Stay-at-Home Mum CV Example & Writing Guide

From folding endless piles of laundry to preparing nutritious meals, as a stay-at-home mum or housewife, you’re no stranger to managing a multitude of tasks. 

While your role at home is invaluable, crafting a solid CV is essential if you are considering re-entering the workforce. 

With our innovative CV builder, we make it easy to build professional CVs that get you noticed and hired faster. 

In this guide, alongside our stay-at-home mum CV examples, we’ll explore how to best showcase your skills, highlight your accomplishments, and position yourself for success. 

How to write a stay-at-home mum CV

The key to a successful job application is knowing what to include on your CV. 

We recommend incorporating the following sections: 

• The CV header
• The CV summary (aka profile or personal statement)
• The employment history section
• The CV skills section
• The education section

It’s essential to highlight any transferable skills acquired through parenting, such as time management, organisation, and multitasking skills.

It’s also important to consider the specific job role and industry you’re applying for. 

Don’t forget these four essential tips: 

1. Customise your CV to align with the job requirements, emphasising relevant experiences and skills that match the role.
2. Include industry-specific keywords and phrases to ensure your CV successfully navigates Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).
3. Opt for a simple or professional CV layout that effectively presents your relevant qualifications and experiences.
4. Include specific examples of how your parenting experiences have equipped you with skills directly applicable to the job you are applying for.

Choose an appropriate CV layout for stay-at-home mums

While each CV format has its advantages, the reverse chronological format is usually the best CV format for most career paths and industries. This layout highlights your most recent experience and education, allowing recruiters to review your career journey easily.

If you have been outside the workforce for a significant amount of time, consider using the functional CV format, which emphasises skills over work experience. 

This format is also ideal for stay-at-home mums embarking on a new career with limited work experience.

Provide essential contact details

Ensuring potential employers can contact you is crucial. Here are the key details to include in your CV's header:

• Full Name & Job Title: Clearly state your full name and the position you are seeking.
• Email Address: Use a professional email address, e.g., ‘aisling.murphy@live.ie.’
• Phone Number: Provide a phone number with a professional voicemail greeting.
• Location: Include your city and county, and indicate if you are open to relocation. For example, “Dublin, County Dublin (Willing to Relocate).”
• Professional Websites: Boost your application by sharing links to your LinkedIn profile or other professional platforms.

Avoid disclosing sensitive information like your birthdate, PPS number or irrelevant details such as nationality or political affiliations.

Create a convincing CV summary

In 2-4 sentences, highlight any relevant skills, accomplishments, or experiences demonstrating your suitability for the position you are applying for.  

Stay-at-home mums can also apply for remote jobs, leveraging their diverse skill sets and experiences to excel in flexible, virtual roles. 

Check out our stay-at-home mum CV examples below:

Outline your work history: your professional roadmap

Crafting a work history section as a stay-at-home mum involves summarising your relevant experiences, roles, and achievements into succinct bullet points that emphasise your contributions in each former position. 

Prioritise listing your most recent roles first. Use impactful language and action verbs that showcase your ability to drive results, such as "mentored," "managed," and "analysed." 

Focus on showcasing tangible accomplishments. For example, consider the following responsibilities for a remote role as an online coach:

• "Assisted clients with personal development goals."
• "Led online coaching sessions for individuals seeking career guidance."
• "Worked together with clients to create customised plans for achieving balance."

To add more vibrance and vitality, these examples could be rephrased as: 

• "Enhanced personal growth and development for clients, resulting in a 20% increase in goal achievement."
• "Led virtual coaching sessions that supported 25 clients in securing career advancements and promotions."
• "Developed tailored strategies with clients, leading to a 95% client satisfaction rating.”

These revised examples demonstrate how you can elevate essential responsibilities into impactful statements highlighting your skills and expertise.

List relevant industry skills

When compiling the skills section, it's essential for stay-at-home mums to showcase their technical abilities, existing software knowledge, and applicable soft skills effectively. 

Skills may include online mentoring, communication skills, proficiency in platforms such as Zoom or Skype, and the ability to motivate and empower individuals.

Here are a list of transferable skills you may have developed in your role as a stay-at-home mum: 

Translating your skills as a stay-at-home mum into concrete achievements can help showcase the value you bring to potential employers. For example:

Time Management: Discuss your ability to balance household tasks, appointments, and personal responsibilities efficiently.

Communication Skills: Highlight your effective communication skills, coordinating family schedules, advocating for children’s needs, or maintaining relationships with external parties.

Organisational Skills: Showcase your skills in maintaining order and structure when managing household operations. 

Detail your education & relevant certifications

In your CV’s education section, provide details of your academic qualifications and certifications. If you have a Bachelor’s degree or higher, you don’t have to list your Leaving Certificate details. 

Additionally, consider incorporating the following: 

Professional development courses: Include details on any professional development courses or programs you attended to help demonstrate your commitment to continuous learning. 

Internships: Elaborate on any internships, CE schemes, or training you have received, especially if the training is relevant to the role you are applying for. 

Online learning experiences: Discuss any relevant courses you have completed. 

Platforms such as Coursera or Skillshare offer online courses that can broaden your expertise for potential career opportunities.

Select an appropriate CV layout and design for your industry

Choosing the right layout and design for your CV is essential when applying for jobs as a stay-at-home mum. 

Poorly formatted CVs can harm your chances of employers taking you seriously, so choose a tidy CV layout with clear sections, sensible font choices, and professional colour schemes. 

Clean, well-formatted CV layouts can help highlight your skills and experience, making it easy for employers to see why you're an excellent fit for the job. 

Consider using a simple or professional CV template with modern design elements, easy-to-read fonts, and a conventional colour scheme.

As a stay-at-home mum, juggling household responsibilities and pursuing career aspirations can be overwhelming. 

Simplify your job search with cvapp.ie's online CV builder and create a job-winning CV with ease.