Whether you’ve been a stay at home mom and you’re ready to head back to work or if you’ve been working and want to pursue a better job, there comes a time when you sit down to create your resume and have no idea what to write. 

Maybe you didn’t even get to the sit-down part, because the thought of needing to write a resume is holding you back from ever beginning your job search. You know that “perfect” career with work you enjoy and the sweet paycheck to go with it exists, but how do you go from SAHM to successful working woman? 

If you’ve been holding the title of Household CEO the past few years or if you’re wanting to switch career fields completely, you might feel like there’s “not much” to put on your resume. It’s time for you to recognize the value that lies in your skills as a coordinator, manager, scheduler, executor, and planner. Many of these soft skills are coveted by hiring managers, and the advice in the podcast and in the article below will help you get started in the right direction and provide you a path so you can stand out from the crowd of job seekers. 

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Imagine this, you muster the strength and focus it takes to actually write out a cover letter and a resume, you coordinate with the family and get all the ducks/squirrels in a row so you can return to work, and then you spend over a year submitting applications…

*crickets* 

What would you do? How on Earth could you stay positive? It would only be natural to feel like a failure, start to believe maybe you’re not worth a paycheck, and feel as if you’re failing your kids. 

Kristi Meenan experienced this scenario first-hand, and instead of turning inward with fear, she faced the hiring managers, recruiters, and HR professionals that had rejected her applications. 

Leading with curiosity allowed her to learn the keys to writing a great resume, what she should have done, what not to do, and exactly what they WANT to see to make a hire. The job search process can be grueling, but it doesn’t have to be if you set some boundaries, get some help, and prepare your mindset upfront. 

Anytime you’re applying to something – hoping you’ll be “accepted,” it’s easy to feel as if you aren’t in control and are at the mercy of fate. This negativity filtrates throughout your life and before you know it you’re repeating phrases in your head and out loud that perpetuate scarcity and fear. 

You might catch yourself saying things like “we can’t afford that” or “everything’s so expensive,” furthering those feelings of not-enoughness. Kristi regained feelings of control over her job search process by learning from these tough conversations with those who’d rejected her job applications. Set your mindset up in advance with the free Money Mindset Mantras PDF download above. These will help you flip your negative money mindset phrases to positive ones and increase your self-worth right away!

How To Tackle Your Job Search With Confidence And Control

I know this is cliche, but you really can do anything you set your mind to, and the job search process is no different. Whether you want the remote, work-from-home position so you can still be with your kids or you have a desire for the heels and suit in the corporate environment, knowing your numbers ahead of time is key. 

You have a wealth of knowledge right there at your fingertips! Begin doing research on Glassdoor, Salary.com, Indeed, and Payscale. Type in the positions you’re interested in and read through the skills required for the positions in comparison to the value range of that position’s expected salary. 

Feeling stuck or unseen in the midst of a job hunt gets you down and you’re likely to worry about money. So, know your own budget numbers inside and out too. When you’re confident about what bills you really have, their amounts, and when they’re due, you’ll be less stressed because you won’t be anticipating some unknown wave of “stuff” coming at you. YNAB is my go-to recommendation to help you with this!

This entire process, whether you receive a job offer right away or not is a teaching opportunity for your children. You get to teach them about doing something even though you’re scared to (being brave), facing rejection and not quitting (having grit), and always learning from your mistakes and making changes to create a better outcome (focusing on growth). These are all fantastic, impactful lessons for children to witness. 

With your budget intact and your salary range research done, you’ll know right away when you receive a good offer. Before you get too excited, remember compensation is a package consisting of several pieces – money, vacation, bonus calculation stipulations, face-to-face versus remote hours, and even workplace perks like cafeteria and parking passes.  Always, always negotiate so you and the potential employer both get the best deal. 

Action Steps (Now) Toward Getting Hired (Now Or Later)

In December of 2019, CNBC reported up to 70% of all jobs are not published publicly on job search sites and that as many as 80% of positions are filled through personal and professional connections. This is your sign that networking is a huge requirement in the market today. 

