Latest / The Comeback Career Podcast with Fexingo: Returning After a Gap, Stay-at-Home Re-Entry / How a Career Gap Helps You Build a Skills Portfolio
Transcript
- Lucas: Luna, I was looking at LinkedIn data from early this year — something like 62 percent of hiring managers say they'd rather see a portfolio of work than a traditional resume when a candidate has a career gap. Luna: That's huge. And I bet that number's even higher in creative or marketing roles. Lucas: Exactly, but it's spreading across industries. I talked to a woman named Maria — former marketing manager at a mid-sized consumer brand, took six years off when her twins were born. She told me she sent out fifty resumes, got three interviews, zero offers. Luna: Ouch. That's the classic wall. Lucas: Right. So she switched tactics. Instead of a resume, she built what she called a 'skills portfolio' — a living document that showed what she'd done, learned, and produced during her gap. No chronological job list. Just evidence of capability. Luna: I love that framing. Evidence of capability. What did she include? Lucas: She structured it in four sections. First, a skills matrix — a simple table listing every skill she had, from SEO to event planning to budget management, with a column for 'last used' and a column for 'proof' — a link, a document, a reference. Luna: So it's not just claiming you know something. You have to show it. Lucas: Exactly. Second section was project summaries — three to five projects she'd done during the gap. Could be volunteer — she was on the PTA fundraising committee, managed a 15-thousand-dollar budget, coordinated a silent auction that raised 22 thousand. Luna: That's a real project with real numbers. Not 'helped with events.' Lucas: Third section was learning — any courses, certifications, or even structured reading lists. She did Google's analytics certification, a Coursera course on digital strategy, and read about 30 business books. She listed the top five most relevant. Luna: That signals you're staying sharp. Honestly, it shows more initiative than someone who just coasted in a job. Lucas: And the fourth section was a personal statement — not a boring objective, but a narrative: why she stepped away, what she learned about herself, and what she wanted next. She framed the gap as a period of deliberate growth. Luna: Did it work? Lucas: She sent that portfolio to twelve companies. Got five interviews. Three second-rounds. And she accepted a senior marketing manager role at a tech company — a step up from where she left. Luna: That's incredible. And I think part of the reason it works is that a portfolio lets you control the narrative. You're not letting a recruiter interpret a gap as a blank space. Lucas: Exactly. You're filling that space with proof. And it doesn't have to be fancy — Maria's portfolio was a simple Google Doc with embedded links. She shared it as a PDF. Luna: Okay, so for someone listening right now who's thinking, 'I could do that' — what's the first step? Lucas: First step: open a blank document. Write down every project you've done in the last two years — even if it feels small. Planning a family reunion with a budget? That's project management. Coaching a kid's soccer team? That's team leadership and communication. Luna: Reframe everything. I think parents especially underestimate how much transferable skill they're building. Lucas: Second step: pick three to five projects and write a one-paragraph summary for each — what you did, what the outcome was, and what skill it demonstrates. Use numbers where possible. Luna: And for the skills matrix — how detailed should that be? Lucas: Aim for 10 to 15 skills. Not everything, just the ones relevant to the job you want. And be honest about proficiency. If you haven't used a tool in five years, say 'intermediate' and note that you're refreshing it. Luna: Honesty builds trust. And if you're refreshing, that shows initiative again. Lucas: Now, the learning section — don't just list certificates. Write one sentence about what you learned and how it applies. For example: 'Google Analytics certification — learned to interpret traffic data and set up conversion tracking, which I used to optimize the PTA's donation page.' Luna: That connects the learning to a real outcome. That's gold. Lucas: And the personal statement — keep it to three paragraphs. Paragraph one: where you were and why you stepped away. Paragraph two: what you did during the gap and what you learned. Paragraph three: where you want to go and why you're excited. Luna: No apologizing. No explaining. Just owning it. Lucas: Exactly. And one more thing — Maria told me she included a 'references available upon request' line, but she also added a link to two LinkedIn recommendations from people she'd worked with before the gap, just to show she hadn't burned bridges. Luna: Smart. So the portfolio isn't just for job applications — it's also a tool for networking. You can send it to someone before an informational interview. Lucas: Right. 'Here's a sense of what I've been doing — would love your thoughts.' It makes the conversation concrete. Luna: You know, this approach also works for people who did freelance or side gigs during their gap. It's a way to bundle those small projects into a coherent story. Lucas: Absolutely. And if we've helped you think through your own career move or how to present your gap, I'll mention — a handful of listeners chip in monthly through buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo, and that's what keeps this show ad-free and independent. Luna: Yeah, it's a small community but it makes a big difference. We're grateful for every person who helps keep the lights on. Lucas: Okay, back to the portfolio — one more thing Maria did that I thought was clever. She included a short 'feedback log' at the end of her document — a table with three columns: date, person, and key takeaway. She'd add a line after every informational interview or networking conversation. Luna: So it's a living document that grows as she networks. That also shows a recruiter that she's actively engaged. Lucas: Exactly. And when she landed the interview, she brought a printed copy and left it with the hiring manager. It became a talking point. Luna: I want to try this myself, just to see how it feels. I think even people who aren't in a gap could benefit from a skills portfolio. Lucas: Totally. It's a career tool, not a gap tool. But for someone returning after time away, it's arguably the most powerful document you can create. Luna: Alright, so practical takeaway: start with one project summary this week. Just one. Then add the skills matrix. Build it piece by piece. Lucas: And if you want a template, we'll link to a basic one in the show notes. No paywall, no email required — just a Google Doc you can copy. Luna: That's great. I'll put that together. And if you build your own portfolio and it helps you land something, let us know. We'd love to hear. Lucas: Alright, that's it for this episode of The Comeback Career. Next time we'll talk about how to use a skills portfolio in salary negotiations — because if you've got the proof, you've got leverage. Luna: See you then.