The recent trend of graphic resumes has encouraged jobseekers to use their hiring materials as a form of self-expression, often including a section dedicated to personal interests and hobbies. A potential risk with this approach is that the valuable resume real estate could be better used to highlight more relevant professional experience and transferrable skills. Below are a few effective ways to present your personal interests in a way that showcases their professional relevance.
 
#1: SHOW, DON'T TELL

Rather than explicitly stating your interests and hobbies are, show prospective employers what your creative interests are by emphasizing how you’ve used them professionally. If you donate your time to a cause you believe in, including it in your resume can give potential employers a glimpse of your personality, while articulating your relevant work-related skills.
 
Here’s an example of how this might look in your resume:
 
NYC REFUGEE & ADVOCACY                                                                                                               New York, NY
Photographer - Volunteer                                                                                                                     2015 - Present
Provided pro-bono photography services on behalf of community-based organization dedicated to advancing opportunities for immigrant residents of New York City.
 
In this example, the resume demonstrates the candidate’s photography skills AND interest in immigrant advocacy, while providing the reader with a clear sense of the scope and relevance of their contributions.
 
#2: TAKE ON LEADERSHIP ROLES

Community involvement—including affiliations with professional organizations or community programs—can show a candidate’s cultural fit. For example, a graphic designer applying for a position at a bicycle gear company might want to include their leadership experience during community biking events.
 
BIKEFEST                                                                                                                                                      New York, NY
Leadership Committee Co-Chair - Volunteer                                                                                      2015 - Present
Directed leadership committee for annual three-day bicycle festival with over 5,000 attendees.
 
#3: CAPITALIZE ON YOUR COVER LETTER

If you’re missing some formal experience in an area that you’re passionate about, you may want to consider using your cover letter as the platform to share this information with prospective employers. For example, the same graphic designer could explain how the role provided a unique combination of their expertise in graphic design and passion for bike culture. In this instance, having this hobby might set the candidate apart.
 
By using these methods, you can ensure your resume strikes the perfect balance between showcasing your value and personality. For more resume tips and tricks, follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
 

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In this day and age, most of us have struggled with what it means to maintain a healthy and sustainable work-life balance. This is particularly true for working parents, who have extra financial concerns about childcare, health benefits and parental leave when deciding whether to opt for a more flexible work situation.
 
Not surprisingly, research shows us that the weight of this burden falls mostly on women, who are far more likely to face unequal financial circumstances in their career. Not only are working moms paid  71 cents to every dollar earned by fathers, but women with a gap in their resume “are 79% less likely to be recommended for hire.” Nationwide, childcare costs range from $200 to over $500 per week. None of these figures inspire confidence that working mothers can achieve either financial or professional success.  
 
Recently, several organizations have created new ways for stay-at-home parents to connect with flexible employment. These platforms allow parents to operate outside of traditional organizations, empowering individuals to continue their professional development while fulfilling their parental responsibilities.
 
JOB BOARDS
 
THE SECOND SHIFT
By pairing qualified parents with vetted organizations, this woman-focused platform provides flexible work structures to reduce conflict between career and caretaking. Perfect for career mavens with 15+ years of experience in marketing or finance, this platform connects highly-skilled and well-qualified individuals with impressive companies, allowing them to continue to develop skills and connections in their industry.
 
Pricing: Free to join, this website only takes a fee after a project has been booked.
Employment Opportunities: Part-time, remote, on-site, and contract work are all available.
Freelance opportunities not currently offered.
 
Example Job Posting
For examples of previous work, check out this page detailing past projects.
 
 
FLEXJOBS
FlexJobs is a paid site that connects job seekers with remote opportunities. A comprehensive job board with thousands of openings nationwide, this site is great for those seeking part-time, full-time and contract positions. To stand out from the other candidates, members can take skill tests to demonstrate proficiencies across key areas.
Pricing: Subscriptions begin at $14.95/month, with quarterly and yearly subscriptions available at a discounted rate.
Employment Opportunities: Full- and part-time telecommuting jobs, freelance and contract work are all available.
In-person opportunities are not currently offered.
 
Example Job Posting
Educational Coach - Part-Time, Freelance
Candidate with 8 years' related experience, motivational abilities, strong listening skills, and good judgement skills required for a part-time freelance opportunity as an educational coach. Provides individualized student support.
 
