Ask the Business Coach Joyce K. Reynolds is an expert Business Coach who works with CEOs, Sr. Execs, entrepreneurs and countless others providing knowledge, solutions, motivation and support that assist her clientele in successfully meeting workplace challenges. Find out more about Joyce's coaching practice. Skills to Include on Resume Question: Should my professional resume include a section on my skills acquired while being home with my children and moving several times with my husband's career? Such as: I have learned the value of a positive attitude, to be flexible, supportive, motivate others, be organized and proactive, etc... Kathy Answer: If you intend to compose a chronological resume, it is important to fully account for your time so there are no suspicious gaps. That can be handled by listing your family time away from work simply, directly and consistent with your chosen resume format : e.g. 1995-1999 - Child-rearing. If you have done any volunteer, committee or coordinating work that would demonstrate leadership or organizational skills or key accomplishments, you can certainly list these. If your work along these lines was truly significant, cite any business skills that may have resulted and highlight any real work experience you gained that translates into the workplace. It is also important for you to develop a strong cover letter. Here's where you can identify not only your specific qualifications for the job but any of the mature, introspective, attitudinal and organizational skills you developed during your years away from the formal marketplace. This kind of a cover letter also provides a great place to address why this time and experience would make you a better employee, e.g. keeping everything in balance required your being extremely well-organized. On the other hand, you can consider preparing a functional - rather than chronological - resume. This style allows you to present a snapshot look at your skills that will enable the potential employer to determine immediately how you might fit into the job. It is, in fact, the best and most legitimate way to camouflage gaps in paid employment. It also diminishes the prominence of any irrelevant jobs. If you elect this option, begin the process of writing a functional resume by studying the job description and determining the skills the employer is looking for. Review your experience and education to see how you can demonstrate the expertise or abilities sought. Prepare the resume itself by putting the information first that most obviously relates to the job. This can effectively be done by using headings, e.g. -Communications Skills, Design Experience, Meeting Planning Experience - whatever categories apply. These headings will have much more impact than the dates that you would use on a chronological resume. In any case, it is important when preparing your support documents to use specifics, identify accomplishments such as heading up projects, having improved productivity (with %), reduced costs, increased membership, or achieved some other goal that would demonstrate your effectiveness on the job. Also be sure to highlight any advancements and do your best to keep the length down to two pages. Also see: • Ask Joyce your workplace questions • More questions • One-on-one business coaching Disclaimer: The information in this column is intended to provide the reader with general ideas or concepts to be used as part of a broader base of knowledge they collect to determine their own best course of action and solutions most suitable for solving their workplace challenges. The information in this column is not guaranteed to be the appropriate solution for each individual.