The Candidate Advantage: Job Search Advice

Covering pregnancy during the interview process

Be smart about this topic when interviewing. This news should never hurt your candidacy or relationship with your new company. But it could, if this topic gets handled the wrong way.

First off, ask yourself this ....WHY would an employer need to know this? The only really bona fide need they would have for this information is for planning purposes down the road when you take maternity leave. Remember this and make sure that the news of your pregnancy is never used to judge your qualifications for a position.

Filling the holes on your resume

Gaps that don't get addressed on the resume will turn into "black holes" if you are not careful. If you have any extended periods of time when you were unemployed, control the interpretation of this with honest explanations.

Understand that large gaps on your resume are going to raise concerns if you have been out of work for any more than 3 months or even longer up to a year. You never want to put these reasons on the resume itself. But you do want to have an explanation ready if you are called in for an interview. Most importantly, you'll want to bring this explanation up whether you are asked about it or not during the interview. If you don't, employers will assume you were having a hard time finding a job...not the impression you want to make.