Include Maternity Leave on CV?

I need to start thinking about going back to work. I'm a first time and a contractor so I don't have a job to go back to. Is it wise to include your maternity leave on your CV? I'm not sure if it will help or hinder my job search. I'm currently 8 months pp. Can anyone share their experience please? Thank you.

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You don’t need to include if they want to know they will ask about gaps between jobs

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I put to not include but considering your circumstances you can address the leave if you’re not employed during that time

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Don’t put it you don’t have to. People that work corporate jobs don’t mention it even in countries with 1 year of paid leave. There is no reason you should risk being discriminated against because of it. If questioned you can of course let them know

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You don’t need to put it on but some places may ask why the break in employment, I personally have put it on mine.

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I wouldn’t put it on the cv where you list jobs, but in the personal statement where you can say during x & x time I became a mother and raised my child. x

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I just left it as a gap in my employment on my CV, employers will just ask if they feel they need to and it's easy enough to explain! Id taken voluntary redundancy when pregnant with my 1st and then didn't return to a job until a year later once I was ready to go back to work so have that gap!

A gap in employment could be for any number of reasons anyway so I wouldnt worry! X

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Yes, I did only to cover gaps

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I would to cover the gaps and show that you haven't been in prison and therefore unable to work.

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I understand if she was jot working prior to getting pregnant but she’s been a contractor this whole time from what I understood. She was just on mat leave. Like I’ve been at my employer for 5 years and had 2 babies there. My resume says 2020-2025 : XY employer. I did not put pauses in between

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depending on the industry, under safer recruitment guidance in the UK, it's advised to disclose gaps. I've seen applications discarded before the interview stage due to gaps. It was the employer's choice but the unexplained gaps in their employment history cost some an interview.

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interesting… especially if you discuss it during the interview. When they ask me the infamous :”walk me through your resume” I always mention it. My jntention is never to deceive but in my industry it’s not something we mention on resumes 🤷🏾‍♀️

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I’d include briefly just to explain any gaps x

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I was advised to put it on mine and say what things I did in that time. Eg ran and maintained a household, organised schedules for multiple people, cooked, cleaned, childcare 😂

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Yes I have been involved in recruiting colleagues (NHS).
You have to disclose gaps and often people who did not would not get shortlisted.

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Thank you all so much for your responses. This has been super helpful and given me more clarity.

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Family culture difference on money

Sorry this is long, I hope some of you get to the end and give advice!!!

So I’m a very thrifty person, things are tight at the moment, the cost of living crisis and my house is heated by oil so things are extortionate. We aren’t on the bread line but we aren’t flush, hubby might be made redundant so there is some financial pressure.

Sometimes I buy my sons something nicer, on the justification that I can sell it on after (♥️ vinted ♥️). I have also been planning on pretty much breaking even most of the baby things I bought from face book market place, side by crib, baby changing unit, etc.

Hubby and I have different money cultures with our families (he’s Indian, I’m British). I’m my family we don’t mix money, we would help each other out if someone was in trouble and will get each other gifts on special occasions. With hubby’s family money is much more fluid, they will give each other things worth thousands of £ just because.

Hubby’s brother bought him a new laptop and a new Google phone, he’s been very generous to hubby. Hubby hasn’t given the same back because brother is much richer.

Hubby and I mostly share finances. If it’s relevant I’m the higher earner.

Now to the point! My babies are so cute they’ve given hubby’s brother (currently single) baby rabies. He’s asked for our baby stuff when we’re done with it. He’s been so generous to hubby I feel really stingy saying no. But I’d never have bought some of the stuff if I wasn’t going to get a return on it - the thought makes me a bit anxious. If we gave all our baby stuff given the second hand value it still wouldn’t equal what the brother had given hubby.


I thought maybe I could give him some stuff but sell some stuff, but hubby said then his brother will just have to go out and buy that stuff, so I should name my price and ask his brother for the money. That makes me feel very uncomfortable, given how generous the brother has been to hubby.

So what do I do ladies? Give it all and suck it up? Give part of it and sell parts on Vinted/FB, or ask hubbys brother for money for it and be uncomfortable? Or do you see another solution?

No one is being entitled or rude here, just a culture difference I need to navigate.

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