‘You can still add to your CV when you are at home looking after children”
Says Mercedes Grant of Belina
If, like me, you spent time at home brining up children, you can worry that employers will be concerned because you have nothing to put on your CV for those years.
I say – own that time – let people know that you felt it was a good thing to do, and add value to that by having something at the top of your CV to show that you are getting ready for paid work.
We encourage the parents that come to our programmes to try something new. Some volunteer with with children’s centres. Others attend courses run courses. Parents benefit a lot from being with other people, learning new skills and networking.
Why don’t you:
- Volunteer
- Get some work experience
- Help run a local charity
- Brush up your IT skills
- Take some courses – Health and Safety, Food & Hygiene
- Take up a hobby related to what you want to do.
And when you contact an employer you can show them you are getting ready to get back to work.
For example a great answer at an interview when asked about what you have bending would be: “I took a career break to bring up my family, a busy job. Now they are all at school and childcare is sorted I have taken time to prepare for my return to work. I have done an IT course and have been volunteering at their school as a class reader. I am also building my skills in sales working in the local Oxfam shop.”
Your local children’s centre or your own children’s school would be a good place to start looking.