How to Write Stay-at-Home Parent Resume

Crafting a stay-at-home parent resume is often a daunting task, that requires careful navigation through unique challenges and a diverse set of experiences.

While this role is rich in skills and accomplishments, translating these into a compelling resume format can be difficult. This guide aims to demystify the process. It offers practical advice and strategies for effectively presenting your skills, experience, and personal growth during your time at home.

Whether you're re-entering the workforce or seeking new opportunities, mastering the art of the stay-at-home parent resume is crucial to articulating your value and potential to prospective employers.

Stay-at-home parent resume examples

Stay-at-home dad resume sample

Use template Download PDF

Housewife resume example

Consuelo J. Hardee

33 Abner Road, Green Bay, WI 54303
Email: consuelo.hardee@email.com
Phone: (555) 789-0123

Objective:

Experienced sommelier with 6 years of expertise in wine selection and customer service at upscale establishments, now returning to the industry after a dedicated year as a stay-at-home parent. Eager to leverage recent webinars and publication experience to contribute to a dynamic wine program.

Experience:

Stay-at-Home Parent

June 2023 - Present

• Provide nurturing care for newborn baby and manage household responsibilities.
• Attended webinars and completed courses on wine-tasting techniques, varietals, and industry trends.
• Authored "Exploring the World of Wine: A Comprehensive Guide," published in 2024, covering 50+ varietals and tasting notes.

Sommelier

Decadence Restaurant, Green Bay, WI, January 2020 - May 2023

• Selected wines for the restaurant menu, resulting in a 20% increase in wine sales.
• Conducted 30+ wine tastings, achieving a 95% customer satisfaction rate and increasing wine club memberships.
• Collaborated with kitchen staff to develop 10 new menu items with wine pairing recommendations.

Sommelier

Affluence, Madison, WI, January 2016 - December 2019

• Managed wine inventory and procurement, ensuring optimal stock levels and quality.
• Provided personalized wine recommendations to guests, enhancing dining experiences.
• Led staff training sessions on wine knowledge and service standards.

Education:

Certified Sommelier

Court of Master Sommeliers, Chicago, IL

• Certified: June 2015

Bachelor of Arts in Hospitality Management

University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI

• Graduated: May 2014

Courses and Webinars:

• Wine Tasting Techniques and Varietals (Virtual Wine Academy), 2024
• Advanced Wine Pairing Strategies (Sommelier Society Webinar Series), 2023
• Trends in Global Wine Markets (Online Course by Coursera), 2023

Skills:

• Wine Tasting and Evaluation
• Food and Wine Pairing
• Menu Development and Inventory Management
• Customer Service and Hospitality
• Written Communication and Publishing

Professional Affiliations:

• Guild of Sommeliers, Member, from 2020
• American Association of Professional Sommeliers, Member, from 2018

Stay-at-home mom resume samples

Use template Download PDF

Use template Download PDF

Resume layout

When formatting your stay-at-home parent resume, there are several key rules you have to keep in mind to ensure clarity, professionalism, and readability.

• Maintain consistent formatting throughout your resume.
• Choose a clean and organized layout that allows for simple navigation.
• Use section headings (e.g., "Contact Information", "Summary", "Work Experience") to structure your resume logically.
• Opt for an easy-to-read font such as Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman. Keep away from decorative fonts.
• Set uniform margins (typically 1 inch to 1.5 inches) on all sides of the page to ensure your resume looks balanced.
• Utilize bullets to list your accomplishments, skills, and job duties. Start each point with an action verb.
• Use adequate white space between segments and around text blocks to avoid overcrowding.
• Keep your stay-at-home parent resumeconcise and targeted. Generally, aim for a one-page resume.
• Align your text to the left. Skip justified alignment, as it can create uneven spacing between words.
• Save your resume as a PDF file unless otherwise specified by the employer.

If you want to create an impressive stay-at-home parent resume without spending too much time, consider using a ready-made template. Thanks to Resume Trick, you can easily find a great template that will showcase your skills and experience in a professional manner.

