Fantastic Pointers On CV Writing For Mums Returning To Work

The prospect of returning to work after maternity leave or after quite a considerable absence can sometimes be very daunting. You can feel removed from the work environment, almost as if you'd been on a very, very lengthy holiday.

It goes without saying of course that the time you have spent away has been anything but a relaxing time and you feel as if you have been working all the hours available, as it is! Nevertheless, it's now time to get back to a career and you need to pay attention to your CV or résumé.

1. Look at this from a positive point of view. During your time off you have amassed several new skills. You are really good at multitasking, time management, project management and your coping skills have improved considerably! When you have to manage a typical home and be responsible for bringing up a new arrival, you should not underestimate the skills that you are able to master and they should be added to your résumé.

2. Some specific coaching for women advocates that you should compose a "functional" résumé in this situation. This type of approach lists your skills and qualifications rather than focusing on a chronological list of employers. As such, you are definitely focusing on your experience and this should be stressed in the body of the document. Simply list your employers and don't mention the dates, but focus on your qualifications, experience and skill set.

3. Do not be apologetic when it comes to your maternity leave absence. Employers do not look badly upon somebody who has taken time off to be with their family as they have a lot more to worry about, such as staff without any motivation, or who are forced to stay home. Be prepared to defend your position as being very acceptable to society!

4. While you have been away from work, you may well have taken on some voluntary tasks, attended evening classes or some other extracurricular activity. Don't be afraid to put this on your résumé and hold it in a positive light. This will show that you are well capable of being a home keeper and a mother at the same time and can dovetail your interests and duties through multitasking, which your employer will appreciate.

5. Reveal how in control you can be, by showing that you have a plan to manage the time that you are away. In other words, it would be far better to say that you had initially planned to stay home with a newborn until a certain point in time, until he or she arrived at a certain age, for instance. This is far better than saying that you were prepared to stay at home until your child was ready, or to refer to some other nebulous plan. You need to show that you're in control.

6. Research before you think about sending out résumés. How long were you away for? Find out if anything significant has changed in a prospective employer's business. This will prompt you to learn about new operating procedures, or to catch up on specific areas of education, for example. If you include this action on your résumé, it shows what you're capable of.

7. You may think that you need to rely on contacts that you made prior to your career break and that any references you include should be "business only," but this is not the case. By networking and moving in your regular circles during your time away from work, you will have built up a good list of contacts who will be able to attest to your character, composition and reliability.

In our modern era, professional coaching advice from online life coaching experts prompts you to consider everything in a good light in your life, so that your résumé is top quality and ready to go.

Amanda Alexander is Director of Coaching Mums and a highly acclaimed ICF-accredited coach who delivers professional coaching programmes to working mums who yearn for success, balance and fulfilment. Are you a juggling mom? Download our free eBook for working moms that will give you 5 simple and instant ways to balance your life right now!