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I'm trying to get a job again, after 6 years away from full-time permanent employment. I have teaching qualifications and also a Masters degree in a technical field. Back then, I resigned after teaching due to burnout. I couldn't cope with the demands of full-time teaching and and at the worst point, I was bordering on suicidal. I was also having trouble conceiving, and this might have been compounded the stress I was under. So I left my job after completing my contract, with the hope that I could start a family. My husband was supportive as his income more than provided for us.
In these last 6 years, I tried substitute teaching, a temporary low wage job and also tutoring students 1-on-1.
At this point, we are still childless. I've given up on trying, now that I'm in my forties. My husband's job doesn't seem as secure as before, and so I'll need to get back to work.
But with no children, and a longish gap away from a full-time job, how do I explain this in my resume and interviews? Is it necessary to disclose the reason why I left my job -- that I wanted to reduce stress so I could maximise the chances of getting pregnant? Or could I safely say I had health or personal reasons? I'd appreciate your thoughts.
It is still more acceptable for woman than for men to have gaps in employment because of the biological imperative. I had difficulty becoming pregnant and for that reason, I took a year off from work to reduce my level of stress. I finally did conceive, and give birth, however I was never able to achieve pregnancy again. We then adopted. Which also took a lot of time and energy.
All together, it was seven years until I returned to work.
I understand the emotional roller coaster of infertility and the toll it takes.
I would just say that you were attempting to start a family and you were under the treatment of a doctor who advised you to reduce the stress in your life while going through infertility treatments.
Now, that phase of your life is over, and you are interested in returning to your profession full time.
Do not say that you felt suicidal. Just blame it on infertility.
It is also an option to be a stay at home wife. There is nothing wrong with being the primary caretaker of your home while working at part time jobs related to your profession. I have several friends without children who do not need to work, perform volunteer work, or work part time or occasionally in their fields. Some freelance. One is painting and another writing.
Women still exit and enter the job arena more frequently than men do. It happens more than you might think. No need to feel self conscious.
Alternately you could say that you were tutoring and subbing and became bored with that and decided to return to full time teaching. Emphisize that you miss teaching.
Leave it at that. If you want, add that there has been a change in your household income and that you need a full time job.
I would not bring up health problems, stress, suicidal ideation or anything that might lead them to question your stability.
As someone who hired, I would not be interested in hearing about an applicant's health problems! All I cared about was 1) whether they could do the job (the right skills and necessary experience), 2) if they really wanted, THIS job (enough pay, the position in line with his/her personal goals, not too far from home, etc.), 3) if they would actually do the job (meaning that they would not be calling in sick and would do the job required), and 4) if they would fit in (meaning, they would be a team player and not have an obnoxious personality).
Frankly, I would be very leery of hiring someone with a six-year gap if the applicant told me that the reason she did not have a "real" job during that time was because she was hoping to get pregnant. Even though I would sympathize, (as I sadly could not have biological children either), I would be looking at her through the eyes of a would-be employer and not as a would-be friend.
However, I think that you are definitely short-changing the experience you have gained over the past six years, and I definitely do NOT think you will have problems getting a full-time job, all other things being equal. Maybe not a full-time teaching job immediately, but definitely one that would be attractive to you. My suggestion to you would be to try to pass off your tutoring as private self-employment, and I would present your substitute teaching and low-wage jobs as very legitimate SECOND jobs to supplement your income as a tutor.
As I said, you do have my sympathy, but you do NOT want to present any kind of "poor me" attitude when you interview!
Last edited by katharsis; 03-30-2015 at 08:33 AM..
It is still more acceptable for woman than for men to have gaps in employment because of the biological imperative. I had difficulty becoming pregnant and for that reason, I took a year off from work to reduce my level of stress. I finally did conceive, and give birth, however I was never able to achieve pregnancy again. We then adopted. Which also took a lot of time and energy.
All together, it was seven years until I returned to work.
I understand the emotional roller coaster of infertility and the toll it takes.
I would just say that you were attempting to start a family and you were under the treatment of a doctor who advised you to reduce the stress in your life while going through infertility treatments.
Now, that phase of your life is over, and you are interested in returning to your profession full time.
Do not say that you felt suicidal. Just blame it on infertility.
It is also an option to be a stay at home wife. There is nothing wrong with being the primary caretaker of your home while working at part time jobs related to your profession. I have several friends without children who do not need to work, perform volunteer work, or work part time or occasionally in their fields. Some freelance. One is painting and another writing.
Women still exit and enter the job arena more frequently than men do. It happens more than you might think. No need to feel self conscious.
Alternately you could say that you were tutoring and subbing and became bored with that and decided to return to full time teaching. Emphisize that you miss teaching.
Leave it at that. If you want, add that there has been a change in your household income and that you need a full time job.
I would not bring up health problems, stress, suicidal ideation or anything that might lead them to question your stability.
I'm trying to get a job again, after 6 years away from full-time permanent employment. I have teaching qualifications and also a Masters degree in a technical field. Back then, I resigned after teaching due to burnout. I couldn't cope with the demands of full-time teaching and and at the worst point, I was bordering on suicidal. I was also having trouble conceiving, and this might have been compounded the stress I was under. So I left my job after completing my contract, with the hope that I could start a family. My husband was supportive as his income more than provided for us.
