Would you put homeschooling or co-op classes on your resume?

[ksr5377]

I'm thinking of applying for a few part time jobs and several are asking for a resume instead of just filling out an application.  I haven't worked a 'real' job for almost 9 years but it doesn't seem like a good idea to leave that much open time on my resume.  Has anyone put homeschooling or teaching co-op classes on their resume or is that not a good idea?  I just don't know that I would look seriously at a resume that had such a big employment gap.  Any other ideas?

[EKS]

I would definitely include any volunteer positions and I would include homeschooling if there weren't enough volunteer/other activities to fill things up.

[beaners]

I don't have any reasoning behind it, but I personally would include coop classes or tutoring but not homeschooling my own kids. I'm not sure why. I'd definitely explain it in an interview. Maybe I would include an extra note about the years without employment to explain what you were doing. I've known a couple people who took long periods off work to care for dying relatives and they made a note of that on their resume. I don't know if that's common or unusual.

[nd293]

I listed the years as full-time stay at home parents, then bullet-pointed volunteer positions. One bullet point says "as a homeschooling parent researched, organised and executed an individual educational programs for a child Years 3-5". This section is a catch-all of informal volunteering: I list specific volunteer positions separately with their own details (e.g. Membership co-ordinator of HS drama group - compiled and maintained records, collected fees and paid vendors, assisted with arrangement of end of year performance).

[Melissa B]

I also had a nine year gap when I wasn't working. I put co-op teacher and 4-H leader on my resume, though they are both volunteer positions.

[inmyopinion]

I would, yes.  I added my position on the Board of our homeschool group, as well as other volunteer activities where I was in leadership.  I would include teaching at a co-op.  

[ksr5377]

Thank you for the replies.  I feel much better sending a resume that has something current instead of beginning so long ago.  

[abcmommy]

yes  

[Plink]

I'd only include outside teaching activities, not homeschooling.  

 

And to be honest, I think I'd only include teaching classes that applied to the position I was interested in.  For example, if I were applying for a secretarial job, I'd emphasize years of teaching economics, but wouldn't mention teaching quilting.

[HRAAB]

I'm in this same position except I haven't done anything outside of homeschooling for 15 years. I included all volunteer positions including homeschool coop and church positions. I debated about including homeschooling, but in the end, I didn't. I don't want a potential employer thinking I was laying around eating bonbons while watching soaps. I've been busy with a full time, demanding job. Still, I wasn't comfortable putting homeschooling on my resume although I'm not exactly sure why.

[OnTheBrink]

I simply put "homemaker" to explain my 12 year gap in employment. I think I explained more during the interview. I did also list my volunteer work as a deaconess at church, because I had to organize events, oversee people, distribute duties, etc. 

[purpleowl]

I think it should be listed, if only to show the reason for the gap in paid employment.

 

Whether you go into detail about it probably depends on what sort of job you're applying for.  If there are aspects of homeschooling that you can highlight to emphasize the use of applicable skills, then do so.  If not, just include it as the placeholder.

 

Volunteer positions like teaching in a co-op, definitely.

[Jenny in Florida]

I don't list homeschooling on my resume, exactly, but I do mention it.

 

When I was in the process of going back to work after 17-ish years at home, I designed a resume that put all of my pre-kids professional work in "functional" format. I had started tutoring online very part-time about a year before I started looking for an actual outside-the-house job. So, I listed that above the older stuff in a more traditional resume format, with dates of employment and all of that. At the top of the page, I added a "key skills" section with a few bullet points, including one that mentioned my years of experience in home education.

 

So, basically, the format was something like:

 

Key Skills

* More than 20 years' experience in technical writing, training, tutoring and home education.

* (Another braggy statement)

* (One more braggy statement)

 

Recent Experience

  Job Title, Company

  January 2013  - present

  Job description

 

Additional Professional Experience

  Training: General description of the my tasks and responsibilities and a list of some of the more interesting/impressive companies I worked for.

 

  Editorial: General description of the my tasks and responsibilities and a list of some of the more interesting/impressive companies I worked for.

 

Education

Degree, Major, University, etc.

 

Continuing Education & Additional Training

(Here I listed any relevant classes and training I had completed in the last few years, with dates, to show that I was keeping up my skills.)

[QueenCat]

I would include classes I taught at tutorials and co-ops but not classes that I taught solely to my own children.

[Ausmumof3]

Probably. I wouldn't put it in as a skill or employment type thing but just so that they can see what fills in the gap and that I didn't just drop out of work for so long for no reason. It may put a few employers off but I probably wouldn't enjoy working with them.

[SereneHome]

No, I would not.  I made a mistake of doing that and when a hiring manager called me, that's ALL she wanted to talk about.

 

I posted that question on a money board that I frequent.  Members consist of professionals in various fields, hiring managers, business owners, etc  and I got a unanimous " bad bad idea".

 

Actually, I don't know what possessed me to put it on my resume in the first place.

 

For the record, most of the recruiters and potential employers didn't have a big problem with the gap on my resume - almost 8 yrs.  They did ask for an explanation, though.

