Explain gaps on CV due to leaving work and maternity or not?

LegacyUser

I'm just applying for some new jobs after leaving my last job due to pregnancy complications and followed by maternity leave (approx. 16 month gap). I know it sounds terrible, but I do believe there is still a lot of bias against women with children and I don't want a potential new employer to think I'm just a baby factory and will be gone on maternity leave again and so not hire me. I also don't want them to know that I am currently not working, as I believe that they will offer me a much lower salary knowing that, than if I was working in another job. I don't want to lie either, I'm not a liar at all, so I am not sure what to do for the best with this. If anyone has any suggestions (and not snide remarks) I'd be grateful as I'm really unsure what to do with this.

skallywag

As a hiring manager I would just advise you to tell the truth. There is nothing unreasonable about taking time out to have children, and I would never hold this against any woman who is seeking to return to employment. During interview it usually becomes apparent pretty quickly how enthusiastic one really is concerning returning to work.

On the other hand I would also encourage you to be honest with yourself as well. If you could see yourself pregnant again in the near future (i.e. a planned pregnancy) then you are neither doing yourself nor your employer any favours in returning to the workforce at this point in time. In such a case I would encourage you to wait.

Lux23

Lots of people take time out after having children and lots of decent employers won't ever hold that against you.

Diziet

16 months is not that long - it's fine to explain if you are asked. You can't really get round the fact that you are not in a job currently, but focus on your experience and what a good fit you are for the employer. Don't be afraid to negotiate on the salary, and have a clear idea of what you want. it is entirely legit to say - I was on x per year in my previous position, and I am looking for y (x plus some percentage). 
I disagree with the poster who said that if you plan another child, you should wait. This is neither here nor there, your decision and nobody else's business.
Best of luck!

Mrs OBumble

Don't say you went out early due to pregnancy complications.

But do say that you have been having a family. Otherwise it just looks like you were fired and have been sitting on your bum for the time.

You cannot avoid them knowing that you don't have a job now, because the question of a reference will be raised. And lying to say that you work somewhere that you don't is a no-no: you'll get fired when it's discovered you were lying. The salary will likely be a little lower than if you have up-to-the-minute recent experience.

Irish_Elect_Eng

Explain the gaps, as gaps allow interviewers to make potentially incorrect assumptions. But do not apologize for the fact that you prioritized your health and the health of your child. Frame the GAPs in a positive light, rather than the negatively phrased "I was sick.." or "I had to leave my job..."

Try:

"While I value the broad experience that I gained in Company A, I had been looking for new challenges and I took the opportunity presented by the arrival of my "son/daughters name" as a good time to move on. The time spent bonding with them was a unique opportunity and one I value greatly. It is time for me to move on with my career and when I saw the Role B offered by Company B I applied as this was the type of role that I am looking for to move forward"

The reaction to women job-hunting while having a family are unfortunately varied and from the experience of some of my family are worse in companies where the interviewers are women as men can be oblivious :-). If you lose out on a job because of these archaic views you have dodged a bullet, it was not a place that your career was going to flourish anyway, as they would probably have a nice thick glass ceiling also.

Best of luck!

B.A._Baracus

Op, gaps in employment are only a bad thing when you can't reasonably explain them. Like you had a baby it's not like you just took 16 months off to sit at home you're grand.

Now you say you're not a liar but with jobs you have to lie (you know yourself) so when the gap gets mentioned, your pregnancy will get mentioned, then naturally some small talk with happen. Just say he/she is a little rascal and you're one and done. Maybe if there will be another nipper it won't happen for a long time yadda yadda.
Point of that is you've just casually reassured a potential employer who will think you'll have more babies otherwise.

Should you have another baby in a year? Well these things happen

CruelCoin

It would depend on what the job actually is.

If its a job like manning a cashier, etc then i'd imagine a break would be fine and there shouldn't be any issue with gaps.

But if its something quite technical like programming or accountancy, then yes, i'd try downplay the gaps as employers would be afraid of skill regression.
You mention Salary and not wages, so i'd reckon you fall into the second category.