TGHarris Consulting

Resume Cover Letter For Sequencing Mothers,
Or Mothers Re-entering The Workforce

There’s no need for you to feel uncomfortable about the fact that there’s a gap in your resume. You’re part of a growing population of stay at home mothers that have taken time off from their professional life to care for their families. The increase in women making the choice to stay home and raise their children has caused a rise in employer awareness. More women than ever feel confident in their decision to take much needed time off to raise their children and later return to the workforce.

The traditional purpose for a cover letter is to allow your employer to see what qualities you have that relate specifically to their available position, and to see whether you have taken the time to do any research about their company.
For the sequencing mother, though, the cover letter is the perfect opportunity for you to shine and highlight the skills you’ve learned as a full-time manager of your household.

Instead of approaching your absence from the workforce with hesitation, highlight your time spent managing your family and the many new skills you’ve mastered during this time. Be proud of the decision that you made to be a stay at home mother, for this is no small accomplishment. It is vital that you are up front about your absence from the workforce because it is a very important part of who you are and your working career. Besides, you don’t want to get caught up making excuses or speaking half-truths during the interview to explain away your gap in employment.

Of course, it would be ideal to be able to tell your story in person, but often you don’t have the luxury of meeting someone face-to-face. As such, the cover letter becomes a great tool to let a potential employer know about your resume gap and why you are now ready to re-enter the professional arena.

Selling your interviewer on a gap in your resume takes careful thought. Don’t try tricks like changing dates or exaggerating your managerial skills because you were able to keep your household running smoothly for years. Your interviewer is aware of a mothers duties and will know if he/she is being tricked. What he/she wants to know is that you’re back in the game and have something to offer their company. Be sure to mention why you’re re-entering the workforce now. Such as, your children are now in school full-time, so it’s the perfect opportunity for you to re-enter the workforce. You now have the time and the motivation to regain your career.

We are all proud of our children and love to share stories and photos with others, but when it comes to the resume cover letter and interview, It’s best not to mention the children in a personal aspect. Try to keep it business or position related. You may, however, mention your children in support of certain skills you mastered during your time away from the workforce. For example, you stayed current with computer technology because you spent numerous hours helping your children with research on their computer. The best way to present your newly acquired skills is in the same manner you would present other skills you have mastered during your professional career. Example:

Positive attitude and exceptional people skills.
Highly effective organizational abilities.
Exceptional attention to detail and follow-through while managing multiple projects and meeting demanding deadlines.
The ability to work both independently, or as part of a team to produce quality bottom-line results.

The most important thing to remember when beginning the resume writing process, is to be proud of your choice to stay home and manage your family. List your newly acquired skills with confidence, for they have made you who you
are today!

Terry Harris, the Premier Interview Coach and Consultant, specializes in the teachings of Real World Interview Skills to both individual and small business clients. For more information on his online services, products, and customized coaching packages go to: http://www.TGHarris.com or call 858-204-9689.

Salary Negotiations

By Terry Harris

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The one thing you can count on is the job experience and knowledge you’ve already retained. This includes knowledge of the current pay range for the position you are presently in. It has to make sense for you to leave your current position to go to work for another company.

 

Salary negotiations aren’t limited to lateral job moves. If you are new to the job market, or have been unemployed for any length of time you will want to negotiate your wages at the time of the job offer as well.

 

The most important thing to remember is not to jump the gun and offer up your expected wages before hearing your potential employer’s offer and the reasoning behind it.

 

You always want the company to offer you a dollar amount, before any negotiations begin. The rule is whomever talks money first loses. Once the company has given you a salary range, it gives you something to work off of.

 

If your interviewer asks you what kind of wages you expect, prior to giving you an offer, you should simply answer, “without fully knowing what the job entails, I can’t really consider a fair compensation for the position”. It is completely appropriate to ask him/her what the companies budget is for the position, before giving your offer.

 

You must always go into the interview prepared for some sort of salary discussion. If your interviewer doesn’t discuss the topic at the time of the interview, then be prepared for some sort of questioning when offered the job. If you are knowledgeable of the going pay range for the position you are applying for, and you take into consideration your qualifications for the position you are applying for, then the negotiations should go smoothly.

 

If you are unclear about what your position is worth, do some research. There are plenty of websites (http://www.salary.com, http://www.salaryexpert.com) that can give you the answers you need to walk into any salary negotiations confident of your worth and salary demands.

 

 

Terry Harris, the Premier Interview Coach and Consultant, specializes in the teachings of Real World Interview Skills to both individual and small business clients. For more information on his online services, products, and customized coaching packages go to:

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.TGHarris.com or call 858-204-9689.