Time off for baby

[2bFrank]

Hello Everyone,

I have been contracting for quite a few years and never had any gaps in my employment.

My wife is due in 6 months. I have just signed an extension for 5.5 months in my current role, they know the situation hence the 5.5 months and the project will come to a natural end then anyways so both parties are happy.

My question however is, I am planning to take about 3 months off when the baby is born, and start looking again in the new year. However a fellow contractor told me that it does not look good to prospective employers, if you have any gaps in your employment.

Is this really the case. ill be doing some small freelance work in between, but it is hardly worth the effort to put on my CV.

Any ideas on how to handle this.

Thanks

[BrilloPad]

It depends which sector you are in. In finance its a bigger deal.

[SimonMac]

Not the end of the world, I take between 6 weeks and 3 months off between contracts, you can be a bit clever with dates on CV, most only as for a month so if your last day is in the beginning of the month and new gig starts at the end you can easily have 2-3 months off with only a one month gap on the CV.

[BrilloPad]

Not the end of the world, I take between 6 weeks and 3 months off between contracts, you can be a bit clever with dates on CV, most only as for a month so if your last day is in the beginning of the month and new gig starts at the end you can easily have 2-3 months off with only a one month gap on the CV.

In finance, these days they look at actual start and end dates!

However they generally are happy with a 3 month gap.

[northernladuk]

Hello Everyone,

I have been contracting for quite a few years and never had any gaps in my employment.

<cough>

My question however is, I am planning to take about 3 months off when the baby is born, and start looking again in the new year. However a fellow contractor told me that it does not look good to prospective employers, if you have any gaps in your employment.

<double cough>

You're not really a contractor are you?

But as already said. 3 months shouldn't be a problem at all.

[b0redom]

I would guess that most senior hiring folks would have kids, or at the very least have employees that have kids. 'I took 3 months off to help look after the baby.' would definitely not have been a show stopper at any of the places I've worked at.

That being said, I think I would prefer to have a week or two off after the birth, work for a few months, and then have some time off when the baby is doing a bit more than just screaming, feeding and sleeping.

[LondonManc]

You're human. Take time off. They'll understand.

[heyya99]

I would guess that most senior hiring folks would have kids, or at the very least have employees that have kids. 'I took 3 months off to help look after the baby.' would definitely not have been a show stopper at any of the places I've worked at.

That being said, I think I would prefer to have a week or two off after the birth, work for a few months, and then have some time off when the baby is doing a bit more than just screaming, feeding and sleeping.

It's not the end clients I'd be concerned about, it's the pimps.

[oliverson]

Hello Everyone,


My question however is, I am planning to take about 3 months off when the baby is born,....

Isn't this precisely when you should be in contract, preferably working away????

[Age quod agis]

Isn't this precisely when you should be in contract, preferably working away????

Only if its the first baby. You should develop immunity to screaming babies in the middle of the night after that.