors of that kind is letting themselves down.

If a person can't get a job application right, in my mind they are unlikely to get other stuff right!

Thanks hairytriangle. Decided in the end that I didn't fancy a complete revamp/re-write of my CV. Have applied for a position and will report back if/when successful!

Hi, was also going to post the same thing. I am definitely going to use "Career Break in order to raise a family", so thanks for that hairy triangle. I did work part time in my husbands business during my career break but now I want to get a job doing what I used to do. Do you think it is better to mention this part time work in a different industry or simply leave it as if I didnt work? (sorry to hijack slightly).