Around one in five Americans choose to be stay-at-home parents at some point after starting a family. Having more time with your children when they are young is a real gift. The flexibility of this lifestyle means you can be 100% focused on their upbringing. You do it all. From taxiing them to after-school clubs to planning nutritious meals, and helping them with their homework. But what about when you want to re-enter the workforce?
Crafting an engaging stay-at-home mom cover letter is the answer. Since you’ve had a career break, this freeform document will help you to tell your unique story. You don’t have loads of space to spare. The average cover letter is just 300 words long! For that reason, you need to pick your words carefully and ensure you pique the employer’s interest.
If you’re up for the challenge, you’ve come to the right place. Here at Resume.io, we have all of the resources you need to support your career journey. In the following stay-at-home mom cover letter writing guide — and the corresponding cover letter example — we will delve into these topics:
Searching for extra cover letter inspiration? We’ve got your back. You can also read our comprehensive cover letter guide to get the insights you’ve been looking for.
Looking for some more inspiration? If you know what type of job you’re going to apply for, it may help to check out our specific role-related cover letter examples:
When you’re writing your stay-at-home mom cover letter, you need to include some core features. Follow this simple structure to make it flow naturally:
While you might have a lot you want to say, conforming to this structure will help you make your point. The last thing you want is to ramble on to a potential employer without ever getting to the bottom line. Instead, your cover letter needs to make narrative sense. Starting with a strong introduction and leading into the middle paragraphs is the way to go.
If you already have work experience in the field at hand, you will want to weave that in with the lessons you have learned as a parent. It can be a tall order. However, the above structure gives you the space you need to target both of these subject matters. For more inspiration, you can take a look at our cover letter example at the end of this section.
Dear Ms. Baker,
As a stay-at-home mom having looked after my young children for the past three years, I am now ready to return to the workplace in a part-time administration role.
My role in a busy home has involved everything that I will need to help you run your office. My career as a purchasing manager before having children will allow me to bring back the influencing skills that used to serve me so well. Juggling five child-rearing activities is not so different from managing an office team of ten.
I am interested in the remote working flexibility and have undertaken some secretarial work whilst on parental leave, but I am ready to return to an office environment for a couple of days a week. I am a cheerful and proactive colleague and always seize an opportunity to help out. As a stay home mom, I honed my organizational skills and look forward to helping everyone focus on what matters to them while I sort the admin in the background.
I have taken the time to complete several courses in CRM management during my time away, so would be interested to help manage external suppliers as well as internal stakeholders. My negotiation experience is solid. I may be an asset when it comes to any kind of ongoing performance management with providers.
I look forward to the opportunity of meeting and finding out more during an interview. I am flexible in many ways and hope to explore further.
Sincerely,
Alicia Simmonds
First up, let’s start with the red tape. The cover letter header is located right at the top of the document. It simply includes your name, phone number, and email address. Don’t attempt to do anything flashy here. This information is important — so you want the hiring manager to notice it immediately. Ensure that you use a clear font style and size. If your cover letter wins over an employer, you need to make it easy for them to contact you.
Optimize your header for the Applicant Tracking System (ATS).
Many companies now use ATS software to filter incoming applications. While its main goal is to match the best candidates to the role based on the keywords, it may also organize applications. Make sure that your contact details are easy to understand.
You can do this by marking each one with a subject, such as “name,” “phone number,” and “email address”. That way, the software can quickly detect these fields and save them. This simple trick may make it more straightforward for employers to reach you.
Now that you’ve dealt with that admin, it’s time to say hello to the reader. You need to take a formal tone here. That means avoiding casual greetings, such as “Hello,” “Hi,” or “Heya”. None of these salutations scream professionalism. Instead, they make you look like an amateur.
If you know the hiring manager’s name, you can address them directly. You might want to use “Dear Miss T. Swift” or even “Dear Dr. Swift,” for example. Of course, if you are uncertain who will be reading your cover letter, it’s wise to go with a generic greeting. You can use “Dear hiring manager” or even “Dear _____ team”. Always go for the polite option.
Next up, it’s time to introduce yourself to the reader. Who are you and why should they care? While you may be tempted to lead with “As a stay-at-home mom,” or words to that effect, this may not be the best approach. Sure, you don’t want to hide the fact that you have taken a break from your professional career, but it shouldn’t be your central focus.
