Your Gap is Your Edge
It’s the start of your comeback with the tools to guide you.Inside this issue
On My MindI never set out to be a stay-at-home dad. Life, and a hard divorce, decided for me. Suddenly, I became an accidental stay-at-home dad. Nearly everything became my responsibility. I was the parent making every school drop-off and pick-up, handling all the appointments, and taking care of every scraped knee and birthday party. But quitting my business wasn’t an option. I was the only one supporting my kids, so work had to happen, too. There’s no way to sugarcoat it: everything changed. I gave up my office, stopped traveling for work, and rebuilt my days around everyone else’s needs. The hardest part wasn't the logistics. It was the mental energy. Some days, just getting through the basics took everything I had. Trying to find motivation to actually work after playing chef, nurse, and chauffeur, all before noon, felt overwhelming. Nobody talks about how lonely this can get. I was juggling it all, and most of the time it felt like no one else could understand. I was entirely responsible for both caring for my kids and keeping everything else afloat. There was no backup, no pause button. Sometimes that meant working late at night after cleaning up the kitchen, or talking to a client right after cleaning out the Diaper Genie. My lowest point was when I had the flu. There was one particular February day when I barely had enough strength to get out of bed, but the kids still needed to eat, bathe, and get cared for. There are no sick days in this job. There's a flip side, though. The surprise high points sneak up, like a simple "thank you" from one of my kids when I desperately need it. Those little moments fuel me when nothing else can. If I've learned anything, it's this: Everyone's path is different. We all deserve some grace. Don't measure your days against anyone else's. If you're in that gap, between who you used to be and who you want to become, I see you. You're not alone. And that gap you’re carrying? It’s not a weakness. It’s the proof you’re ready for what comes next. That’s why we start with your gap story. Your Gap StoryWhy it WorksYour gap isn’t a liability. It’s leverage. Employers don’t need your life story. They need confidence you’re current, reliable, and clear about the value you bring. The hardest question in any interview or application isn’t about skills; it’s about the gap. If you freeze, it sounds like stigma. If you frame it, it becomes proof of readiness. The FormulaUse 2–3 sentences. Be direct, skills-forward, and future-oriented. Use these four pillars to craft your story:
The TemplateReplace the blue placeholders with your own information. From Month/Year to Month/Year, I served as the primary caregiver for my children, managing Experience 1, Experience 2, and Experience 3. During this time, I maintained and upgraded my skills in tools/courses/volunteer projects. I’m now returning to target role/industry with refreshed capabilities in skills and a track record of ownership, communication, and results. ExamplesMarketing Role From 2018 to 2025, I focused on caregiving and upskilled in content, SEO, Canva, email marketing. I’m returning to content marketing with a portfolio of edited posts, landing pages, and social calendars and a bias for organized execution and simple storytelling. Technical Role From 2021 to 2025, I was the primary caregiver while completing a new certification in SQL, a course on Google Advanced Analytics, and serving on the board of the Parent-Teacher Association at West Elm Elementary School. I’m returning to database engineering focused on customer insights with recent hands-on work in SQL, Python, and custom dashboards and clear communication to non-technical stakeholders. Operations Role From 2020 to 2025, I stepped out to be our family’s lead caregiver, coordinating school, medical, and activity logistics. I kept my ops skills current with Google Workspace, Asana, and Notion and youth baseball team coordination. I’m returning to operations bringing proven scheduling discipline, vendor communication, and process improvement. Finance Role From 2016 to 2025, I was the primary caregiver and completed new bookkeeping training and certification while managing our household budget with Microsoft Excel. I’m returning to AP/AR with hands-on experience in monthly closes, reconciliations, and vendor communication. Quick Do’s & Don’ts✅ Do be concise and confident ❌ Don’t apologize or over-explain ✅ Do list recent skill training and education ❌ Don’t overstate expertise ✅ Do align to a specific target role ❌ Don’t be vague about your direction Resume Bullet TranslatorWhy You Need ItHiring managers skim resumes in seconds. Bullets with numbers and outcomes catch their eye and prove transferable skills fast. The FormulaStrong verbs + your experience as the primary caregiver + measurable outcomes. Ask yourself what competencies matter most to your target role. Choose 3 that fit your target role and use the formula above to build your bullet points. If your target job postings cite any tools, incorporate them into your bullets. When possible, quantify your outcomes. The TemplateReplace the blue placeholders with your own information. Past tense strong + verb what you did; outcome or results ExamplesTechnical Role Adopted Asana/Trello/Notion/Google Workspace to coordinate schedules and tasks; standardized documentation and handoffs. Built lightweight dashboards in Sheets/Excel to track attendance, costs, and schedules; used insights to inform decisions. Project Management Role Planned and executed a cross-state relocation (vendors, timelines, budget); delivered on schedule with 8% cost savings. Ran a weekly “ops review” to identify bottlenecks and update workflows; improved throughput and reduced rework. Operations Role Coordinated 10–15 weekly appointments and activities; implemented shared calendars/checklists, reducing missed tasks to zero over 6 months. Standardized routines and vendor communications; cut schedule conflicts by 70% and improved on-time arrivals to 95%. Built and maintained SOPs for recurring tasks; trimmed weekly admin time by 3 hours. Finance Role Built and tracked a monthly budget across seven categories; reduced expenses by 12% through renegotiations and subscription audits. Implemented a monthly close checklist; maintained accurate records and receipts for seamless tax prep. Quick Do’s & Don’ts✅ Do use strong, active verbs (launched, constructed, implemented) ❌ Don’t use lazy verbs (gave, set, did) ✅ Do quantify scope and results when possible ❌ Don’t list task-only duties (ran errands, sorted laundry) ✅ Do mirror employer language ❌ Don’t get personal (i.e., avoid saying “my son’s therapy appointments”; instead, say “managed calendars for 3 dependents”) Time to SprintWhy it WorksMomentum beats perfection. In 20 focused minutes, you’ll have language you can use today instead of sitting on “someday.” What to Do Right NowMinutes 0-10: Draft your Gap Story (2-3 sentences) Minutes 11-20: Write 3 resume bullets personalized with your outcomes Have an Extra 10 Minutes?Bonus Minutes 21-30: Add your Gap Story to the about section on your LinkedIn profile and your bullet points to your career break as a primary caregiver entry Your MoveWhat’s the most surprising “gap” skill you’ve built? Reply and share it. You never know who it could help. The Last Laugh |
