CV -Reason for leaving: relocation for partner/maternity leave

[Putty]

I'm filling in a job application and it has that horrible "reason for leaving" box that is a requirement to fill in. The trouble is, for many of these jobs the reason for leaving is that I became pregnant and because my partner's work moves around so much, I followed him around while I had small babies rather than stay where I was and be a single parent. In another example, I couldn't maintain the non-standard hours because of lack of childcare. (Again, due to OH travelling and not being around to take over.)

So my main reason for leaving every job seems to be immediate relocation after having a baby. Reading posts on here and online, the advice suggests not to say "relocation due to partner's work" because it suggests that your career is less important to you. But there is also advice not to say "left after maternity leave". However, four jobs in a row saying "left because of family reasons" doesn't look very good either.

So far I have "Family reasons/childcare issues", "Family reasons, maternity leave and relocation" x 3

All of this relocation and babies on my CV makes me look really flaky. And like a passive little baby making wifey!

Any ideas for alternative wording to make it sound less bad?

Did you stay in similar jobs so could put something like you wanted to advance a particular skill set in a new role.

Hi winchester, yes similar. But I compromised hugely on salary and seniority so I could go part time (which in the long run has messed up my career, but hey). So my last few jobs took a rung downwards in the ladder each time. It's hard to justify the changes by saying I wanted to acquire a new skillset when it's clear that I just wanted a job in my new location, and a part time one at that. There is a gap of a couple of years in between the "reasons for leaving" by virtue that I am including my maternity leave and then spending time looking for a job/juggling childcare.

Oh dear, I'm not really coming across as upbeat and employable, am I? :-D Sorry! I just feel like my child oriented decade or so has turned my CV into a bit of a trainwreck. You are not supposed to be child centred, you are supposed to be career centred. But my CV seems to suggest that I'm all about the babies, and running after their Dad. It needs to change, but I can't change my history.

Id be honest your priorities were being with the kids while they were little and now you are ready to get back into your career. I'd play down moving around after your partner esp if he is still in that kind of job.

I'd suggest you're honest about taking part-time or roles with less responsibility while you had babies/ small children but make sure you drop in somehow (perhaps in personal statement) that you are now looking forward to getting back into a demanding full time role now that you no longer have childcare responsibilities for pre-schoolers.

Employers usually feel ok about recruiting mums after they've done their child bearing because you've already done your stint of maternity leave. What the employer really wants to know is are you going to be fully committed and available to do their job.

Likewise, there's nowt wrong with relocating as a family to enable a partner's career progression, but the new employer will want to be assured that you aren't going to up sticks and move away 5 minutes after they've trained you. So again, add in a statement after mentioning relocation like now permanently settled in X town.

Unfortunately my youngest has just turned two, so I am still in the pre-school stage. (I can't put accidental pregnancy on my CV either, I don't think!) On the plus side, we have no plans to move again, although my OH does still travel a lot, so any evening or weekend work will be financially unviable.