Switch up the narrative and put the emphasis on the value you are bringing to the company. What is it that will turn the hiring manager’s head? For example, if you have years of prior experience in this field, you may want to emphasize that here. On the other hand, you may have some job-specific training that suits the position you’re applying for.
Take a moment to figure out what your Unique Selling Proposition (USP) is. Hint: It’s that nugget of information that will make the employer say “Wow — this candidate is worth a second look!” You will have a chance to elaborate on your stay-at-home parenting later on.
Dear Ms. Baker,
As a stay-at-home mom having looked after my young children for the past three years, I am now ready to return to the workplace in a part-time administration role.
When you’ve breezed through the introduction, you can get moving with the middle paragraphs of cover letters. This section is arguably where you have the most creative freedom. You can detail both your period work experience and your stay-at-home mom experience too. Consider what an employer is looking for when you are writing this part.
First up, you should start with any prior experience, education, or training you have that suits this position. It doesn’t matter how far back you have to go to dig out these details. If you have customer service training, for instance, you could whack it into the body of your cover letter. If you have previously exceeded workplace targets in a role, talk about it here. Start off by sharing any relevant information about your prior professional career.
Returning to work could be good for your health!
Research from the American Sociological Association suggests that many stay-at-home moms miss going to work and continuously consider returning to it.
It doesn’t end there. The study also found a positive link between being employed — on either a part-time or full-time basis — and women’s mental and physical health.
When you’ve ticked that off, the next part should focus on your stay-at-home mom experience. You will want to explain your career gap and address why you decided to take a break. You may want to go into the reason that now is the right time for you to return to work. However, don’t feel any pressure to rationalize your life choices if you don’t want to. It’s perfectly fine to state that you are looking for the opportunity to restart your career.
Don’t presume that your time as a stay-at-home mom will hold you back. While some employers may be more discerning about your application than others, this life experience will have taught you a wealth of high-value skills. You may choose to highlight these transferable skills and expand on how they apply directly to the position you’re going for.
My role in a busy home has involved everything that I will need to help you run your office. My career as a purchasing manager before having children will allow me to bring back the influencing skills that used to serve me so well. Juggling five child-rearing activities is not so different from managing an office team of ten.
I am interested in the remote working flexibility and have undertaken some secretarial work whilst on parental leave, but I am ready to return to an office environment for a couple of days a week. I am a cheerful and proactive colleague and always seize an opportunity to help out. As a stay home mom, I honed my organizational skills and look forward to helping everyone focus on what matters to them while I sort the admin in the background.
I have taken the time to complete several courses in CRM management during my time away, so would be interested to help manage external suppliers as well as internal stakeholders. My negotiation experience is solid. I may be an asset when it comes to any kind of ongoing performance management with providers.
Now that you’ve covered all bases, it’s time to sign off your letter. As a general rule, recruiters tend to pay the most attention to the first paragraph of a cover letter and the last. As their eyes get to the end of the text, their attention will come keenly into focus. With that in mind, you want to leave a strong lasting impression with your closing statement.
One way to go is to reaffirm why you want this particular position and share your passion for the company. You can also include a Call to Action (CTA) encouraging the hiring manager to reach out to you if they have any further questions about your application.
I look forward to the opportunity of meeting and finding out more during an interview. I am flexible in many ways and hope to explore further.
Sincerely,
Alicia Simmonds
Make sure your cover letter sounds the part!
The tone you take in your cover letter matters more than you might expect. Choosing formal terminology is a nifty way to set yourself apart from the crowd. Steer clear of any slang or colloquial phrasing as it may undermine your position as a professional.
Applying for your first ever job? If you’re new to the professional world and have been a stay-at-home mom until now, you might find writing a cover letter daunting. Okay, so you don’t have any experience in the workplace. Big deal. You have a ton of life experience upon which you can draw when writing your application letter. Here are some examples:
The fact that you lack experience needn’t hold you back. Keep in mind that everybody has to start somewhere — even you! Write a compelling cover letter that shows some enthusiasm for the position and explains why you could be the right fit for the job role.