# maternity leave in CV



## annR (12 Jan 2012)

What's the best way of representing past maternity leaves in a CV?  I haven't written a CV in so long.  Do I

- give the maternity leaves their own line i.e.
 Jan 2011 - Nov 2011 : Maternity leave

or

- mention maternity leave within the role I was in e.g.
July 2009 - present : Sales rep (Jan 2011 - Nov 2011 maternity leave)

or

- not mention it at all?  but then doesn't it look as if I spent much more time doing a job then I actually did?  It would look like I had spent 2.5 years being a sales rep whereas 11 months of that I wasn't selling anything.


----------



## Spear (12 Jan 2012)

I'd vote for Option 2


----------



## txirimiri (12 Jan 2012)

Don't mention it unless it occurred between two different roles and there is an obvious gap (i.e. you finished role A in Jan 2010 and didn't start role B until Nov 2010). It shouldn't make any difference that you have children in a job interview but there are all sorts of dinosaurs out there who will automatically discount or be highly suspicious of you if you are a mother of young children.


----------



## ClubMan (12 Jan 2012)

One way of looking at it is that the legislation generally considers you to be normally employed while on maternity or parental leave even though you would not be actually working. As such it may be legitimate to keep it simple and say that you were a sales rep for the full 2.5 years. Unless your full career covered by the _CV _is very short it probably won't matter that much? Or unless you want to downplay your sales rep experience?


----------



## Leo (12 Jan 2012)

Keep in mind that if this was in the not too distant past, prospective employers might be put off even considering you on the basis that you are likely to leave on maternity again within a short time of joining their firm. They shouldn't, but it happens.

Elaborate during the interview if your experience is questioned then.
Leo


----------



## Spear (12 Jan 2012)

Leo said:


> Keep in mind that if this was in the not too distant past, prospective employers might be put off even considering you on the basis that you are likely to leave on maternity again within a short time of joining their firm. They shouldn't, but it happens.
> 
> Elaborate during the interview if your experience is questioned then.
> Leo



On reflection, I retract my vote for 2 and agree with Leo


----------



## GoldWings (12 Jan 2012)

god no, no need to mention it. you don't have to let prospective employers know your age, marital status, whether you're a parent, your religion etc. 
I haven't put it on my CV, not because I want to hide anything but it's just irrelevant to them!


----------



## Diziet (13 Jan 2012)

Never put mat leave on a CV! You were employed, not unemployed.


----------



## Brendan Burgess (13 Jan 2012)

Ann

I think you raise a very valid issue. 



> It would look like I had spent 2.5 years being a sales rep whereas 11 months of that I wasn't selling anything.



If someone was not actually in their role, for any reason, for 3 months out of 36 months, as an employer, I would not consider it to be very relevant.

But if I employed someone on the basis that they had 2.5 years' sales experience but, in fact, they had only 1.5 years' I would be annoyed. I couldn't do anything about it, but I would be annoyed. 

You certainly are under no obligation to disclose it and disclosing it may hinder your employment prospects.  Raising it at the interview is a good compromise in my opinion. In fact, I might even wait until the second interview. 

Brendan


----------



## kk_business (13 Jan 2012)

as an employer hiring at present I can give my view.....
 Do not place anything on the CV that would get you thrown in dustbin. I spend no more than 30 seconds viewing CV's ..... most employers at present are looking for reasons NOT to employ you. Use your CV as a sales tool then once in front for interview state the facts.


----------



## ClubMan (13 Jan 2012)

kk_business said:


> Do not place anything on the CV that would get you thrown in dustbin. I  spend no more than 30 seconds viewing CV's ..... most employers at  present are looking for reasons NOT to employ you


Reminds me of the old _David Brent _one - "I always throw half the CVs that I get in the bin as I don't want to employ unlucky people".


----------



## Clars1909 (13 Jan 2012)

You should never put maternity leave on a CV - and you shouldn't be expected to. Elaborate during an interview if you feel it necessary.


----------



## STEINER (13 Jan 2012)

At work a new manager became pregnant a few months after joining the company.  As she was there less than a year she missed out on the company's fully paid salary for her MAT leave, and she left the role shortly after returning to work.  So, her 20 months in the senior role if she put that on her CV was actually 8 months + 10 months leave + 2 months.

I have a CV issue myself, due to serious illness I am looking at a 2 -3 year non-working period.  It is as it is, how do I address this lengthy gap?  apologies for going away from MAT leave.


----------



## annR (16 Jan 2012)

Thanks for the replies.  After reading them I think it's best to state the facts in the CV (not mentioning the maternity leave), and if I am interviewed and asked in depth about my experience, to clarify it then.


----------

