A few years ago, the Microsoft-owned professional social network introduced several new job titles, including “stay-at-home mom”, “stay-at-home dad” and “stay-at-home parent”, to allow full-time parents and caretakers to provide more accurate descriptions of their time away from paid labor force. These changes come after an article written by Heather Bolen criticizing the lack visibility and flexibility for women who leave the labor force.

Like Heather, I have had a love-hate relationship with LinkedIn. On one hand, it is an incredibly valuable platform for recruitment and networking. On the other, explaining my employment gap was always challenging. I often felt frustrated knowing recruiters were viewing my profile but couldn’t see the whole picture of what I had really been doing.

Truth is, I have been busier than ever. During my time away, I have been building skills to transition into Product Management. I have completed a master’s in Project Management and a professional program in UX Design, refreshed my computer science skills, trained in AI platforms, honed my knowledge through hands-on projects, and updated my resume to reflect these capabilities. I am ready to apply these skills and contribute to impactful products in the workforce.

Being a stay-at-home parent is not easy, and rejoining the workforce after a gap comes with its challenges. But today, I feel optimistic as we are moving toward a more inclusive professional world, one that values all kinds of work, paid or unpaid. Every chapter counts, and every skill learned is an asset.

Have you ever taken time away from work for caregiving, study, or a career change? How did you represent it on your LinkedIn profile?