That title is for John Sumser – one more colloquialism for the recruiting world.  The Wall Street Journal offers up this article to discuss mothers re-entering the workforce after taking extended time off (years) to raise their family.

I have a soft spot in my heart for this topic since my wife recently reentered the workforce after taking 8 years off.  It took her some time, but she landed an ideal position at a medical clinic.  That isn’t always the case:

Though 74% do find work, only 40% say they are gainfully employed in full-time, mainstream jobs. “There is still a tremendous amount of stigma and suspension when employers see a hole in a resume,” says Ms. Hewlett.

I would hope that hiring managers do not equate being a full-time mom with being unemployed.  I would argue that being a mom does not constitute a hole in one’s resume (but I am not objective on this topic).

And, to facilitate that transition, a whole new industry of coaching and staffing firms as well as corporate and educational programs have popped up. “This talent pool is more and more necessary” and there is a growing recruiting effort to target parents returning to work, says Meryle Mahrer Kaplan, vice president of advisory services at Catalyst.

This is a great talent pool that should be tapped as the boomers retire.  Finally, one piece of advice from the article that worked well for my wife:

In your resume and—and later in interviews—be sure to take the mystery out of the time away from work. If you’ve taken on projects at schools and charities and used some of the skills from your career, highlight those volunteer experiences and any bottom-line or eye-catching results from the projects.

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