Employment Gaps Cause Career Trouble, Especially for Former Stay-at-home Parents |Technical.ly

In the context of talent acquisition, workforce planning, and talent shortages, this is an interesting study that examines what happens to people’s careers after they take time out of work. The study found that gaps in employment can negatively affect future career prospects in multiple ways, particularly for those who left work for childcare responsibilities. In particular, 15.2% of employed applicants, 9.3% of unemployed applicants, and just 5.1% of stay-at-home parents received a callback. In other words, both unemployed and stay-at-home parent applicants faced callback penalties compared with applicants with no employment gaps, but stay-at-home parents faced a much larger penalty. Similar effects were found for both mothers and fathers. As organizations continue to find ways to fill talent shortages, it will be important to not overlook this workforce segment, many of whom are motivated, eager to learn, and can bring value to organizations.