# Job app-How do I list my home healthcare for family member?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/job-app-how-do-i-list-my-home-healthcare-for-family-member/542426>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [June 8, 2010, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/job-app-how-do-i-list-my-home-healthcare-for-family-member/542426 "2010-06-08T14:41:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/job-app-how-do-i-list-my-home-healthcare-for-family-member/542426/1 "2010-06-08T14:41:38Z")

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I am applying for a job after 7 months of being a caregiver for a family member.

How do I put that on a job application? Do I leave the time unnoted, and let the interviewer ask me? Do I put down “self-employed; home heath care,” or what?

Thanks,  
hh

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**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/job-app-how-do-i-list-my-home-healthcare-for-family-member/542426/2 "2010-06-08T15:44:56Z")

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I’d leave it blank on the resume, then figure out some way to work it into the cover letter as explanation.

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**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/job-app-how-do-i-list-my-home-healthcare-for-family-member/542426/3 "2010-06-08T15:52:42Z")

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Just put “full-time caregiver”.

Good luck with the job.

Regards,  
Shodan

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**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/job-app-how-do-i-list-my-home-healthcare-for-family-member/542426/4 "2010-06-08T15:56:15Z")

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> [@Drain\_Bead](#):
>
> I’d leave it blank on the resume, then figure out some way to work it into the cover letter as explanation.

I agree. I moved across country and was unemployed for several months to help care for my mom, and never put it on my resume.

I moved in November of 1992, and my first resume said I worked at X place “1989-1992”. I didn’t specify months. When I got interviewed the questions were about why I relocated, not about why there was a time gap. But it wouldn’t have mattered, I don’t think.

Later updated resumes said “X, 1989-1992”, then “Y, 1993-1999”, etc. No one cared enough to try getting me to account for my employment month by month.

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**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/job-app-how-do-i-list-my-home-healthcare-for-family-member/542426/5 "2010-06-08T16:54:27Z")

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> [@Drain\_Bead](#):
>
> I’d leave it blank on the resume, then figure out some way to work it into the cover letter as explanation.

Thirded. It’s not job experience, so leave it off the resume, but use the cover letter to explain.