Thinking about heading back into the (paid) workforce after having kids or taking some time off? You’re not alone, and you’re not the only one nervous. Turns out, though, nearly half of hiring managers think people with career breaks on their resumes are an untapped talent pool and LinkedIn has made it easier than ever for candidates to present their time off as an asset.
Now you can add details about your career break to your profile, emphasizing how your life experiences during time out of the workforce can apply to prospective jobs. Instead of dodging the conversation, LinkedIn product developer Camilla Han-He suggests approaching it head-on. “Hirers actually want to know more about your career break: 51% say they are more likely to contact a candidate that provides context.”
“We’ve seen so many stories from people who have navigated their career breaks on LinkedIn, raising awareness to this important topic and the value these experiences can bring.” Han-He writes “We’re introducing a new way to represent a career break in the Experience section of your LinkedIn Profile, with options like caregiving and health and well-being.”
LinkedIn is offering free learning courses throughout March to help you build confidence returning to work after a career break. Topics, such as returning to work with a resume gap, preparing your family leave and return and negotiating work flexibility, are geared towards helping candidates showcase their skills.
You know, just in case you’re not sure how to frame “created multiple tiny humans, kept them alive, taught them how to be functioning members of society and ran the logistical equivalence of a Fortune 100 company for multiple years” on your resume.
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