Whether you’re returning to the workforce after taking time off to raise a family or looking for a career change, job interviews can be intimidating. But if you have a gap in employment on your resume, it’s especially important that you prepare for these conversations. Here are some tips on how to explain gaps in employment so they don’t become deal breakers:
Be honest.
Before you begin, it’s important to be honest with yourself about the reasons behind your decision to leave and return. If you left a job because of an abusive boss or coworker, it might not be wise to apply for that same position again. If you left because your family was struggling financially and needed help at home, then applying for another job can be a great way to prove how responsible and resourceful you are. It’s also important that when returning from maternity leave that there is no indication of discrimination based on gender or pregnancy status (unless it’s explicitly mentioned in their non-discrimination policy).
Talk about the skills you’ve gained.
The skills you’ve gained as a stay at home mom are valuable. You can use these skills to your advantage in the workplace. For example, if you have kids and you have been a stay at home mom for the last few years, then maybe you have learned how to manage multiple people and their personalities. Maybe in the workplace, it’s not just one boss or one employee that is difficult to deal with but multiple people who need different things from each other. Maybe you are able to solve problems quickly because of all of the experience that comes from being around children all day long! Or maybe this same thing will help any new business that hires you run more smoothly by allowing for smoother communication between employees instead of having constant disagreements every few minutes about how things should be done.
Focus on the future.
If you’re a stay-at-home mom, don’t make the mistake of focusing on yourself. Instead, talk about your future goals and how any gaps in employment will help you achieve them. Relevant examples include:
- Your plans for taking classes or earning degrees that will help you get back into the workforce.
- Your desire to spend more time with your children before they’re grown up and out on their own.
- How being home has helped give you new skills (such as writing) that will make it easier for when you return to work.
Find a way to stay engaged in your industry.
One way to tackle the issue of job gaps is to find a way to stay engaged in your industry. If you can’t make money, it’s still important to keep learning and growing so that when you’re ready, you’re not starting from scratch.
Volunteer at an organization that has something to do with your field. Take online classes or go back to school for more training on your own time and dime. Read industry publications about what’s going on in the world of finance or marketing and try writing some articles yourself! And get connected with some people who know what they’re doing—find someone in an area where you want (or need) work and ask them if they’d be willing to mentor or coach you, just like I did with my friend Larry Kaplan when I was looking for freelance gigs as a writer after leaving my job as an editor at AOL/Huffington Post!
Practice interviewing.
Practice answering questions. Practice with a friend, or with a job coach, or even by yourself in front of the mirror. Practice responding to tough questions and stressful situations. A professional interview coach can help you practice your responses until they become second nature before you start looking for work.
Returning to the workforce is an opportunity for growth and reinvention, not a setback.
It’s important to remind yourself that returning to the workforce is an opportunity for growth and reinvention, not a setback. You’ve gained valuable experience, learned new skills and made connections with people who can help you find your next job. The work you did as a stay-at-home mom has been invaluable, so don’t let anyone make you feel bad about taking time off from your career.
Conclusion
Remember, you can’t control what another person thinks or conveys about your career. All you can do is focus on the next steps to take and be the best version of yourself in those moments. The more prepared you are for difficult questions and comments, the easier it will be to respond in a positive way that reflects your character strengths—like patience, empathy or humor!
