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Microsoft-owned leading online professional network has LinkedIn normalised taking a career break by adding a new feature on its platform.

LinkedInusers can now highlight life experiences by adding a ‘Career Break‘ to their profile.

Users busy in full-time parenting, caregiving, bereavement, taking a gap year, or being laid off can add these, or other life needs under the ‘experience’ feature in the professional networking platform.

Jennifer Shappley, VP (Global Talent Acquisition) on LinkedIn wrote, “…Even with career breaks becoming more popular, some hiring managers are still hesitant to pursue those who have taken a break — indeed, one in five hiring managers say they outright reject such candidates.”

The last two years, with the pandemic wrecking havoc across industries, people across the globe are taking some time to ‘pause.’ In fact, a survey conducted by LinkedIn, comprising 23,000 workers and 4,000 hiring managers, revealed some interesting highlights:

• Two-thirds of the respondents, that is 62 percent of employees, have taken a break at some point in their professional career.
• Over a third, that is, 35 percent of women respondents would like to take a career break in the future.
• 68 percent of women respondents expressed that they want to represent their career breaks more positively.
• 56 percent of the employees acquired new skills or improved their existing skills. These include problem solving, budgeting and communication skills.
• About 54 percent of women suggested that they have now gotten better at their jobs than they were before.
• Interestingly, 51 percent of employers are ready to call their candidates back if they are aware of the reason for taking a career break.

“We are hoping this new feature will make it easier for candidates and recruiters to have open conversations around the skills and experiences professionals amass away from the traditional workplace,” Jennifer added.