Networking these days means joining professional associations and groups online where you can begin to witness and engage in the conversation with professionals in your same career field or industry (or the one you want to be in). Facebook groups might be a good option, but this is where an often forgotten social media platform really shines – LinkedIn. 

Unlike the stuffy confines of a one-page resume and 3-4 paragraph cover letter, LinkedIn gives you a chance to feature your professional headshot, a customized banner image at the top of your profile, your recent accomplishments, and your volunteer work. This is a place where you can show your personality, exhibit your personal values, and use the headline and description areas to highlight your dream career.  

The number one thing to avoid (like the plague) is stuffing your resume with every piece of experience and every activity you’ve ever done since high school. This will get you passed up every.single.time.

Resume customization might sound dreadful, but it’s imperative that each resume for each different company and position to which you apply contains only relevant information to the specific job you want. This is where a resume writer, career coach, and job search strategist like Kristi can really help you. 

These days, getting back “out there” is daunting, I get it. Bust since you’re here, it’s not going to be. You’re taking the time, doing the research, and assembling all the components to help yourself stand out among the crowd. With your resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn bio intentionally created to attract the career you dream of, you’re ready to take the job market by storm and ace that interview with confidence. 

Your Job Search Is Like A Killer Outfit – Heels And All

Think of it like this, if you were to get all glammed up for a date night or special outing, you need ALL the components, right? If one of them falls flat, it deflates the pizzaz of the whole look. 

You gotta get the outfit to go with the killer shoes and your make up and hair will need to be just as impactful. Oh, and don’t forget the pop of jewelry! 

Each component of your job search is like the pieces of your hot-not-a-mess mom’s-night-off look. Maybe a great cover letter would get you noticed, but if the resume and LinkedIn profile aren’t as impressive, recruiters may pass you by. On the same note, maybe you can nail the interview and your resume is amazing, but your cover letter is lame and your LinkedIn profile is non-existent, you won’t even get a chance for the spotlight in this internet-reliant world. 

So put together your job-search package with as much detail and care as you would that impressive date-night look. And if you get lost along the way, I know exactly who can help you. 

Meet Kristi Meenan

Kristi is a Dallas native–and at 50 years young she has reinvented herself, transitioning from a job she needed to create the career she always dreamed of. 

Kristi is a Certified Resume Writer, Job Search Strategist, Career Coach, and LinkedIn Pro. In 2018, she launched her business, We Write It Now and has never looked back.  

Kristi has always loved to write. Her first writing gig was in the 2nd grade. Years later she pursued a Journalism degree at Texas A&M, dabbled in print and television production, and then accepted a job as On-Air talent at a classic rock radio station. If you follow her on Facebook, you will see her insane love of music.” 

After graduation, she moved to Dallas to work for a few well-known companies like Eastman Kodak, Zale Corporation, and JCPenney. She got married, had two kids, and stayed at home with them until they were both in school.

Like many other moms, the time came when she was ready to re-enter the workplace and build her credentials. But, after applying to over 100 positions and receiving 0 offers, she was stuck. 

So, taking matters into her own hands, she spent an extensive amount of time interviewing top recruiters, headhunters, job placement agencies to understand the “secret sauce” for tapping into the hidden job market. 

She now teaches and coaches on how to get your resume at the top of the pile, how to tap into the hidden job market, and how you can partner with your professional network With over 3000 connections on Linked in and experience in creating strategic job searches, she gives you more control over your search, which equals more interviews, more offers, a higher sense of fulfillment, and ultimately, more income!

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristimeenan/ 

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/ktmeenan 

Career Ignite FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CareerIgniteNow 

Click to schedule a FREE consultation: https://calendly.com/kristimeenan/30min

As a special for Reaching Abundance listeners, when you sign up for career coaching or resume writing services, Kristi will design a custom infographic to pair with your new resume and cover letter.  It is just one more thing that will help you stand out against your competition, in the job search. Below are a few examples. This is a $69 value.