I applied for a job a few months ago. As a stay-at-home mom, I was a bit nervous about my resume gap. I didn’t get the job. (Don’t worry, I’m okay about it.) But, as I was creating my resume, I thought back to nine years ago.
I had just walked out of my of my sixth floor office for the last time. I left my fulfilling corporate marketing job to do something even more fulfilling: be home with my baby girl.
The last thing on my mind was my resume in the future. All I was thinking about was going home to hold my baby, forever.
Fast Forward
Nine years and the addition of two more kids passed in the blink of an eye. And suddenly I found myself sitting at my laptop writing my resume, filling in the space from September 2011 to now.
When I walked out of that office to become a stay-at-home mom I never thought about how in nine years my kids would all be in school. About what I would do when they were all out of the house and I had time to myself again. Time to find myself again.
So as I sat there filling out a resume for the first time in a decade and staring at the cursor blinking in the blankness of the page, I was so thankful to be able to write this:
September 2012 – Present
Rodan + Fields Consultant
I have grown my network marketing business from a small side business to a large scale team of over 300 leaders. Not only was I recognized as a top personal sales leader in the company, I have reached the top 1% of global leadership.
This career has given me valuable sales and customer relationship skills as well as a breadth of experience in coaching, large team training and program development and implementation, leadership, and business growth skills.
Filling the Mom Resume Gap
I had something. Something to fill in the blank space! Oh, how I wished raising babies to be strong, independent, respectful human beings counted for something on a resume, but the reality is… it doesn’t. Taking care of the most precious things in the world, a job that thousands of other people get paid to do every day, wouldn’t help me get a new marketing job. It’s sad, but it’s true.
As moms, if we look ahead and see ourselves going back to work, we need to think ahead. To think of how our resumes will look and how to fill the blank space.
Years ago I thought I was just doing a side hustle, but really I was developing professional skills. Because I was creating something to show that I still was worth my salt in the job market.
Your Next Adventure
I made it to the final round of interviews for that job I applied for. And I credit that 100% to my “gap” business. The experience it gave to me in the years I was at home with my kids was invaluable.
If you are a stay-at-home mom with a resume gap like me, I encourage you to consider taking on a new role. Something that you find fulfilling and that will look good on a future resume. Maybe it’s network marketing, maybe it’s an Etsy shop, maybe it’s a small role at your kids’ school or church. Find something.
Because the cliche is true, the time when your kids are little does go by really, really fast. And there will come a time when your youngest kid gets on the school bus and you are ready for your next adventure.
