At Snelling Georgia, we spend a lot of time getting to know our candidates—beyond their résumés. That’s because we understand that a career path isn’t always a straight line. One of the most common reasons for these twists and turns? Caregiving.
Despite increasing awareness, résumé gaps are still seen by many employers as a red flag. While the stigma may be softening, especially among younger generations, it hasn’t disappeared. Hiring managers often prioritize continuity over context—sometimes at the expense of truly qualified candidates.
That’s why tools like LinkedIn’s Career Break feature are a welcome shift. Designed to let candidates frame career pauses as opportunities for growth, this feature reflects a broader generational trend: younger workers—particularly Gen Z—are more likely to see career breaks as positive and even necessary.
Still, the data tells us that biases remain. According to Harvard Business Review, candidates who paused for education or training received an 8.5% callback rate. Those who cited health issues received 7%, and candidates who stepped away for family caregiving? Just 6%. That last figure concerns us.
Why? Because roughly 20% of the U.S. labor force are caregivers, according to a recent article by SHRM. Post-COVID, many people have made difficult choices to care for children, aging parents, or both—particularly among the “sandwich generation.” These decisions are deeply personal, but they’re also part of a much larger structural challenge for employers and candidates alike.
We see this firsthand. Many of our candidates—especially working mothers—have taken time off for caregiving responsibilities. That doesn’t make them less skilled, less reliable, or less valuable. In fact, their life experience often gives them unique strengths: resilience, empathy, time management, and adaptability.
Our approach at Snelling Georgia is rooted in understanding. We invest in meaningful conversations with our candidates to uncover not just their work history, but the skills and experience they bring—whether earned on the job or during a break. We encourage transparency and honesty because we know many of us have experienced career pauses ourselves.
We also know that caregiving challenges can affect retention, engagement, and productivity. That’s why we take our screening and interview process seriously. We aim to reduce the administrative burden for our clients while delivering top talent. And yes—sometimes the best person for the job has a gap on their résumé.
As a staffing partner, we believe that empathy and business results are not mutually exclusive. We’ve seen how flexible schedules, hybrid roles, and inclusive hiring practices can open doors for caregivers—and drive better outcomes for everyone.
At Snelling Georgia, we’re committed to helping you find the best match. Sometimes, that means giving caregivers a chance to show what they’re ready to bring to the table. And more often than not, it’s worth it.
Sources:
- Harvard Business Review (2024). Research: Résumé Gaps Still Matter. https://hbr.org/2024/07/research-resume-gaps-still-matter
- SHRM (2024). Behind the Growing Momentum Around Caregiving Support in the Workplace. https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/flagships/all-things-work/behind-the-growing-momentum-around-caregiving-support-in-the-wor
