Anonymous
08/19/2013 14:33
Subject: Re:After 8 years off I need to get a job! HR Mgrs Help!
Anonymous wrote:Don't worry OP! And don't listen to the negative comments by bitter women on DCUM. I stayed home way, way longer than you did. I decided about a year ago to jump back in. I had three offers within about six months of looking. I've been in my new job less than a year and I've already been promoted and given a nice pay raise.
I loved being at home with my kids! And I love that I was able to jump right back in where I left off professionally. No regrets at all! Good Luck!
Yes, totally this. Clearly the norm. Don't listen to all those crazy people out there who talk about how hard it is to find a job, how many months/years it's taken, and how they are put in at lower level jobs than they left, etc etc. That's just all crazy talk. You should definitely expect to find three offers within six months and expect to be promoted quickly after that. I'm sure this poster is being completely honest.
Anonymous
08/18/2013 20:10
Subject: After 8 years off I need to get a job! HR Mgrs Help!
Anonymous wrote:Tend to agree with PP.
Add the SAH time as SAH, but provide a hefty list of community involvement, wording it carefully so that the organization skills that you honed these 8 years are fully displayed.
Managing PTA duties puts you in contact with folks from a wide range of culture and backgrounds, with various levels of motivations and diverging interests. Being able to herd that, and showing some level of success as measured by numbers (raised PTA membership, raised participation in PTA programs, brought in new programs, Raised the PTA budget by $$$, etc).
Talk about budgets -- realizing that a PTA budget is perhaps in line with a mid level manager (anywhere from $20K to $100K seems typical). Make sure that number is visible. Talk about the vendor relationships you have forged, and your involvement with the school staff. Present it in an analytical fashion, under community involvement, and I bet even the above posters will stop looking at it as "reaching" and more as true and relevant experience.
Also use LinkedIn to research your targeted companies, and invest in a premium account. Look for the teams where many folks have similar commmunity involvemeent (links) -- they will be the people who will understand and value your talent.
Talk about conflict resolution, meeting management skills, keeping the new principal and next year's PTA president from biting each other's head before they have even started to serve -- all with a calm and polite attitude.
Read books on corporate life (Sales, Executive, Management) -- so that you are able to articulate your skills using the business jargon. Make sure you are familiar with the software tools -- and their newer releases (Office Suite, Project, etc). Look for jobs helping Marketing, Sales, Office Management -- and grow from there.
In the end, everyone likes an enthusiastic and effective worker. And usually, the experienced mom coming back in the workforce tends to have those qualities.
As a working mom, who is involved in my community, I actually find the first two comments aggressively misogynistic. I don't want to hijack this thread for that conversation, but really, there are serious jobs out there valuing people by what they know, and not by their labels. The C-Level executive and recruiter above maybe need to try taking some of these community responsibilities on before deciding they are worthless "in the real world'.
Don't forget that as PTA president / Treasurer / etc, you probably already have experience organizing folks like them, because that is who shows up at PTA meetings -- even if those two apparently don't, or don't quite understand what's involved.
I'm the PP that's a C-level...
I'm actually quite active in community responsibilities, believe it or not the skills of strategic planning, marketing, delegation and decision making translate very well to the school concession stand - which under my leadership has had record sales and profits for the past two years. The point for the OP to consider is there's a lot more credibility in saying "I've spent the past 8 years with my 3 kids but I always knew I would want to get back into Marketing (or whatever...). Knowing I would be back, I've attended "fill in the blank" every year and I've completed the whole "whatever" leadership series. I don't know if you had the opportunity to attend the "fill in the blank" session at the "whatever" national meeting/convention/congress, but I was intrigued by "fill in the blank". Gosh, even 5 years ago, we would have never considered that approach!" Work in your journal readings that have kept you current and your thoughts on current trends and issues in your field. That will come across MUCH better than trying to link chairing the wrapping paper fundraiser to strategic planning. Even though you could stretch it to go there, most of us have chaired fundraisers (I chair a couple of events a year) while working. What you want to come across is that yes, you've been SAH for 8 years but that doesn't mean you haven't kept current in your field. Its fine to translate what you have learned to apply to your community/school stuff but keep the focus on the work.