Using templates ensures a well-organized structure for your resume, featuring predefined sections. They eliminate concerns about formatting and finding the right words to describe your skills. Additionally, pre-made templates allow customization to reflect your unique personality and emphasize your strengths effectively.

So why not give them a try? Take advantage of this useful online resume builder and get your dream job!

Create your professional Resume in 10 minutes for FREE

Build My Resume

Contact information

In terms of including personal information in a stay-at-home parent resume, it is necessary to offer enough detail so employers can easily reach out.

• Your full legal name should be prominently displayed at the top of your document.
• State a reliable phone number where employers can reach you. Use a professional voicemail message.
• Utilize an email that contains your name or initials. Avoid using overly complex constructions.
• Include a link to your LinkedIn profile if you have one and it’s well-maintained.
• Mentioning your city and state is optional but can be helpful if you are targeting jobs within a specific geographic area.
• Refrain from writing sensitive information such as your home address or personal social media profiles unless requested.

Always ensure your contact information is up-to-date. If you change your phone number or email, update it immediately on your stay-at-home parent resume and LinkedIn account.

Resume summary

Writing a resume summary for a stay-at-home parent involves highlighting relevant experiences, addressing employment gaps, and reaffirming qualifications. .

Key elements:

• Strengthen skills such as time management, organization, multitasking, and conflict resolution, which are essential in both parental and professional settings.
• Spotlight any achievements or projects completed during your time as a stay-at-home parent. This could include managing household finances, organizing events, or coordinating chores that demonstrate your skills.
• Briefly acknowledge the career break due to caregiving responsibilities. Instead of focusing on the gap, emphasize how your skills remained relevant and how you stayed engaged through volunteer work, freelancing, or professional development.
• Mention any relevant qualifications, certifications, or credentials attained before or during being a homemaker. This reaffirms your professional background and commitment to continuous learning.
• Clearly state your career objectives. Tailor your summary to reflect your interest and readiness to transition back into the workforce.

How to structure a homemaker resume summary:

• Begin with a sentence that encapsulates your professional identity and overarching experience.
• Provide a concise overview of your relevant work experience, emphasizing accomplishments and outcomes rather than just listing duties.
• Conclude your summary by stating your current career goals and how they align with the position you're applying for.
• Aim for 3-4 sentences in total for your resume summary. It should be brief yet impactful.
• Incorporate industry-specific keywords and phrases from the job description to ensure your stay-at-home parent resume gets noticed by ATS.

Example 1:

Experienced marketing specialist with a background in digital strategy and brand management. Developed and executed comprehensive marketing campaigns that increased brand awareness and customer engagement by 40%. While managing household responsibilities as a stay-at-home parent, honed skills in multitasking, time management, and creative problem-solving.

Example 2:

Dynamic human resources specialist with expertise in recruitment, employee relations, and organizational development. Proven track record in designing and implementing HR strategies that foster a positive workplace culture and enhance employee engagement. During a work gap as a stay-at-home parent, maintained engagement through volunteer HR initiatives and continuous professional development.

Example 3:

Analytical financial manager with experience in planning, budget management, and risk assessment. Managed household budget during work gap, enhancing skills in financial management and strategic planning. Skilled in forecasting, variance analysis, and financial modeling using Excel and SAP. Seeking to leverage strong analytical proficiency to deliver insightful recommendations and drive business growth at BlueChip Investments.

Example 4:

Creative copywriter with experience in crafting compelling content across digital platforms. During my time as a stay-at-home mom, I took advantage of remote work opportunities. This allowed me to maintain and expand my skills in SEO-driven content creation, blog writing, and social media management. Managed freelance projects with a focus on delivering engaging copy that resonates with target audiences and drives conversions.

Experience

When listing employment history in a resume for someone who is a primary caregiver, you need to remember that chronological order should be followed. This implies that your most recent job should be placed first, regardless of whether it was paid or unpaid (e.g., freelance work, volunteer roles, homemaker obligations).

