There are a few motherhood statements about career-building we all seem to know: “it’s easier to get a job with a job.” The other is some variation of “don’t jump around too much”, so that you can show you can be settled and loyal and worthy of investment and training. For many, the past two years has made these two pillars of work wisdom almost impossible to achieve...

I’ve had three jobs in two years, so my resume looks jumpy. I’ve been forced into part-time hours when I need and want full-time. I’ve stepped across, not up. I’ve had little to no opportunity for training or upskilling. But still, I’ve remained employed, driven by that fear that once I’m out, I may not get back in. That mindset, it seems, is now void. 

What happened in the pandemic, globally, is that millions of people lost their jobs all at once. Hospitality and retail were especially hard hit, but many other sectors reduced head count to stem the bleed. Several months later, as companies began to require more staff again, many found them hard to acquire. It seems the work force had adapted, retraining or pursuing avenues of self-employment or industries less vulnerable to people being allowed to socialise. Suddenly, it seemed, the ball was in the employees court. 

In the past, employees would have to strategise ways to explain away an employment gap. There are thousands of articles written by recruitment firms and the like, helping people take control of a narrative that might have seen their resume in the no-pile before they even had a chance to interview. 

Right now, however, it seems employers aren’t even asking the question. A good friend who runs a recruitment firm said the question at the top of their questionnaire used to be “what are you doing right now?” They decided to scrap it, and simply ask further down for their recent work experience. Now that her clients are no longer as worried, it seems there’s been a knock-on effect. “It’s just widely understood that so many people have found themselves out of work that if we edit a pile of applicants based on employment history alone, which is something we may have done in the past, we’ll miss some great people.”

Perhaps the most important person to explain the employment gap to, however, is yourself. Even when you know you’re not alone in coping with job loss, the practical pressures (bills, bills, bills) combined with mental ones (why me?) can be overwhelming. When my husband became unemployed for the first time in his career, mid-forties, his resilience astounded me. His dismissal was unfair and caught him by surprise (after sparkling reviews over four years of employment, a new executive team wanted someone else). Still, he went straight into problem-solving mode. Reaching out to his network, executive recruiters and anyone, anywhere, who might help. As he put it: “we just have to keep moving forward.” 

I wondered where all the other emotions where, that so often overwhelm people when they deal with this rejection. The ones that would certainly have overwhelmed me. The confidence issues, for a start. I have a friend who has still not quite recovered from a redundancy in the last financial crisis, which cost her dearly. And also know many women who, struggling with the pressures of home school and work, saw their reduced hours and job losses as a sign they should just focus on home life for a while. That perhaps they weren’t really cut out for being spread so thin (which is simply not true - if anything, a working mother is a thing of beauty in terms of efficiency and productivity). 

One thing that research has shown can really help people successfully transition from worker to job seeker is, like my husband, remaining future-focused. Reflecting and ruminating on the job that was certainly has its place, but it’s not helpful when you’re the victim of a rocky economy or pandemic. There was really nothing you could have done differently, and even if there was, it’s over.  

The other thing he didn’t do, which I marvel at, is take it personally. I certainly did and shouted long and hard about the executives that allowed this to happen, after so many years of good work. He was like teflon. The old adage, who you are is not what you do, really rang true. Still, it’s tough. You know at some point, there was a list. And whoever was looking at it, put the tick-of-doom against your name. This line of thinking is not helpful. 

According to studies by psychologist Marty Seligman, the biggest determinant between those who succeed after setbacks of any kind is how they interpret them. If you see your job loss as a sign of personal inadequacy or failure, research shows you are less likely to ‘get back on the horse’ in a job hunt than those who see it as an unfortunate circumstance that has provided an opportunity to grow in self-awareness, shake up priorities and bolster resilience. 

No-one like to be fired - we’re all on the same page on this point. However, as for where you go from there, even though employers no longer care - the most important question to ask yourself: do you?