LinkedIn presents “career breaks” feature
We all know life comes with its fair share of personal challenges and even opportunities. Whether one has chosen to care for a family member, or pursue a new business venture, gaps in an applicant's resume should not be room for assumptions or judgment. LinkedIn is changing the meaning of being “in between jobs” with their new career breaks feature.
About the feature
The new feature will allow users to choose from 13 options including caregiving, and health and well-being to add to their experience section. Adding a career break will provide potential employers insight into the progression of your career and personal life.
Why is it important?
According to a January global survey conducted by Censuswide on behalf of LinkedIn, 51% of hirers agree that they are more likely to contact a candidate if they provide context about their career break. Applicants need to demonstrate how they’ve spent their time during a gap in a way that their prospective employer finds valuable.
46% of hiring managers believe candidates with career breaks are an untapped talent pool according to LinkedIn. Maybe your gap was so you could go back to school, start a business, write a book or even care for a family member. How does that make you a better person? How does that make you more valuable to their team? What did you learn? How can you apply what you learned to your next job? That’s the story you need to tell.
Women and Career Breaks
Career breaks have become especially common for women in the workforce with 64% of women having experienced a career break at some point according to LinkedIn. The top reasons include parental leave (22%), medical leave (17%) and mental health reasons (14%). LinkedIn’s new feature will allow women across the platform to display their skills beyond their professional careers.
Destigmatizing Career Breaks
While more than half of professionals have taken a career break according to LinkedIn's survey, 60% of people believe there is still a stigma surrounding them. Career breaks are a step in the right direction for destigmatizing career breaks and promoting inclusive hiring practices, encouraging employers to realize the value different candidates from different walks of life bring to their organizations.
Statistics provided by a January 2022 global survey of 22,995 workers and 4,017 hiring managers conducted by Censuswide on behalf of LinkedIn.
