Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don’t be arrogant in your interview.

Remember you are essentially a new college grad with no experience and out of date skills.

Don’t mention you have kids because after SAH it’s clear your h has no interest in being involved in the kids lives so they will assume you will take off every time they are sick.

Say you took time to care for a dying aunt.

This. Here’s my bias as a working mom:

1. You don’t really want to work
2. You didn’t value your career
3. You don’t have a spouse who does his share at home
4. Your spouse is now used to you doing everything and all sick days will fall on you
5. You’ll talk about your kid all the time because it’s been your life and you don’t understand other people don’t care about your kids anymore than someone’s pet or vacation

You should get out more.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does this really matter? By the time you're at the interview stage they've already seen the gap in your resume and presumably don't care or maybe you even proactively addressed it in your cover letter. If they cared you wouldn't even get an interview. I just can't imagine the interview would even touch on this, focus on the job and how your skills make you a good fit.

It does, recently I attended an interview and at one point it was brought up as a surprise that I had a gap.

Lots of people have gaps and they need to be explained. Doesn’t mean they aren’t qualified.

Wounded military
Care for parent
Really great severance package
PhD program they never finished

Etc

Anonymous wrote:Does this really matter? By the time you're at the interview stage they've already seen the gap in your resume and presumably don't care or maybe you even proactively addressed it in your cover letter. If they cared you wouldn't even get an interview. I just can't imagine the interview would even touch on this, focus on the job and how your skills make you a good fit.

It does, recently I attended an interview and at one point it was brought up as a surprise that I had a gap.

Does this really matter? By the time you're at the interview stage they've already seen the gap in your resume and presumably don't care or maybe you even proactively addressed it in your cover letter. If they cared you wouldn't even get an interview. I just can't imagine the interview would even touch on this, focus on the job and how your skills make you a good fit.

Anonymous wrote:Don’t be arrogant in your interview.

Remember you are essentially a new college grad with no experience and out of date skills.

Don’t mention you have kids because after SAH it’s clear your h has no interest in being involved in the kids lives so they will assume you will take off every time they are sick.

Say you took time to care for a dying aunt.

This. Here’s my bias as a working mom:

1. You don’t really want to work
2. You didn’t value your career
3. You don’t have a spouse who does his share at home
4. Your spouse is now used to you doing everything and all sick days will fall on you
5. You’ll talk about your kid all the time because it’s been your life and you don’t understand other people don’t care about your kids anymore than someone’s pet or vacation

Anonymous wrote:When you interviewed, is there a way to explain your absence in a way that doesn't offend the working moms who wish they could be SAHMs?

Ignoring the fact most women don’t feel this way….

Don’t bring up your kids! There is no reason to talk about your children during an interview.

If anyone asks say that you took time off for work for family.

Anonymous wrote:“It worked best for my family to have one parent with the kids full time. But now I’m really looking forward to getting back into XYZ.”

I basically expressed it this way, although I had also done occasional freelance work so didn't have a total resume gap. Was hired by a female supervisor who had kids a little older than mine and always worked. It was never an issue but she also ran a very family-friendly, flexible department. We're both still there after more than 10 years and all our kids are in college.

A workplace that has an issue with your time off probably isn't going to be a good place to work for the long term

Don’t be arrogant in your interview.

Remember you are essentially a new college grad with no experience and out of date skills.

Don’t mention you have kids because after SAH it’s clear your h has no interest in being involved in the kids lives so they will assume you will take off every time they are sick.

Say you took time to care for a dying aunt.

Anonymous wrote:When you interviewed, is there a way to explain your absence in a way that doesn't offend the working moms who wish they could be SAHMs?

Step one - don’t assume they “wished” they could have be SAHMs. I have never wanted to be a SAHM and that is why I advanced in my career that I love which lets me afford a great life for my kids. My DH does at least 50% of childcare so don’t even start with “the poor neglected kids” attitude. One of us is always available for them. You already sound insufferable

Stick to why you want the job and why your qualifications meet what the employer is looking for

Anonymous wrote:“I chose to take some time off to care for young children, but they are older now and I’m really looking forward to re-entering the workforce.” No need to say more.

I don’t like this. “I chose to take some time off” sounds like a luxury option. You don’t have to say it like that and it’s often not even true. It’s often more like “the math” or “the reality of our child’s needs” didn’t make it possible for both parents to work the way they had before.

“It worked best for my family to have one parent with the kids full time. But now I’m really looking forward to getting back into XYZ.”

“I chose to take some time off to care for young children, but they are older now and I’m really looking forward to re-entering the workforce.” No need to say more.

I don’t know it depends, how long have you been out of the workforce? Will you be a hard worker or slacker? Do you really need this job over another person who doesn’t have a support system like you had? What will be the transition period for you from being a sahm to a working mom and will it affect your work productivity?

Just speak factual information.

When you interviewed, is there a way to explain your absence in a way that doesn't offend the working moms who wish they could be SAHMs?