How Should My LinkedIn Profile Look During My Career Break?

Four ways to make sure your career break LinkedIn paints you in the best light.

Source: Cottonbro Studio

When you google my name, my LinkedIn profile is the first thing that comes up. If you take a second to scroll, you’ll get a fuller picture of my life (both online and offline)—wedding pictures, articles I wrote in college, links that lead to my former life as a local news reporter and producer. 

But in today’s world of instant gratification, when people click on the first thing they see, my LinkedIn profile defines my online footprint.

When I was working full-time at recognizable news organizations and media start-ups, this never even crossed my mind. But when I was on maternity leave, and when I started working part-time, and when I had no formal career title at all, it felt scary to know that the page that represented me most online had a gaping hole in it. 

As of last year, LinkedIn added an option for a “career break.” It’s an amazing step towards recognizing the fact that all mothers (and parents) work regardless of whether or not that work has a title or a paycheck attached. 

But what should your career break be titled? What skills can you list under that title? How can you stay active on LinkedIn if you’re not adding new titles and accolades? If you’re looking to keep your online profile up to date and active, here are four ways to make sure your LinkedIn is reflective of your experience and your pause.  

Meet the Expert

• Becca Carnahan: Career Coach at Next Chapter Careers.

4 Tips for Updating Your LinkedIn During a Career Pause

1. Add a Career Break to Your Profile (and don’t feel guilty about it.)

According to a survey from LinkedIn, almost two thirds of employees have taken a break at some point in their professional career. If you’re on a career pause, take ten minutes to sit down and add the career break to your profile. Here are step-by-step instructions on how to add that section. 

When it comes to ‘profile headline’ (this is what will show up right underneath your photo at the top of the page), think about what your primary role is while you’re on this pause and how you might eventually want to market yourself to employers. Some options: Full-time parent, Primary caregiver and volunteer, Stay-at-home parent open to networking.  

The more we normalize taking a career break, and publicizing it on a resume, the more supported women in all parts of their career journey will feel.

And if, or when, you end up going back to paid work and adding a new job and title to your profile, don’t get rid of the career break. Those skills and the time you spent away from a 9-5 job are not only valuable for an employer, but they’re valuable for other women on LinkedIn to see. The more we normalize taking a career break, and publicizing it on a resume, the more supported women in all parts of their career journey will feel.

2. Focus On ‘Above-The-Fold’ Content

Adding your skills and experience is key, but what people immediately see is a profile photo, a banner photo, and a headline. You don’t need a company’s logo or a fancy background, but you also shouldn’t by using a grainy photo from your child’s birthday party with your face cropped out. 

“You don’t need a professional headshot,” according to Becca Carnahan, a career coach who works  with parents looking to balance a career and flexibility. “But you should have a clear photo of your face with a non-distracting background. Head outside in good lighting, put your phone on portrait mode, and ask a friend or family member to take your picture.”  

For a banner photo, Carnahan says to “think about this space as your billboard advertising you and your skills. Canva has great templates you can use with stock photos.” 

3. Add New Skills You’re Gaining

A career pause is a pro, not a con. The more you say that out loud and to yourself, the more we will normalize career breaks for motherhood. 

In the “description” section, list your skills and try to categorize them so that it’s clear you’ve put thought into the type of experience you’re gaining while on a break from paid work. “Moms gain and build on so many skills while raising children including active listening, advocacy, event planning, teaching, creativity, prioritization, and project management,” says Carnahan. 

Moms gain and build on so many skills while raising children, including active listening, advocacy, event planning, teaching, creativity, prioritization, and project management.

Where it’s applicable, don’t be afraid to add concrete examples. Hosting a play group, volunteering for class fundraisers, organizing events for causes you care about—those are all important to call out even if in your head it all falls under “being a mom.”

4. Stay Active and Engaged

LinkedIn is your online resume, but it’s also a social media platform. “Your profile is just one piece of the puzzle,” Carnahan says. “Staying active on LinkedIn is about engaging with others by reading articles, commenting on posts, and sharing thought leadership. Stay up to date with your network by setting aside 15 minutes twice a week to go on LinkedIn and engage with posts.” Networking while being a stay-at-home parent can seem impossible. But LinkedIn means you can skip the big in-person events and stay engaged virtually. 

Don’t be afraid to connect with people. Whether that’s a mom you meet at the playground, a former coworker who just got a new job, or even someone you’ve never met but likely have lots in common with when it comes to a career path. Everyone on LinkedIn is there for digital networking, so don’t feel ashamed or embarrassed to ask to connect with someone. The more connections you have, the less intimidated you’ll feel when you start looking for roles you might be interested in. 

Taking a career break means just that—it’s a break. A pause, not a period. And the great thing about a platform like LinkedIn is that your resume can stay updated and active even if you’re not currently in a paid-work role. And lastly, remember that what comes up when you google your name is only a reflection of your online resume. It does not define what type of person or mother you are.