UPWORK
Upwork is a great starting point for those new to contract work. Among the most accessible freelancing sites, it accepts professionals across all industries and experience levels. This makes it a great option for individuals with a more unique or diverse set of skills, but there is the increased competition from domestic and international workers. Still, by completing skills tests and responding quickly to bids, many users have utilized Upwork as a foundation on which to build solid income potential for themselves.
 
Pricing: The Basic Plan is free and gets you access to most of the features. The Plus Plan is $10/month, provides you extra insight, and allows you to apply for more openings.
Employment Opportunities: Full- and part-time telecommuting jobs, freelance and contract work are all available.
In-person opportunities are not currently offered.
 
Example Job Posting
Social Media Manager - Part-Time, Freelance
We are a small agency with a variety of clients looking for a freelance Social Media Manager to post social media content on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Spend 10 hours per week creating at least three social media posts per client each week.
 
 
POWERTOFLY
PowertoFly was developed in 2014 to promote equitable hiring practices that increase workplace diversity. They feature impressive tools, including optimized sourcing tools, search capabilities, targeted job promotions and access to a pool of qualified female talent. Their job board focuses primarily on technical roles; however, they allow non-members to preview the job postings before signing up.

Pricing: Free to all users. 
Employment Opportunities: Many of the career opportunities are not remote, but it’s easy to filter the results to display only remote openings.
 
Example Job Posting
Buffer, Android Developer - Full-Time, Permanent
Work closely with the product teams to define feature specifications and craft unique and beautiful user experiences. Qualifications: Knowledge of, and passion for mobile app best practices. Interest in, or experience with developing in Kotlin.
 
WERK
One of the newest to the market, Werk might also be the most revolutionary for working parents. The mission of Werk is to connect ambitious job seekers with career opportunities that provide both growth and flexibility. Their platform puts users at the forefront, allowing professionals to search through jobs with pre-negotiated flexibility in order to find opportunities that best fit their lifestyle. Additionally, the platform provides opportunities for employers and employees to earn certifications in strategic workplace flexibility.

Pricing: $48 for an annual membership.
Employment Opportunities: Full- and part-time telecommuting and onsite jobs, freelance and contract work are all available. Providing a broad spectrum of flexible work arrangements, professionals can find the right work life balance, adjusting schedules and telecommuting requirements as necessary. 
 
Example Opportunity
While specific roles are not available to preview, employers have included HBO, Samsung, Wayfair, MM.LaFleur, and Deloitte.
 

THE MOM PROJECT
More of a service than a job board, The Mom Project is a digital marketplace that matches qualified talent with project-based, temporary, and permanent work. The Mom Project considers the needs and goals of both parties to match talent with the right opportunities. They also partner with companies to match applicants with openings, helping companies to cover gaps caused by maternity leave. This project-based option keeps qualified women active in the workplace, while helping them to maintain career independence.
 
Pricing: Free to all users. 
Employment Opportunities: Full-time, part-time, remote, on-site, and contract work are all available.
 
 
HIREMYMOM
HireMyMom delivers pre-screened, home-based employment opportunities to your inbox each day. While not exclusive to moms, the platform focuses on entirely remote opportunities geared toward working parents.

Pricing: $29.95 per quarter or $99 per year.
Employment Opportunities: Part-time, freelance and contract work are available.
In-person opportunities are not currently offered.

 
FLEXIBLE COMPANIES
 
INVISION APP
For job hunters seeking the stability of full-time employment with the flexibility of contract work, InVision App offers a happy marriage of these often-opposing concepts. A tech company providing a leading platform for digital collaboration, workflow, and prototyping, InVision’s workforce is entirely remote.
 
Benefits: Medical insurance & broad personal coverage, free gym memberships, co-working stipends, unlimited flexible vacation time, and access to unlimited Starbucks gift cards. Plus, Glassdoor ranks InVision App as the 21st on their list of Best Places to Work for in 2017.
 
 
AMAZON VIRTUAL
One of the fast-growing companies in the U.S., Amazon offers hundreds of remote employment opportunities. Using their Amazon Virtual job board, you can find remote careers with the world’s leading logistics company.

Benefits: Full-time employment with Amazon will land you a ton of incredible benefits, including health care, stock options, free access to an Employee Assistance Program, generous paid time off and leave options. Their Leave Share program even allows parents to split six weeks of paid paternal leave with their partners.

Raising a family has become exceedingly difficult given the competitiveness of corporate culture. These platforms can be a great resource for working parents and others wanting to pursue a more flexible lifestyle while maintaining their professional development.