How to Mention a Career Break on LinkedIn: A Comprehensive Guide

Adding a career break to your LinkedIn profile can enhance your professional narrative, providing transparency and credibility to potential employers. This article outlines the step-by-step process and provides valuable insights on how to effectively incorporate these gaps.

Adding a Career Break to Your LinkedIn Profile

The process of adding a career break to your LinkedIn profile is straightforward and can be achieved through several methods.

Method 1: Add a Career Break in the Employment History Section

Log in to your LinkedIn account.

Click on the 'Me' icon at the top of your LinkedIn homepage, then select View profile.

Scroll down to the Introduction section, and click on Add a profile section.

Select Core from the dropdown menu, then choose Add career break.

In the Add career break pop-up, enter the dates of your break and a brief description of what you did during that period.

Click on Save to finalize your entry.

Method 2: Utilize the New "Career Break" Option in Employment History

Go to your profile page.

Click on the gear icon in the top right corner, then select Edit profile.

Scroll down to the Employment section.

Click on the Settings Actions button.

Scroll down to the Resume section, and click on Add carrier break.

Enter the dates of your career break and a brief description of what you did during that time.

Click on Save to save your changes.

Exploring Reasons for Career Breaks

LinkIn now offers a detailed explanation for gaps in employment through a new option labeled Career Break. The reasons for these breaks include various life events such as full-time parenting, bereavement, caregiving, personal goal pursuit, and layoff/position elimination.

Being Proactive About Your Career Breaks

Recruiters and potential employers may be interested in candidates who have taken career breaks. Here are some strategies to leverage this advantage:

Highlighting Parental Leave on LinkedIn

If you took a break to raise children, consider listing yourself as affiliated with organizations that support parenthood, such as The Pregnancy Pause. Use the dates of your "employment" to indicate your period of unemployment, making it clear that you are open to job opportunities.

Exploring Returnships for Experienced Professionals

A returnship is an internship designed for professionals returning to the workforce after a career break. Amazon and other companies offer such programs, where candidates have the opportunity to demonstrate their skills and reacquaint themselves with the office environment.

To find these opportunities, visit the career websites of companies that offer returnships and search for returnship positions. For instance, you can find returnship opportunities at Amazon by searching their career page for the term returnship.

Conclusion

By proactively addressing and explaining career breaks, you can enhance your LinkedIn profile and attract potential employers. Employing the methods discussed above, you can provide transparency and professional credibility, making your profile more compelling and appealing to recruiters and connections.