I was a 24/7 caregiver to my mother until she passed in October 2015. After she passed I decided to relocate out West but found out it wasn’t for me. I recently moved back to Connecticut and would like to go back to work, either full time or part time. However, there are gaps in my resume as I simply couldn’t hold a full time job and give my mother the care she needed. Has anyone else experienced this? How do you explain the gaps?
I had to give up full-time work in 2015 and move cross-country to care for my parents. After my dad passed I began searching for full-time or part-time work but had no options except jobs that would have had me on my feet all the time (grocery checker, coffee shop) and I can't do that due to sciatica. I have an MBA and experience as a health care data analyst but at 55+ it's nearly impossible to get hired. I don't know what the government expects us to live on until age 65.
I've been researching this myself of late. Currently I am caring for my mother full time but planning on a nursing home within the next six months as her needs (advanced dementia and very limited mobility) now out weight my ability. Trying to get my ducks in a row before hitting the job market after 10 years at the age of 50.
You might find the attached articles helpful. The advise contained mirrors what I've heard from a recruiter; address it head on, in the same fashion as a mother returning to work after raising children. No apologies. If you haven't been keeping your skillset up to speed, start taking a recognised course of some sort now. You can reference this in your cover letter to show that you are being proactive and are ready to hit the ground running. You should also try to meet with a recruiter in your area for an 'informational chat'. They will know the local job market and can give you feed back on your resume as to how it will be received locally.
jibberjobber.com/blog/2014/10/16/how-to-explain-a-sabbatical-if-you-were-taking-care-of-an-ailing-parent-or-loved-one
pongoresume.com/blogPosts/291/has-caring-for-a-loved-one-left-a-gap-in-your-resume
Good luck and let us know how you get on.
Suzanne