pregnancy

Found: A new way to fill the 'maternity leave gap' on your resume.

How do you explain a year-long gap on your resume after you’ve had a baby?

You’ve worked harder than ever, on 24-hour shifts with no sleep, but mothering isn’t counted as a series of key performance indicators.

Your child can’t endorse your skills or provide a written reference… yet.

A company in the US say they have the answer, and are helping new mums with a LinkedIn job position with their company, Pregnancy Pause.

The idea is that their official job title and company will fill the maternity gap on your resume.

The company has a range of specialties including HR, internal affairs and nutrition.

Do you need help landing a job after maternity leave? Image via iStock.
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Skills listed: Biotechnology, human resources, internal affairs, nutrition, negotiation, healthcare, package and freight delivery, systems management, product development, and leadership.

They say new mothers in the US often feel forced to leave their jobs because of inadequate maternity leave policies.

"This can leave mums with resume 'gaps' once they begin looking for new jobs," the Pregnancy Pause website states.

"Mums often avoid discussing the gap, which can have potential employers guessing and may cause qualified mums to be overlooked," they add.

"Some studies have shown that mothers who explain these gaps clearly are less likely to be passed over for opportunities."

Listen: How long should you go on Maternity leave? (post continues below...)

In Australia, employees are entitled to 12 months of unpaid parental leave and can also request an additional 12 months of leave, according to the Fair Work Ombudsman.

If you don't return to your current workplace, or you take some time off work, what should you write down for your new job hunt?

Mamamia's HR Advisor, Nicolle Stuart, says you should put maternity leave down on your resume in a way that you feel comfortable with.

"I have had people be really creative and include a short list of responsibilities associated with being a mum for example - chauffeur, event planner, chef," she said.

"Pregnancy Pause is an interesting way to capture your mat leave.  It's all personal preference, resumes need to reflect how you want to present yourself professionally and that means something different to different people."