Interviewing after redundancy and "maternity leave"

[moomin35]

My getting pregnant and being made redundant coincided (but werent linked!). It actually worked out ok because I was able to use my redundancy money to take most of my pregnancy off but I will have to return to work by the end of the year when my baby is 6 months old ish. I just wondered what questions might arise at an interview and relating to this and how best I should deal with them?

[siblingrevelryagain]

I had a similar situation-made redundant when pregnant with 2nd child.

I haven't been directly asked, and can't think in what context this would be raised in other than explaining a gap in employment. I'm always honest and say that I took the opportunity afforded by the redundancy to have extra time at home with my children, but it now felt like the right time for me/my career/them etc to return to the world of work.

As far as I'm aware, employees are really only concerned with unexplained 'gaps'-anyone who's progressive thinking (and not a 1960's dinosaur!) would place a value on taking time out if it's a considered choice and has been a valuable experience: travel/study/starting business/being SAHM or SAHD etc..

[moomin35]

Thanks siblingrevelryagain this is a great way to phrase it - I shall pinch that line if that's ok?! ;-0 x I'm hoping that because I have had less than a year out the workplace and have had a baby during that time that it wont be looked upon unfavourably.

[Gen35]

They don't typically ask the age of your kids, so I just out the gap down as maternity break, even though it started just before I got pregnant...nobody batted an eye.