5 Tips for a Stay At Home Dad Resumes

Andrea Barger |
Andrea (she/her) is our head of PR at Snagajob, where she’s focused on telling the world how we help hourly workers and employers. Her first hourly job was as a lifeguard.

Tim reached out to us on our Facebook page and asked:

“I’ve been a stay at home dad for the past three years. I’m now ready to get back into the workforce but am not really sure where to start. Help!”

No worries, Tim. We’ve got you covered.

1) Get your resume together

Obviously you know that your resume is important. But have you thought about what to include? If you have done any volunteer work while you’ve been out of a job, or if you’ve been involved in leading any extracurricular activities for your kids, make sure to include this. Not only does this give you some things to fill in your gap in employment, but this also shows the employer that you’re well rounded.

If you don’t have any of the above, think about getting out and volunteering in an industry you’re interested in. This can count as experience and will give you something to really talk about in your interview. This will help you maintain your skill set while also growing your network.

In addition, think about taking classes at your local community college or library. They may offer things to brush you up on your computer skills, management skills or other areas you’d like to pursue. Employers are looking to see what you’ve been up to since your last job and showing that you’ve stayed on top of things will really shine on your resume.

2) Be honest

It’s completely okay to say you’ve been staying at home with your children for the past few years. In fact, employers will appreciate your dedication. Include this on your applications and even in your resume if the gap has been significant. Make sure you stress to the employer what you’ve learned during this time. I’d be willing to bet your patience, time management and organizational skills have greatly improved and these are all traits employers cherish. By bringing in your strengths as a stay at home parent, you’ll prove to the employer you’ve continued to learn and you’ll be an asset to their team.

3) Contact everyone you know

I completely understand that letting the world know you’re looking for a job may not be the most fun thing in the world. But, the more people you tell, the more people you’ll have on your team and the more opportunities that will come your way. They can reach out to their contacts or their employer to see if there’s anything you’d be interested in applying to. Reach out to your friends, the parents of your children’s friends and your former coworkers to see if they know of any openings.

You should also reach out to companies that you used to work for. If you left on good terms then there’s probably a good chance they’d see if they could make room for you again. If not, they will definitely keep you in mind when something new opens up.

4) Look at professional organizations

A great way to make new connections in your area is to join professional organizations. These can be as general as a chamber of commerce or as specific as the Public Relations Society of America. These groups look great on your resume and they are a perfect way to get to know people in your profession. In addition, many times these organizations post new job openings on their website or announce them at meetings, before the general public knows about them.

Do an internet search for organizations in your area and get started!

5) Be patient

Finding a job might not be the easiest thing in the world, especially if you’ve been out of the game for awhile. But, you’ll make it easier on yourself by not giving up and by planning out specific time each day to dedicate to the job search. If you’re having trouble concentrating, get out of the house and search in person, go to a coffee shop and look online or lock yourself in a room and ask that no one contact you.

Also keep in mind that you might not be able to get back to the same level you left right away. Don’t limit yourself to only those positions. You can always prove yourself to the company and work your way back to the top. It sounds frustrating, I know. But the greater net you cast the better chance you’ll find a company that you can grow with. Sometimes you have to go backwards to move forward.