Today I had a very 2022 moment. I was reviewing applicants and came across a resume with a career gap starting in 2021. The job listed was... "Pandemic Parenting/Stay at home Mom" It's the first time I've seen "Pandemic Parenting" written on a resume, and frankly it stopped me in my tracks. Although I'm not a parent, I paused to think about how the past few years have impacted working parents. It also made me want to help this person find a role that much more. As recruiters we can do our part by normalizing career gaps and helping folks rejoin the workforce when the timing is right. #careergap #pandemicparenting #candidates #jobsearch
Oh I love that POV!! As a pandemic parenting parent myself i found the beginning of all of this a novelty, but as the year dragged on and then the next year came it became something sinister and more negative in my mind. But coming out the other end of it i can see all the positives it brought along with it. I found out the type of learner my child was, and i saw what her weaknesses were and where her strengths lie. It was something, that had been lost since the time i was at school, where reporting, and parent teacher interviews never touched on any of these things, and i am now grateful to have been able to nurture what was necessary and fix what needed fixing. Now shes thriving even more in the classroom!!! And i can get back to work too albeit in a whole different industry and i am again grateful someone saw potential in me to give me that chance again!!!
As a parent who was affected by the pandemic and has a 2 year work gap, I applaud you for this. Many parents didn’t have a choice but to stay home because of the pandemic. I applied to over 200 jobs, heard back from maybe a dozen. Thankfully, one recruiter was willing to take a chance on me and gave me an opportunity. I started my new job last Monday. To those who are in a similar situation, don’t give up! Someone out there will give you the chance to prove yourself.
Wonderful🦸♀️Honestly, I don't understand what all the fuss is about. You have a one-year gap in your resume, so..? Does it take away from your expertise or erase all your work experience?
100% agree - in fact, my team here at Spectrum has literally just built a pilot to try to do our part to help solve for these very real situations! We've worked hard to create our first ever, "Returnship" or "Return to Work" program - specifically aimed at those who had to take a step away from the workforce for caregiving etc. If this situation resonates with you, please feel free to take a look at our unique network / systems engineering opportunities - most of these are in our Denver, CO area office! https://jobs.spectrum.com/search-jobs/returnship/4673-14710/1?glat=41.77479934692383&glon=-78.02059936523438 #pathforward #returnship #returningtowork #stlouismo #losangelesca #networkengineer #networkoperations #denvercolorado #denverjobs #technology #joinspectrum #spectrum
It has been an eye opener when it comes to my career gap. I took a few years off to be a stay-at-home mom and as soon as I was ready to kickstart my career again, the pandemic hit and now it's been 5 1/2 years since I've worked. The good thing is that I have been able to take some certification courses to add to my years of previous experience!
Interesting point. Would you feel the same if someone put down "Cancer treatment" in their gaps? Is it acceptable to be so specific "pandemic parenting" because we get it, because everyone is affected by the pandemic. Cancer is a huge issue and becoming more and more prevalent and thankfully treatable. It is an absolute no no in filling in gaps, why is that? What's the point in curing people only for them to be held back in society because they can't compete with those with no gaps. I wish your client success with her job search.
Tina Pompey
2y
Years ago I intentionally left a job to spend time with my terminally ill father and then I assisted my mother after his transition. Once I joined the workforce again I always assessed whether a company was a good fit for me based on the reaction to the gap on my resume. Kudos to you for your approach to seeing a gap on a resume.
My wife quit her career because of the pandemic. It was interesting how companies overlooked 18 years of work experience and focuses on the 2 year career gap. I think this was blessing because after endless interviews. She decided to start her own company and is now crushing it Mariam Aziz, MBA
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2yOh, that is fantastic Harry Stone! c Carol Fishman Cohen!