This is such an encouraging thread!

21:51, I wish I could speak to you because your history is similar to mine and I, too, think law firm administration sounds very interesting. You suggested volunteering in the organization. Had you done that with the law school that hired you? Any other tips for entering that field?

2:7, can you share your work-at-home employer? That type of work would be best for me now but it is hard to discern legitimate opportunities for scams. I have some background in education and would love to know more.

Totally embraced it. I have that time period on LinkedIn (creatively worded but very clear I was home with kids) but a gap in my résumé which I explained in my cover letter. I got a lot of advice from headhunter types to put my volunteering with PTA stuff in my résumé instead of a gap. That never sat well with me and I am really glad I didn't. I had a number of HR people tell me it was nice to see that I embraced what I was doing. Most of them have kids and volunteer, they know what it is and know it isn't resume worthy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did all the successful job seekers here explain the gap on their resume when they first approached companies?

+1 I'd like to know, too.

For me - honesty. I told them I had chosen to stay home and focus on my family for a few years.

Me too. No one blinked. The thing I worried about was having a gap on my resume. But if you get an interview, staying home with kids is just about the most benign explanation for a gap. At one interview when they asked about the gap and I explained, two of the panelists visibly breathed a sigh of relief, like they were relieved the gap was for a reason that had no bearing on my work abilities (I.e. I wasn't fired, in rehab etc).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did all the successful job seekers here explain the gap on their resume when they first approached companies?

+1 I'd like to know, too.

For me - honesty. I told them I had chosen to stay home and focus on my family for a few years.

Me too. It wasn't a big deal for me because it was a part time work at home job. First job I interviewed for after being out a year, and I got it. I remember being so shell shocked because all I intended to do was test the waters. It was so perfect so I took it. I was working for 12 years before sahm for one. The field was Ed Research. Responsibilities were much less than before and I took a 30% pay cut with no benefits. But the many perks of working from home with a flex schedule were totally worth it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did all the successful job seekers here explain the gap on their resume when they first approached companies?

+1 I'd like to know, too.

For me - honesty. I told them I had chosen to stay home and focus on my family for a few years.

Anonymous wrote:How did all the successful job seekers here explain the gap on their resume when they first approached companies?

+1 I'd like to know, too.

How did all the successful job seekers here explain the gap on their resume when they first approached companies?

Anonymous wrote:A study found that women who take any time off came back into the workforce at 81 percent of their original salary, and women who took 3+ years off came back in at 64 percent of their previous salary. Those figures are averaged across all fields. I don't know how they controlled for search costs in the form of time (Hewlitt et al., Harvard Business Review, 2005).

Yes, but a headhunter friend pointed out to me that this statistic takes into account EVERY job in America, like waitress in Tennessee or factory worker in Detroit. Around here, in this economic bubble, things are much brighter.

Also, the study is nearly a decade old!

A study found that women who take any time off came back into the workforce at 81 percent of their original salary, and women who took 3+ years off came back in at 64 percent of their previous salary. Those figures are averaged across all fields. I don't know how they controlled for search costs in the form of time (Hewlitt et al., Harvard Business Review, 2005).

6 months looking, only half of that seriously. Went back over the winter after a couple years home. Took a pay cut but not as much as I expected.

I went to a top law school and practiced corporate law for two large national firms for three years. Didn't work for 14 years - but got a masters degree in education and did lots of volunteer work mostly related to my kids' schools. I actively looked for four months before I got a full-time job at a law school in administration - which was my dream job (albeit at a much lower salary than what I was making as a law firm associate). I think the key is networking and volunteering where you want to work so that you're getting direct experience, making lots of connections, and if a position opens up - you're already in place and ready to go. If I had just sent in my resume in response to job postings, I'm sure I would not have gotten any offers, let alone interviews. Quite often, when a job is posted, the recruiter already has someone in mind but they have to still post the job opening for legal reasons. I also treated my job search like a full time job.

Just tell yourself it's not if you'll get a job, but when.

5 years out, searching for 8 months, no luck

I took almost 15 years off to stay at home. I am a paralegal and volunteered in our county legal aid office for several hours a week the year before I went back to work. It helped me make contacts, establish professional references, and update my skills. It took me about six months to find a job. I was making 45k when I left the workforce. I started back at 70k. Given the higher cost of living in DC, that 70k was probably equivalent to what I was making when left. I basically started my career from the beginning, but I expected that.

This thread is very encouraging. I've been searching for 2 months, after 8 months of SAHM. No interviews, let alone job offers.

6 years full-time in profession, rising to director level. 3 years at home, then 2 years working from home as a consultant to my former company. Took 2 more years off. Then went to look for a full time WOHM job. Applied two places, got interviews at both. Rejected for the first one but got the second, which I wanted more anyway. Salary is slightly more than I made when I left full-time outside work, but feels like less because I have kids and tuition to pay and inflation took its toll. Still, I'm not complaining (too much).