Anonymous
08/18/2013 20:05
Subject: After 8 years off I need to get a job! HR Mgrs Help!
Hiring manager here, OP. please do not put your volunteer experience on your résumé unless you can be very specific on measurable deliverables that would make you an asset to my team and meet the goals of our company. Research your job options and be very careful how you relate these experiences.
That said, I think you should be upfront about choosing to SAH and detail a plan to show me how you have maintained and expanded your original skill set and let me know how committed you are to returning to the professional world. That kind of forward thinking and commitment could go a long way toward convincing me that hiring you over someone who is already current in the field would be to my advantage.
That said, I think you should be upfront about choosing to SAH and detail a plan to show me how you have maintained and expanded your original skill set and let me know how committed you are to returning to the professional world. That kind of forward thinking and commitment could go a long way toward convincing me that hiring you over someone who is already current in the field would be to my advantage.
Anonymous
08/18/2013 19:25
Subject: Re:After 8 years off I need to get a job! HR Mgrs Help!
Anonymous wrote:Don't worry OP! And don't listen to the negative comments by bitter women on DCUM. I stayed home way, way longer than you did. I decided about a year ago to jump back in. I had three offers within about six months of looking. I've been in my new job less than a year and I've already been promoted and given a nice pay raise.
I loved being at home with my kids! And I love that I was able to jump right back in where I left off professionally. No regrets at all! Good Luck!
In what field do you work?
Anonymous
08/18/2013 17:22
Subject: After 8 years off I need to get a job! HR Mgrs Help!
As a former SAH and now working (2+ years) I will tell you that I went in about 8 interviews and the only take away I got was to NOT put your volunteer stuff in your résumé. Not in the cover letter either. Most of the HR people I started with hold those positions and work. They don't find it like work and most thanked me for not listing those as "jobs." There is always time in an interview to mention those things.
Good luck!
Good luck!
Anonymous
08/18/2013 17:21
Subject: Re:After 8 years off I need to get a job! HR Mgrs Help!
Don't worry OP! And don't listen to the negative comments by bitter women on DCUM. I stayed home way, way longer than you did. I decided about a year ago to jump back in. I had three offers within about six months of looking. I've been in my new job less than a year and I've already been promoted and given a nice pay raise.
I loved being at home with my kids! And I love that I was able to jump right back in where I left off professionally. No regrets at all! Good Luck!
I loved being at home with my kids! And I love that I was able to jump right back in where I left off professionally. No regrets at all! Good Luck!
Anonymous
08/18/2013 17:13
Subject: After 8 years off I need to get a job! HR Mgrs Help!
"In the end, everyone likes an enthusiastic and effective worker. And usually, the experienced mom coming back in the workforce tends to have those qualities."
Source, please?
Source, please?
Anonymous
08/18/2013 17:12
Subject: After 8 years off I need to get a job! HR Mgrs Help!
"Do you suggest I list my volunteer accomplishments as part of my experience in my resume or should I list them elsewhere?"
All of that goes into the circular file. I have enough Princesses to deal with. List the things you have done that make you an employee that will add value to my office.
P.S. Working can be boring.
Just so you know, Your Highness.
All of that goes into the circular file. I have enough Princesses to deal with. List the things you have done that make you an employee that will add value to my office.
P.S. Working can be boring.
Just so you know, Your Highness.
Anonymous
08/18/2013 17:01
Subject: After 8 years off I need to get a job! HR Mgrs Help!
Anonymous wrote:Tend to agree with PP.
Add the SAH time as SAH, but provide a hefty list of community involvement, wording it carefully so that the organization skills that you honed these 8 years are fully displayed.
Managing PTA duties puts you in contact with folks from a wide range of culture and backgrounds, with various levels of motivations and diverging interests. Being able to herd that, and showing some level of success as measured by numbers (raised PTA membership, raised participation in PTA programs, brought in new programs, Raised the PTA budget by $$$, etc).
