I am trying to re-enter the workforce after 3 years as a sahm - and having problems

[mimmy]

I know the job market is really tight these days but, I feel that I am hitting a brick wall - I can't even get an interview! My resume and background are strong - I have years of experience in my field and I had a lot of interesting assignments at my last job and was really well respected.
Anyway, to get to the point, I am beginning to suspect that one of the main reasons that prospective employers are hesitent to try me out is because of my three years as a sahm. Has anyone else run into this problem? If so, how did you handle it on your resume/cover letter? I didn't do any "professional" stuff while a sahm - this was my chance to stay at home a parent and that is solely what I did.
Any advice would be appreciated.

[indiegirl]

I don't have any advice but wanted to send you support.

Any employer who couldn't see the value in SAH parenting is nto worth working for, no?

Jesse

[Lucky Charm]

No, i have never had this problem. i am not sure what your field is though. i am a nurse, and have taken block of time off, sometimes for no other reason other than boredom. i am hired right away.

I am not in "business", nor a "creative" field, where in some circles time off means you have lost "your edge".

keep your chin up. lots of moms have taken time off to raise their families and found jobs. you might suprsise yourself with a new career field.

I swear, when i grow up i want to be a crossing guard!

hugs from one mom to another!
Lisa

[glh]

sweetbaby, there is such a shortage of nurses that I don't think you can compare that to other fields. One of my friends is an LPN and all she has to do is pick up the phone to get hired. She has changed jobs (usually at nursing homes) so many times and she always gets hired right away.

Back to OP, I feel for you because I will probably be in the same boat in a couple years. Maybe get as many leads as you can from former co-workers and bosses? But you have probably done that already.

[hulamama]

I think with the pending war and everything, jobs are just really hard to come by. Keep your chin up, think of other types of jobs you might have not even considered, and just keep at it. I know in teaching (my field) having stayed at home is not looked down upon at all. They usually test you out as a sub, but then once you are known around the area they will pick you up if they have an opening. Sorry I am not much more help. Good luck with the search.

[Marlena]

I've not experienced it, myself (as it was never particularly pertinent), but I've certainly heard of that sort of discrimination. It depends, I suspect, on one's field. For example, I suspect that if I, an attorney, tried any time in the near future to get a job in private practice now (after taking time off following the birth of my daughter to do my LLM and then becoming an academic), I'd probably not get much response. That might change after I've been back in academe for a while (but I hope never to have to find out!). I know a biologist who had to return to work as a retail clerk, just in order to start working again at all.

What is your field? Perhaps there's some way you could get consulting or contract assignments, even if they're not quite in your field, so you redevelop a track record of working and some recent references?