Hello ladies,
This is my first post in this forum. I took a maternity break in Feb 2020 and now I'm ready to get back into full time job. I'm actively looking for job opportunities. I have been volunteering with a non profit since Dec 2020. My question is should I reveal in the interviews that it's a volunteering role ? Some of my former colleagues mentioned this gig as part time during their interviews and got selected. Isn't it better to be transparent ? Other than Amazon, can you suggest some returnship programs? I have attended 6 or 7 interviews so far and feel a bit annoyed that I couldn't clear any. Thank you in advance for your suggestions and responses.
Jubi Baruah
Recruiter, Talent Acquisition Consultant
35
05/19/22 at 11:37PM UTC
If you mention part-time or full-time, you may have to show paystubs and W4. I hope you will find your dream job soon. Good luck,
Lisa MarieEmotionally Intelligent Hospitality Leader
1.36k
04/30/22 at 3:06PM UTC
Hello Anonymous:
Since others have given pratical and straightforward advice for presenting your volunteer work, my advice is regarding you feeling annoyed at not being selected after only 6 or 7 interviews.
Please understand that you may or may not be selected quickly. Many people apply for literally hundreds of positions and either do not receive a call for an interview, or if they do get an interview (or even a series of interviews for one position), the hiring manager or recruiter ghosts them. They hear nothing. Ever.
Sadly ghosting has become somewhat of the norm for some hiring managers and some recruiters who are either truly overwhelmed with the volume of work (particularly hiring managers), or are just unprofessional in their approach to finding new talent.
Another practice that you should prepare for is possibly "rounds of interviews" where you may go through anywhere from 3-8 different interviews with different decision-makers. This is depending on the structure of the organization and their process of finding new talent.
Bottomline, understand that 6 or 7 interviews may be just the beginning of your journey to finding your next job, so prepare to be patient, and not become annoyed if things do not move as fast as you believe they should.
My last bit of advice is: do not take rejection personally (no calls for interviews or no call back after interviews). Simply find something valuable to learn from each interview experience and move on.
Anonymous
05/04/22 at 8:41PM UTC
Hi Lisa, Thank you for the motivating words. Yes, job search is time consuming and I understand that I have to be patient till I get back to work again. I'm planning to send my kid to a daycare so that I get more time to prepare for interviews. Luckily I haven't come across ghosting much. Only one recruiter didn't get back to me yet with the feedback, so I assumed that I wasn't shortlisted. Rejection is redirection and I know something is around the corner.
Anonymous
04/22/22 at 8:51PM UTC
Never be embarrassed, volunteering is a great thing and well respected. I say transparency is always the best policy. What roles are you looking for? You will find what is meant for you. Use this time to network, get your professional profiles updated and narrow down what you are looking. Also take this time to find any refresher courses you need to take on interviewing just to keep yourself updated on the latest interviewing processes so you can nail the next one! Stay positive, transparent, and patient. Good luck to you and keep us posted!
Anonymous
04/24/22 at 5:04AM UTC
Thank you for the response. I've worked as a Technical recruiter before. So looking out for roles in Talent Acquisition. Yes, I'm looking up some Youtube videos about how to introduce yourself, how to answer behavioral questions using STAR method etc. Thanks again for the support. I'll be in touch.
Suzanne ReynoldsDirector of Partnerships, Path Forward
24
04/22/22 at 2:23PM UTC
Hello! I am proud to be a returning mom myself and work at Path Forward. We have an event on 5/12 with Trimble, Collective Health, and Chevron. These events are hosted regularly with our great partners who expect to see and honor your time away from paid work. Please join us to hear what companies are looking for, what roles they currently have for returning caregivers and hear how to get ready for these great opportunities! If you find the roles aren't what you're looking for, please visit our website and keep checking back! Good luck!
Anonymous
04/24/22 at 5:07AM UTC
Hi Suzanne, Thank you for informing about Path Forward. Haven't heard about it before. I'll definitely visit your website and see if there are any suitable roles for me. Thanks for the support. It means a lot.
Marty Overman
14
04/22/22 at 12:08PM UTC
As a hiring leader I would not be deterred by the volunteer status. I fully respect that volunteer hours can be significant and importantly they are a choice. You chose to spend your "extra" time contributing to something you didn't get paid for. If you leveraged skills that are valuable in the workplace to do it then list those too.
What type roles are you pursuing?
Anonymous
04/24/22 at 5:11AM UTC
Hi Marty,
Thank you for the response. I worked as a Technical Recruiter before. The volunteering role is also into Talent Acquisition. So currently looking out for a Recruiter role. I recently took up PHR certification. I'm planning to apply for some Junior HR Generalist roles as well.
Marty Overman
14
05/02/22 at 2:04PM UTC
That is definitely relevant experience - especially as technical talent is in short supply these days! I know we are looking for someone for our TA team. Check out Imperva!
Rebecca Ali
672
04/21/22 at 8:19PM UTC
Have you looked at iRelaunch? It's a great resource for people returning to work after caregiving breaks.
Anonymous
04/24/22 at 5:13AM UTC
Hi Rebecca, Thank you for the information. Sure. I'll check if iRelaunch has any roles regarding TA or Recruitment.
Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist
21.99k
04/21/22 at 7:06PM UTC
Just list it as a regular position but put volunteer after the title:
XYZ Company
Senior Project Manager - Volunteer
December 2020 to Present
Anonymous
04/24/22 at 5:15AM UTC
Hi Joan, Thank you for sharing the format. I'll do that. Your responses are really helpful. Glad to be a part of this group.
AmyCreative Reuse Artist / Earth Ally
653
04/21/22 at 5:57PM UTC
Depending on how your resume is set up you can list it as a volunteer position. I would include it in your cover letter too. Volunteering is work too. And can say a lot about a person.
Anonymous
04/24/22 at 5:17AM UTC
Hi Amy, In my experience, volunteers are good at multitasking as they are juggling a lot of things at the same time. The limitation would be, it's not as challenging as a corporate job.
AmyCreative Reuse Artist / Earth Ally
653
04/26/22 at 8:43PM UTC
One may have chosen to volunteer to gain new experience. True there is comfort in volunteering to do things you are good at, but it is also a great way to learn and network. Those reading the resume do not know the difference unless they ask you about the experience.
Barb HansenStartup Product, Growth & Strategy
9.66k
04/21/22 at 5:55PM UTC
I would be honest about your volunteer work with the non-profit. I don't know why saying it was volunteer would be an issue, but I'm interested to hear from HR professionals on this matter.
I know there are a few websites that focus on returnships for Moms - here is the only one that came to mind: https://www.pathforward.org/
Good luck.
Anonymous
04/24/22 at 5:25AM UTC
Hi Barb, Thank you for providing info on Pathforward. I've registered for their webinar on 5/18. Thanks for the support.
Emily StarkCareer Coach, Marketable Mama, LLC.
133
04/21/22 at 6:49PM UTC
Pathforward is a great resource for returnships!