How to address the employment gap on a resume

When explaining a planned career break on your resume, it is important to answer professionally and positively.

• You can incorporate being a stay-at-home parent to your experience section, similar to other roles.
• Mention the period you took off from traditional employment to care for a family member. Emphasize that it was a conscious choice and a valuable experience.
• If you volunteered during your time as a stay-at-home mom/dad, treat it as work and list similarly in this part.

Example:

Stay-at-Home Parent, June 2022 - Present

• Manage household responsibilities, including budgeting, scheduling, and coordinating activities.
• Engage in continuous learning through online courses in data analytics, enhancing technical skills and staying current with industry trends.

Volunteer Data Analyst

Community Health Outreach | New York, NY, July 2023 - Present

• Create detailed reports and visualizations to present findings to program managers.
• Assist in the development of surveys and data collection methods to improve data accuracy and program evaluation.
• Provide training and support to junior staff on data entry and analysis tools.

Data Analyst

AppVY | New York, NY, January 2015 - June 2022

• Analyzed large datasets to identify trends, patterns, and insights, contributing to data-driven decision-making processes.
• Developed and maintained dashboards and reports using SQL, Tableau, and Excel, improving data accessibility for stakeholders.
• Collaborated with cross-functional teams to understand business requirements.
• Conducted data quality assessments and implemented data cleaning procedures, ensuring accuracy and consistency.

Education

Listing your education on a resume for a homemaker should be clear, concise, and organized in a way that highlights your academic background relevant to the job you are applying for.

Basic structure:

• Include the type of degree (e.g., Bachelor of Science, Master of Arts). Place them in reverse chronological order.
• Specify your major or field of study (e.g., Computer Science, Business Administration).
• Give the name of the college or university where you earned the degree.
• Write the city and state of the institution.
• Record the month and year of your graduation. If you haven’t graduated yet, you can use the expected graduation date.
• Add any honors or distinctions (e.g., summa cum laude, dean’s list).

Additional details (optional):

• If your GPA is 3.5 or above, you might want to mention it.
• Highlight courses directly applicable to the job. List certifications.
• Include activities, clubs, or societies that you have participated in.

Example:

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Suffolk University, Boston, MA

• Graduated May 2020
• GPA: 3.9/4.0
• Relevant Coursework: Strategic Management, Financial Analysis, Marketing Research

Bachelor of Science in Computer Science

Fordham University, New York, NY

• Graduated: May 2018
• GPA: 3.7/4.0
• Honors: cum laude
• Extracurricular Activities: President of the Coding Club 2016-2018

Skills

When listing skills on a resume after being a stay-at-home parent, you need to highlight both the professional capacities you maintained or developed during your career break and any new powers you acquired. These can include soft, hard, and transferable skills.

Hard skills:

These are specific, teachable abilities or knowledge sets that are often quantifiable.

• Technical Skills. Relevant to your industry (e.g., programming languages, software proficiency).
• Data Analysis. Proficiency in apps like Excel, SQL, R, and Python.
• Graphic Design. Skills in software like Adobe Creative Suite.
• Project Management. Knowledge of services like JIRA, Trello, and Microsoft Project.
• Marketing Skills. SEO, SEM, content creation, social media management.
• Sales Skills. CRM tools (e.g., Salesforce), sales strategies.

Soft skills

These are personal attributes that enable someone to interact effectively and harmoniously with others.

• Communication. Both written and verbal communication skills.
• Teamwork. Ability to work well within a team.
• Problem-Solving. Innovative and effective solutions to challenges.
• Leadership. Leading teams, projects, or initiatives.
• Time Management. Efficiently managing one's time.
• Critical Thinking. Analyzing facts to make informed decisions.
• Conflict Resolution. Managing and resolving conflicts.

Transferable skills

These include competencies that can be applied in various professional settings, regardless of the job or industry.

