Comments on: Tips for Staying Relevant While You Take a Break From the Workforce http://www.laurenandemira.com/2009/1019tips-for-staying-relevant-while-you-take-a-break-from-the-workforce/ For women who run businesses. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:38:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.4 By: Suzanne http://www.laurenandemira.com/2009/1019tips-for-staying-relevant-while-you-take-a-break-from-the-workforce/comment-page-1/#comment-879 Suzanne Wed, 21 Oct 2009 04:37:47 +0000 http://www.laurenandemira.com/?p=756#comment-879 I found that people generally accept and appreciate the fact that women take some time of for a child, as long as it is just a short period, like not over a year, and as long as they are willing to give it more than 100% again when they do re-enter the work-force. I feel that you have to make up your mind and say YES or NO! Taking a year off is accepted, but trying to work part time or needing a few extra hours off becasue your child is sick, is not accepted. I understand the point of view from an employer, though. Why hire someone who cannot be counted on for the full 100%?But it makes is very hard for mums to get back into the work force. I found that people generally accept and appreciate the fact that women take some time of for a child, as long as it is just a short period, like not over a year, and as long as they are willing to give it more than 100% again when they do re-enter the work-force.
I feel that you have to make up your mind and say YES or NO! Taking a year off is accepted, but trying to work part time or needing a few extra hours off becasue your child is sick, is not accepted.
I understand the point of view from an employer, though. Why hire someone who cannot be counted on for the full 100%?But it makes is very hard for mums to get back into the work force.

]]> By: Caitlin http://www.laurenandemira.com/2009/1019tips-for-staying-relevant-while-you-take-a-break-from-the-workforce/comment-page-1/#comment-877 Caitlin Mon, 19 Oct 2009 20:25:28 +0000 http://www.laurenandemira.com/?p=756#comment-877 "<i>where HR reps looked at her suspiciously and asked her to explain just what exactly she had been doing with the couple of years she had taken off, my jaw hit the floor. We all know that women regularly get penalized in the workforce for taking time off to be with their kids, but somehow I guess I had thought we were for the most part past that, and that particularly someone with Janice’s level of skills and experience would be given a full pass for stepping out for such a short time particularly when stacked up against her experience and skills.</i>" Maybe I'm missing something here, but I would think the HR person would be remiss if they didn't at least inquire about the "missing years". I can't imagine someone getting a "full pass" based on the HR person's <i>assumptions</i> about what they were doing with that time. “where HR reps looked at her suspiciously and asked her to explain just what exactly she had been doing with the couple of years she had taken off, my jaw hit the floor. We all know that women regularly get penalized in the workforce for taking time off to be with their kids, but somehow I guess I had thought we were for the most part past that, and that particularly someone with Janice’s level of skills and experience would be given a full pass for stepping out for such a short time particularly when stacked up against her experience and skills.”

Maybe I’m missing something here, but I would think the HR person would be remiss if they didn’t at least inquire about the “missing years”.
I can’t imagine someone getting a “full pass” based on the HR person’s assumptions about what they were doing with that time.

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