Talk about budgets -- realizing that a PTA budget is perhaps in line with a mid level manager (anywhere from $20K to $100K seems typical). Make sure that number is visible. Talk about the vendor relationships you have forged, and your involvement with the school staff. Present it in an analytical fashion, under community involvement, and I bet even the above posters will stop looking at it as "reaching" and more as true and relevant experience.
Also use LinkedIn to research your targeted companies, and invest in a premium account. Look for the teams where many folks have similar commmunity involvemeent (links) -- they will be the people who will understand and value your talent.
Talk about conflict resolution, meeting management skills, keeping the new principal and next year's PTA president from biting each other's head before they have even started to serve -- all with a calm and polite attitude.
Read books on corporate life (Sales, Executive, Management) -- so that you are able to articulate your skills using the business jargon. Make sure you are familiar with the software tools -- and their newer releases (Office Suite, Project, etc). Look for jobs helping Marketing, Sales, Office Management -- and grow from there.
In the end, everyone likes an enthusiastic and effective worker. And usually, the experienced mom coming back in the workforce tends to have those qualities.
As a working mom, who is involved in my community, I actually find the first two comments aggressively misogynistic. I don't want to hijack this thread for that conversation, but really, there are serious jobs out there valuing people by what they know, and not by their labels. The C-Level executive and recruiter above maybe need to try taking some of these community responsibilities on before deciding they are worthless "in the real world'.
Don't forget that as PTA president / Treasurer / etc, you probably already have experience organizing folks like them, because that is who shows up at PTA meetings -- even if those two apparently don't, or don't quite understand what's involved.
Are you in a position to offer OP a job?
Yes - wonderful! Get in touch with her offline and bring her on board.
No - maybe you should pay attention to what's being said by those who are.
Anonymous
08/18/2013 16:49
Subject: After 8 years off I need to get a job! HR Mgrs Help!
Tend to agree with PP.
Add the SAH time as SAH, but provide a hefty list of community involvement, wording it carefully so that the organization skills that you honed these 8 years are fully displayed.
Managing PTA duties puts you in contact with folks from a wide range of culture and backgrounds, with various levels of motivations and diverging interests. Being able to herd that, and showing some level of success as measured by numbers (raised PTA membership, raised participation in PTA programs, brought in new programs, Raised the PTA budget by $$$, etc).
Talk about budgets -- realizing that a PTA budget is perhaps in line with a mid level manager (anywhere from $20K to $100K seems typical). Make sure that number is visible. Talk about the vendor relationships you have forged, and your involvement with the school staff. Present it in an analytical fashion, under community involvement, and I bet even the above posters will stop looking at it as "reaching" and more as true and relevant experience.
Also use LinkedIn to research your targeted companies, and invest in a premium account. Look for the teams where many folks have similar commmunity involvemeent (links) -- they will be the people who will understand and value your talent.
Talk about conflict resolution, meeting management skills, keeping the new principal and next year's PTA president from biting each other's head before they have even started to serve -- all with a calm and polite attitude.
Read books on corporate life (Sales, Executive, Management) -- so that you are able to articulate your skills using the business jargon. Make sure you are familiar with the software tools -- and their newer releases (Office Suite, Project, etc). Look for jobs helping Marketing, Sales, Office Management -- and grow from there.
In the end, everyone likes an enthusiastic and effective worker. And usually, the experienced mom coming back in the workforce tends to have those qualities.
As a working mom, who is involved in my community, I actually find the first two comments aggressively misogynistic. I don't want to hijack this thread for that conversation, but really, there are serious jobs out there valuing people by what they know, and not by their labels. The C-Level executive and recruiter above maybe need to try taking some of these community responsibilities on before deciding they are worthless "in the real world'.
Don't forget that as PTA president / Treasurer / etc, you probably already have experience organizing folks like them, because that is who shows up at PTA meetings -- even if those two apparently don't, or don't quite understand what's involved.
Add the SAH time as SAH, but provide a hefty list of community involvement, wording it carefully so that the organization skills that you honed these 8 years are fully displayed.
Managing PTA duties puts you in contact with folks from a wide range of culture and backgrounds, with various levels of motivations and diverging interests. Being able to herd that, and showing some level of success as measured by numbers (raised PTA membership, raised participation in PTA programs, brought in new programs, Raised the PTA budget by $$$, etc).
