what did you say about mat leave on your linked in profile?

[OhGood]

Hi there - just wondering how to account for maternity leave on my linkedin and other freelance worky social media profiles - what did you do, if anything? Thanks.

I am just about on mat leave. I am not planning on putting anything on LI. I think people can make assumptions about you "Oh she isn't coming back/serious" and if there is an opportunity I would like to be able to decide what to do about it (pass to a contact, arrange childcare so I can do it), rather than people not approaching me IYSWIM.

I am not generally inundated with messages on there, so I personally think I can manage it, even if means not responding to people immediately.

With Twitter I hope to keep up my presence to a certain extent.

I am generally a bit paranoid wary about putting stuff online about DC esp as my home address is my registered address so would prefer not to mention generically. Although I appreciate lots of employed people do but for me they don't have the home link etc.

I probably won't put an out-of-office on either. Where I have been slowing down direct emails as less frequent, so again I think I can deal with them as and when.

Not sure if that is of any help. As to whether it is the right approach or not, I'll have to tell you next year!

why would you?

if you are still employed by an employer, then you are.

If you are free range then actually there is no such thing as maternity leave ... the emails still need to be done

Because I want to take a year off from work - of course there is such a thing as mat leave if you are a freelance, you just have to make it so.

So I don't want to answer emails (bar from a few clients and I have talked to them about it) and I want people to understand why I am not keeping up my normal presence.

But on the other hand you have to be flexible
if the most excellent opportunity came up that you realised you could combine with being at home a fair bit, you'd be gutted if you were not told about it "because you were on maternity leave"

would your husband post that he was taking a year out or would he keep schtum and keep his options open?

then again, I'm biased - both DH and I have been free range for over 15 years : we don't work we don't eat.

But no, talkinpeace I genuinely don't want to work. Worked through last mat leave, so I know why I want to work. Have worked arse off for last 3 years and saved enough for a year plus whatever it takes to eat while rebuild income.

No idea what my husband would do, this is about me and what I want.

No work. Just being.

I am getting off-track here trying to convince you!

Well I think by putting mat leave on then as a woman I wouldn't approach you for fear of disturbing you whilst you are away. That's the only thing. Therefore if there was a job potentially appropriate for you, id go elsewhere.

If you really want to put it on, I'd be really positive about it, something like:

"I am currently on maternity leave. However, I will be back delivering for my clients from xxx".

And similar for your out-of-office.

Just leave out any mention of contacting you etc. You just don't want to encourage it.

You are allowed (!) to take time off, just think we are saying that as a self-employed person it is a bit different to being in a job. You obviously need to do what works for you.

Well done on saving up so you can enjoy the time off.

Not sure if that helps.

I guess I come it from the angle of

I do not work on Friday and Monday mornings (yoga) unless for humungous amounts of money.
I do not work in August - ditto
I do not work over Christmas - ditto
but I'll never rule myself out of the work market as I never know what is just over the horizon.

I'm lucky that I can work from home and in the evenings

I've got to wean myself off evening working now that the kids are old enough that DH and I can leave them and go out.

Takeaway that sounds perfect...

Margot - I think that's really about all I can do, actually.

Talkinpeace - it sounds like you have a great w/l balance that really works for you. I have been tending to take on giant very consuming projects, and post this baby will be trying to take on shoter-term pieces of work that don't involve a giant commute, to try and get closer to where you are.

V interesting, thanks v much.