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As a single parent, I spent the last 8 years working as a homemaker and caretaker for an elderly parent. During the first five years, I worked as an independent meeting planner and/or corporate communications contractor or temporary office admin assignment.

Five years ago I had a serious accident at home which left me on disability. My parent passed away and my child is away at college. Now, I found myself without a college degree (only 3 years college), unemployable and displaced jobwise. After years of trying, I landed a temporary office admin assignment six months ago, Jan 2017. This assignment ends next month. Although I’ve worked permanently at Fortune 500 corporations and smaller companies in the past and my knowledge and skills are current, my best career work was in the 90s.

Next week I enroll at a local university and have a year to complete my BA but I am struggling financially. It seems like everything I accomplished in the past doesn’t count and I am starting over from scratch. How do I explain the gaps on my resume especially the multiple temporary assignments so I can land a stable job in my field?

JLJ
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  • Will you get a good reference from the recent temporary job? Any reason not to explain your history much the way you did here? – Patricia Shanahan Jun 04 '17 at 20:53
  • I don't know where you are physically located but this is a good company that hires meeting planners:http://ahmdirect.com/careers/ – HLGEM Jun 05 '17 at 15:26

2 Answers2

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Honesty

Everyone has periods of their life where things are tumultuous. In an interview just explain that many things were going on in your personal life and that due to that finding a full time position was not possible.

Don't sell yourself as a sob story either. You have real experience:

... Fortune 500 corporations and smaller companies in the past and my knowledge and skills are current ...

You need to believe in what you have to offer the company and accept what the past 8 years were. The confidence and assertion that you demonstrate is what will get you hired.

TheFamousDirector
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My wife is doing this right now, transitioning from 17 years of homemaker to a position as a molecular biologist. She's been advised by her mentor that, if asked, she simply is honest about being attentive to the home and is now re-entering the workforce with her new skillset.

You're transitioning from one job to another, and should handle it as such.

SliderBlackrose
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