Talk about budgets -- realizing that a PTA budget is perhaps in line with a mid level manager (anywhere from $20K to $100K seems typical). Make sure that number is visible. Talk about the vendor relationships you have forged, and your involvement with the school staff. Present it in an analytical fashion, under community involvement, and I bet even the above posters will stop looking at it as "reaching" and more as true and relevant experience.
Also use LinkedIn to research your targeted companies, and invest in a premium account. Look for the teams where many folks have similar commmunity involvemeent (links) -- they will be the people who will understand and value your talent.
Talk about conflict resolution, meeting management skills, keeping the new principal and next year's PTA president from biting each other's head before they have even started to serve -- all with a calm and polite attitude.
Read books on corporate life (Sales, Executive, Management) -- so that you are able to articulate your skills using the business jargon. Make sure you are familiar with the software tools -- and their newer releases (Office Suite, Project, etc). Look for jobs helping Marketing, Sales, Office Management -- and grow from there.
In the end, everyone likes an enthusiastic and effective worker. And usually, the experienced mom coming back in the workforce tends to have those qualities.
As a working mom, who is involved in my community, I actually find the first two comments aggressively misogynistic. I don't want to hijack this thread for that conversation, but really, there are serious jobs out there valuing people by what they know, and not by their labels. The C-Level executive and recruiter above maybe need to try taking some of these community responsibilities on before deciding they are worthless "in the real world'.
Don't forget that as PTA president / Treasurer / etc, you probably already have experience organizing folks like them, because that is who shows up at PTA meetings -- even if those two apparently don't, or don't quite understand what's involved.
Anonymous
08/18/2013 15:25
Subject: After 8 years off I need to get a job! HR Mgrs Help!
As a business owner, I would value your experience as it shows that you actually have a skill set. After dealing with people who can barely open an excel sheet- being able to manage fundraising or anything else that requires computer literacy and brain power would be a plus.
Find a progressive company, not a stuffed shirt organization, and you will do well.
Find a progressive company, not a stuffed shirt organization, and you will do well.
Anonymous
08/18/2013 15:18
Subject: After 8 years off I need to get a job! HR Mgrs Help!
That crazy word should be position- sorry
Anonymous
08/18/2013 15:17
Subject: After 8 years off I need to get a job! HR Mgrs Help!
Anonymous wrote:I'm a C-level executive. I'm curious to see what the HR folks have to say. Personally, I would give no worth or weight to the whole PTA, HOA, fundraiser angle. I would respect you more if you simply said you made the choice to SAH and you are now returning. Listing all the other stuff as valid experience looks as though you're reaching.
I am recruiter and I tend to agree, unless you are looking for Mpositionni education or an education related field where people would value your connectionsat and commitment to a school.
Anonymous
08/18/2013 11:49
Subject: After 8 years off I need to get a job! HR Mgrs Help!
I'm a C-level executive. I'm curious to see what the HR folks have to say. Personally, I would give no worth or weight to the whole PTA, HOA, fundraiser angle. I would respect you more if you simply said you made the choice to SAH and you are now returning. Listing all the other stuff as valid experience looks as though you're reaching.
Anonymous
08/18/2013 10:58
Subject: After 8 years off I need to get a job! HR Mgrs Help!
I need help! After 8 years, I really am so BORED of being at home, that I need to find a job! I'm exhausted of being the PTA parent; HOA President, doing the fundraisers, volunteering in class, etc. HR Managers, what are some of your suggestions in helping me return to work. I think I need to line a job so that I can line up after school childcare. Also, I'm really uncertain in my career path (or lack thereof) I have done a lot of HR, Administrative Assistant, Event/Meeting Planning, etc.
Do you suggest I list my volunteer accomplishments as part of my experience in my resume or should I list them elsewhere? Also, should I mention in my cover letter why I've been at home for the past 8 years? Again, listing my accomplishments?
TIA
Do you suggest I list my volunteer accomplishments as part of my experience in my resume or should I list them elsewhere? Also, should I mention in my cover letter why I've been at home for the past 8 years? Again, listing my accomplishments?
TIA