Help!! filling in job application

sugaJen

Im 25 and this is the first 1 ive had to fill in

Employment history: I was a packer in a warehouse, but i dont wanna write "packer" what could I put? warehouse operative?

reason for leaving: I had a baby, should I just put that or Pregnancy??

I know I sound abit pathetic but ive been a single, stay at home mum for a longish time and I wanna get it right.

TIA
Jen

justpaper

you should tailor your cv to the industry sector your applying for,. gaps in a employment history may let u down,. im sure someone with cv spin skills will post soon

msmicawber

Hi Jen,

My thought is just to put 'Warehouse Packer' or whatever the official title of the role was. The important thing is what you actually did at work. Try and think of everything you did as part of your job in terms of skills - organisational skills, accuracy, attention to detail, that sort of thing and put a brief description drawing attention to those skills. As Justpaper said, bring out information and skills that are relevant to the job(s) you're applying for.

Your prospective employer won't know what your previous job entailed unless you give them details, at which point the title becomes irrelevant (like Vice President in US companies - there's hundreds of them, and they can't all be the President's right hand man/woman, so have to list what they actually did each day!)

I'd also recommend that you say that your employment gap was because you were a stay at home mum during that period. If you aren't up front, they'll suspect that you may have been in prison or something!

taxi97w

Warehouse operative

Home maker

liney

Warehouse Operative: Duties included packing for despatch, picking stock, manual handling and palletising of goods, completing relevant paperwork, general housekeeping of my work station. I decided not to return to this employment after my maternity leave to stay at home with my child.

Delete, add as appropriate. I see CV's every day (industrial) which say 1 year - packer - packing.... yes helpful.

Make sure you get the dates right and account for all your time. Provide a copy of a written reference if you have one. Good luck)

Astaroth

Put down what ever your offical job title was. Often companies in a reference will ask for conformation of things like possition held and whilst some referees will just confirm yes to a job title that is similar to the one that you had others will play it by the book and either say no, and give your correct title (which can make you look as if you are trying to artificially improve your CV and so throw doubt on the rest of it) or simply say no with no explaination which makes them think you are a liar.

I do not think that saying that you left for extended maternity leave is an issue... I would avoid wording it such that it could be taken as that you went on a normal 6 month leave and at the end of it decided not to go back (ie messed the employer arround - esp as you only had 1 years service with the company)

Savvy_Sue

I've always put "family circumstances" or similar: employers tend to assume that it's for children, but you don't have to spell it out for them!

Good luck!

amibovered?

Hi
I think I would put down your job title as was, as suggested by Astaroth. Think it cast doubts on your whole application if your referee then sends it back with warehouse op crossed out! Accuracy over dates is very impritance as people want a checkable work history. I would probably put "childcare break" as reason for leaving.

I would mention the transferable skills you will have gained in your previous employment and time at home. I appreciate it must difficult returning to work after a significant period of time at home. I also think women in particular aren;t as good as they should be in the art of self-promotion or selling ourselves.
Go girl!!!

advent1122

Home maker

Do you mean housewife? Or have I moved to America without realising?

amibovered?

Isn't a home maker a construction worker?
Think this would be misleading!!
As a tyke Jen you should know that we call a spade a spade round these 'ere parts!
Good luck with your application - it will be fine.

liney

I think the current term is 'stay at home mom'' but i have heard 'Domestic Engineer' LOL.