In these last 6 years, I tried substitute teaching, a temporary low wage job and also tutoring students 1-on-1.
At this point, we are still childless. I've given up on trying, now that I'm in my forties. My husband's job doesn't seem as secure as before, and so I'll need to get back to work.
But with no children, and a longish gap away from a full-time job, how do I explain this in my resume and interviews? Is it necessary to disclose the reason why I left my job -- that I wanted to reduce stress so I could maximise the chances of getting pregnant? Or could I safely say I had health or personal reasons? I'd appreciate your thoughts.
I had a six year long employment gap as well. I stopped working because I fell down an escalator and that severe head injury caused me seizures, migraine headaches, and other health problems, and I needed a long time away from work to recover and get a complex system of medications in order. I'm working part time now, which is all I will ever be able to do. I was honest with potential employers. I told them, "I had a bad accident and I needed years off to recover from the injury." I was honest because it's much simpler to tell them the truth. (Oh what a tangled web we weave comes to mind). They actually understood and were sympathetic to my situation. I got a job right away, however, I'm in the medical field, so I don't know if my experience is representative of the attitude of employers as a whole.
As someone who hired, I would not be interested in hearing about an applicant's health problems! ...
Frankly, I would be very leery of hiring someone with a six-year gap if the applicant told me that the reason she did not have a "real" job during that time was because she was hoping to get pregnant. Even though I would sympathize, (as I sadly could not have biological children either), I would be looking at her through the eyes of a would-be employer and not as a would-be friend.
As I said, you do have my sympathy, but you do NOT want to present any kind of "poor me" attitude when you interview!
And this is exactly why people with gaps over 6 months often have to lie and cover them up with fake jobs or exaggerate on bad jobs. This judgmental attitude is precisely why businesses like referencestore, careerexcuse, et al make $$. As long as employers discriminate and snub their noses at people with job gaps or unemployment, smart people learn to lie well and use fake references. Their "sympathy" isn't going to help you get hired. Like statisticsnerd already said, consider faking it. Or you can exaggerate on volunteering or list other skills you think will sell you. And nobody wants to hear your suicide or other mental health issues which only make you a serious liability. The cold hard truth? Employers don't care if you were a "caretaker" or were "recovering from an illness" or "trying to start a family." All they see is $$ signs. "Were you employed at that time?" "NO?" NEXT CANDIDATE. NEXT RESUME. Yours goes in the trash.
And this is exactly why people with gaps over 6 months often have to lie and cover them up with fake jobs or exaggerate on bad jobs. This judgmental attitude is precisely why businesses like referencestore, careerexcuse, et al make $$. As long as employers discriminate and snub their noses at people with job gaps or unemployment, smart people learn to lie well and use fake references. Their "sympathy" isn't going to help you get hired. Like statisticsnerd already said, consider faking it. Or you can exaggerate on volunteering or list other skills you think will sell you. And nobody wants to hear your suicide or other mental health issues which only make you a serious liability. The cold hard truth? Employers don't care if you were a "caretaker" or were "recovering from an illness" or "trying to start a family." All they see is $$ signs. "Were you employed at that time?" "NO?" NEXT CANDIDATE. NEXT RESUME. Yours goes in the trash.
Apparently not. I got a job easily with a 6 year employment gap and explained it was due to health problems. So your comment goes in the trash, IMO
Apparently not. I got a job easily with a 6 year employment gap and explained it was due to health problems. So your comment goes in the trash, IMO
Maybe for you it does. You don't speak for all of us. I have plenty of friends and neighbors with gaps who struggled. They're educated, experienced and articulate. They present themselves well. A few had to fake it on the resume. Others exaggerated. Most found employment already because they let go of the naive idea that they "must tell the truth." They were and it got them nowhere. Once they started getting creative, then the interviews flowed and flowed. Unless someone is trying to get a high level C-job or high clearance govt' job, nobody really digs that deep into background. We have numerous threads on this forum about this topic. Fortune favors the bold. If being bold means intelligently faking, DO IT. Half of your competition is doing it. The 2 faced people interviewing you are doing it. - Fortune favors the bold.
Erauso, it depends on the job and field. If you're in programming, a lot can change over a period of six years.
I've hired people who have had lapses even longer than six years. It just depends on the job and the industry, NOT on the circumstances. Those I hired seemed not only bright and capable, but genuine, and I felt they would be grateful for the opportunity, so they got the job.
I know there is a group here that goes negative with everything, but that's generally not reflective of what happens in the real world.
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Like statisticsnerd already said, consider faking it. Or you can exaggerate on volunteering or list other skills you think will sell you. And nobody wants to hear your suicide or other mental health issues which only make you a serious liability. The cold hard truth? Employers don't care if you were a "caretaker" or were "recovering from an illness" or "trying to start a family." All they see is $$ signs. "Were you employed at that time?" "NO?" NEXT CANDIDATE. NEXT RESUME. Yours goes in the trash.