 

 

 

[DragonFaerie]

I have "Seven years of teaching experience in a home education environment" under the "Additional Skills" section at the bottom of my resume.  That line was actually instrumental in getting me my first outside the home job in about 9 years.  The job was as a GED instructor, and the lady that interviewed me had homeschooled her kids, too.

[HSmomof2]

It would depend on the job I was applying for. I've always done at least some very part-time work, so I don't have a big gap on my resume. However, I think if you've done co-op teaching or administrating, that could be listed under volunteer work. Otherwise, from what I've read in career books, a gap in employment should be explained in the cover letter (with a simple statement about taking time off from full-time employment to raise your family) and interview.

[TechWife]

I put the title "Volunteer Instructor, XYZ Cooperative" under volunteer work and detailed the responsibilities: evaluating and selecting curriculum, budgeting, writing course descriptions, lesson plans, conducting group lessons, motivating 14-18 year olds, evaluating student assignments and offering constructive suggestions for improvement. 

 

I had a friend that hires people regularly look at it and she thought it was good given my situation (haven't worked in 18 years). She also volunteers with Jobs for Life and as part of her role there she helps people put together resumés, so I think her advice is current. 

 

 

[Suzanne in ABQ]

If I didn't include homeschooling related activities, I'd have a 20 year blank on my resume.  I can't imagine working for anyone who would be so turned off by my homeschooling and other teaching experience.

[LucyStoner]

No, I would not unless the job related to homeschooling or tutoring in some way.

[Tita Gidge]

Depending on the job applied for, of course, but a co-op instructor makes me think of someone who can take charge, but also work well in a team; someone who can effectively manage time and resources; someone who can work independently without a lot of oversight; someone who can plan and execute said plan; etc.

 

These are skills that would do well in nearly all fields, particularly those part-time positions.

 

I spent six years hiring and firing, and I'd have welcomed that on the resume - maybe not the homeschooling (better left to the cover letter, IMO) but definitely the co-op instructor. Then again, I'm not very traditional in what I do or how I work so I have no clue how this would be perceived in the here and now.

[Elfknitter.#]

As long as said experience was under volunteer skills/capacity sure. But if trying to use it as a means to fill in work gaps, no.

[Word Nerd]

I wouldn't list homeschooling as a job under work experience but would put co-op teaching in the volunteer section.

[Hwin]

I'd put the co-op in the resume and try to work homeschooling into the cover letter. I think most employers would want to know that your reasons for taking a break from the work force were to do a different kind of work (and I think most people realize that homeschooling takes time, planning, research, will-power, patience etc.)

 

 

[merry gardens]

Homemaking, yes; homeschooling, no.

 

Relating to skills under homemaking, you can tailor your resume to the job and mention whatever skills you practiced and/or acquired as a homemaker that relate to that job field. Any volunteer work that relates to the field can be mentioned, so there may be some instances where it would be worthwhile to mention your experience with homeschooling. But I'd be cautious about using the term "homeschooling" or claiming to be the prime educator unless you are quite certain the people who will be reading your resume believe that homeschooling is a good thing.  

[Word Nerd]

I disagree. I would not list homemaking as a job on a resume. That's more suited to the cover letter.

[Amy in NH]

I think it depends on the job, but I would definitely use "home educator" instead of "homeschooler", and list out the relevant skills including the administrative tasks: "responsible for research, planning, instruction, and record keeping for an education program for X-number of children of varing ages and abilities" or something like that.  But I'm told that job-hunting is different than it was last time I was applying for jobs (like 20 years ago). 

[catz]

I am a paid co-op teacher and have developed curriculum in my area of expertise.  I feel that is something definitely to include on a resume.  Even if what I was teaching did not directly relate to the job I was looking for.  So I think it depends what you've done and how you present it. 

[MEmama]

Yes, but I would keep it short and sweet.

 

When I worked in HR, I reviewed a few resumes where homemaking was way overblown (yes, I agree it's different than home educating, but lesson learned). It was clear there weren't any actual skills being listed (think edu-speak but for being a SAHM). Those applicants didn't make the cut for interviews.

[lea_lpz]

Yes I would but more as a skills based resume high lighting what skills you utilized in volunteering, homeschooling, and managing a household. This is a good approach to use for homemakers who have taken time out of the work force to use. I have a masters in educational counseling and this is something I would suggest to anyone in your situation.

[Word Nerd]

Yes, but I would keep it short and sweet.

 

When I worked in HR, I reviewed a few resumes where homemaking was way overblown (yes, I agree it's different than home educating, but lesson learned). It was clear there weren't any actual skills being listed (think edu-speak but for being a SAHM). Those applicants didn't make the cut for interviews.

Something else to consider is that the hiring manager may be a mom (or dad) herself, and she does many of the same things SAHMs do in her own home. Household management, budgeting, and other similar skills are part of parenting in general and are not specific to SAHMs.

[MEmama]

Something else to consider is that the hiring manager may be a mom (or dad) herself, and she does many of the same things SAHMs do in her own home. Household management, budgeting, and other similar skills are part of parenting in general and are not specific to SAHMs.

True. I was referring to a few that were over the top and clearly trying too hard. That's why I say, keep it short and sweet and to the point. There's no need to elaborate or overly embellish daily household upkeep. ;)