• Organization. Keeping track of appointments, school activities, and family events.
• Multitasking. Simultaneously managing cooking, and handling unexpected situations.
• Budgeting. Managing household finances, creating budgets, and ensuring cost-effective spending.
• Negotiation. Mediating disputes among children, negotiating allowances, or coordinating family decisions.
• Scheduling. Planning vacations and organizing social events to ensure a balanced routine.
• Flexibility. Adjusting plans and routines based on the ever-changing needs and circumstances of the family.
• Mentoring. Helping children with homework, teaching life skills, and guiding them through developmental milestones.

Additional information

Extra personal details will help the hiring manager gain an understanding of the individual they are considering for the job and will give them a better sense of the type of person they are.

Create your professional Resume in 10 minutes for FREE

Build My Resume

How to write a cover letter

Writing a cover letter to complement a stay-at-home parent resume presents unique challenges. It requires a careful balance between highlighting relevant skills, reflecting positively on the employment gap, and promoting your qualifications.

Use template Download PDF

With thoughtful preparation, you can create a compelling letter that distinguishes you as a strong candidate.

• Include your contact information (name, address, phone number, email).
• Address the letter to the hiring manager or recruiter by name, if possible. If no, use a general salutation like "Dear Hiring Manager".
• Start with a strong opening sentence that grabs attention.
• Mention the specific position you are applying for and how you found out about the job opportunity.
• Briefly explain your career break as a stay-at-home parent. Focus on how you maintained or enhanced skills during this time.
• Highlight any relevant achievements or projects you undertook during your time away.
• Transition into discussing your skills and experiences that are relevant to the job.
• Draw connections between your experiences as a homemaker and the requirements of the job.
• Summarize why you are interested in the position and how your background uniquely qualifies you for the role.
• Express enthusiasm for the opportunity to discuss your application further in an interview. Politely request a meeting and thank the HR.
• Use a professional closing such as "Sincerely" or "Best regards", followed by your full name.

Now let's take a closer look at examples, both good and bad, to illustrate effective strategies in action.

This cover letter example effectively captures the applicant's extensive culinary experience, emphasizing a significant achievement at a charity gala to demonstrate leadership and skill.

It addresses the gap in resume positively by highlighting ongoing engagement through volunteer work, showcasing commitment and adaptability. The letter concludes with a strong call to action.

Create your professional Cover letter in 10 minutes for FREE

Build My Cover Letter

This cover letter is considered ineffective because it doesn't communicate the candidate's qualifications or suitability for the position in a professional manner.

Humor can sometimes be added to cover letters. Nevertheless, it should be used judiciously, and the focus should always be on showcasing relevant skills and experience.

Proofread

Spellchecking your documents not only demonstrates your attention to detail but also shows your professional attitude and dedication to the position. Proper grammar and word choice are important as they reveal your proficiency in written communication.

Here's a step-by-step guide on how to proofread:

• After drafting your papers, take a break. Stepping away allows you to return with fresh eyes, making it easier to spot mistakes.
• Read each section aloud. This helps identify awkward phrasing, missing words, or grammatical errors.
• Ensure consistent formatting throughout. Check headings, bullet points, font styles, and sizes.
• Remove unnecessary words and ensure each point is conveyed succinctly.
• Use a spellchecker to catch basic errors, but also manually review for homophones like "there" vs. "their".
• Verify correct use of punctuation marks (commas, periods, semicolons) and consistent capitalization (especially in proper nouns).
• Compare your resume and cover letter with the job description. Ensure key skills and qualifications are highlighted effectively.
• Have a friend, family member, or mentor review your application. Fresh perspectives can often provide suggestions for improvement.
• If submitting a physical copy, ensure formatting looks consistent when printed.

Stay-at-home parent resume: conclusion

In conclusion, adding stay-at-home parent experiences to a resume requires a strategic approach to highlight transferable skills, relevant achievements, and personal growth during the career break.

By effectively showcasing adaptability, strong organizational abilities, and multitasking skills gained through caregiving roles, stay-at-home parents can enhance their resumes to demonstrate readiness to re-enter the workforce.

Create your professional Resume in 10 minutes for FREE

Build My Resume