Mom Goes Back to Full-Time Work

Question
I have been with the same company for six years.

I started out in a sales position, managing a territory (one year), then I was promoted to a manager where I supervised reps who where responsible for territories throughout the country (three years).

Two years ago I stepped down from my position because the overnight travel became a problem as I had two small children. The company allowed me to work part-time and resume my sales position with a defined territory. The kids are now in school full-time and I am looking for a full-time sales position in a different industry.

What is the best way to indicate that my last two years have been part-time and that I chose to no longer maintain my manager role for personal reasons. Should I just list my total years with the company and the two specific roles without indicating the exact years in the position? Any assisatnce would be greatly appreciated.
-- Jennifer

Answer
Jennifer, congratulations on juggling so much while being a full-time mom. That in itself is an achievement!

My longstanding philosophy about resume writing is: "Your resume is about your future, not your past." This principle can help answer your question. What is your future? You said you want to work in sales in a different industry.

If the new industry is related to children, then you should list "Parent of two children" in you work history along with your paid positions. (See sample resumes for parents re-entering the workforce.) In your cover letter explain that your children are now in school and you're available for a full-time job. Because your parenting supports your job objective it makes sense to highlight it in this way.

If the new industry is unrelated to children, then you should downplay your motherhood and mention it only if it comes up in your job interview. On your resume, list your job titles without saying that they were full- or part-time. Again, that issue can wait until the interview. Consider using the combination resume format, which allows you to list your job titles in reverse chronology and highlight the skills that are relvant to your job objective. In your cover letter, don't bring up your parenting, as it's not relevant to the job your shooting for.

In either case, be sure to emphasize the skills that are relevant to your job objective (your future). If you're looking for a management job, emphasize your administrative and leadership skills. If you're going for a sales rep position, downplay your supervisory experience and play up your sales achievements.

Best of luck to you!