CV type to use & how many years to go back

[Outandup]

I’ve been a SAHM for 7 years and am starting to look for a job. I’m also nearly 49 so I am aware I am probably going to face a double whammy of discrimination against both my age and length of time out of the paid workforce (I volunteer 15-20 hours pw).

I believe I should do a skills-based CV due to the length of time out of the workforce but how many years should I go back? I worked for my last employer for 11 years, and prior to that 14 months, then 6 years. University and school were before that.

Is the last employer enough so that would cover the last 18 years (including being a SAHM)? I read somewhere that when you are older going back a long time highlights your age too much on a CV which is often a negative.

I think it depends a bit on the story you want to tell. It's often said that only the past 5 or so years are relevant, but if earlier experiences are relevant you might want to include them but be brief.

Personally I have worked in healthcare for a long time so the bottom of my CV has bullet pointed roles from my early career to show when I qualified, specialised, and then moved on to other roles. The main body of my CV concentrates on my skills and experience though.

Are you going for similar work to either your volunteering or your previous employment? That makes a difference I think.

7 years isn't THAT long in your 40s. So you had a normal job until 2016? I'd put a skills based "Profile" paragraph at the top, then go straight into "Career history" and have something like:

2018 - present: Name of volunteering role, bullet points of what you do. You don't even need to say it's voluntary I don't think. Obviously don't lie if they ask about salary but for CV purposes you would not normally include pay.

2016 - 2018: Career break for caring responsibilities

2016 etc etc - reverse chronological career history as normal.

I'm 41. I go back 10 years in detail usually and then just include bulleted job titles below that to fill in any gaps.

Then education etc as normal. 2 sides A4. No need to put references on your CV.

That's what I do. I freelanced after kids rather than volunteered but I just put that as my most recent job.

It would help to know what kind of role you are going for and what period of time was your relevant experience?