Latest / The Comeback Career Podcast with Fexingo: Returning After a Gap, Stay-at-Home Re-Entry / How a Career Gap Can Make You a Better Public Speaker
Transcript
- Lucas: Alright, Luna, I want to start with a story. Mia Torres — former marketing manager at a mid-size CPG company, took a three-year career gap to raise twins. When she decided to return, she didn't just go back to marketing. She pivoted into corporate communications at Salesforce, a role that requires her to present to hundreds of people, including executives, on a regular basis. Luna: That's a big leap. How did she sell that gap in interviews? Lucas: She didn't downplay it. She framed it as a period where she started a 'micro ted talk' habit. Every week during her gap, she would pick a topic — anything from sleep training to the economics of diapers — and record a five-minute talk on her phone, just herself, no audience. Then she'd watch it back, cringe, and redo it. By the end of three years, she had over 150 practice talks. Luna: Wow, that's disciplined. And it's a perfect example of turning unstructured time into intentional skill-building. Lucas: Exactly. And when she told hiring managers at Salesforce about this, they didn't see a gap — they saw someone who spent three years honing the exact skill the job required. She got the offer. Luna: So the gap wasn't a liability; it was a training ground. I love that reframe. Lucas: And it's not just Mia. I've noticed a pattern: people who take career gaps — whether for parenting, caregiving, travel, or just figuring things out — often come back with better public speaking instincts. Because when you're out of the corporate machine, you stop using jargon. You stop trying to sound like a press release. You just talk. Luna: I think that's true. I remember during my own gap — I took a year off to write a novel — I started a podcast with a friend, just chatting about books. No script, no agenda. I got so much better at thinking on my feet and speaking naturally. Lucas: Right. And that's the core insight: public speaking is a muscle, and a career gap gives you a chance to rebuild it from scratch, outside the high-pressure environment of a job where every word feels like it has a performance review attached. Luna: But let's be real — not everyone will record 150 practice talks. What's a more accessible way to start? Lucas: Join Toastmasters. Seriously. I know it sounds old-school, but the structure is perfect for gap returnees. You get a safe space to practice, constructive feedback, and a clear path from impromptu speeches to prepared ones. And it costs almost nothing. Luna: Yeah, I've heard great things. Also, there's a lot of free content online — like the 'Speaking Club' on Meetup, or even just recording yourself on Zoom and watching it back. Lucas: Exactly. And here's the science: when you watch a recording of yourself speaking, you activate the same neural circuits as when you watch someone else. You become your own coach. You notice filler words like 'um' and 'like', you see where you lose eye contact, you hear when you rush. Luna: It's uncomfortable, but it works. I still do that before big talks. Lucas: Another thing Mia did — she volunteered to give presentations at her kids' school. PTA meetings, career day, the works. That gave her a live audience that was low-stakes but real. She learned to read a room, to adjust on the fly when people looked bored. Luna: That's smart. And it builds a portfolio of real-world speaking examples you can mention in interviews. Lucas: Right. And the beauty is, hiring managers don't care if your audience was five-year-olds or Fortune 500 executives. They care that you can stand up, organize your thoughts, and deliver a message with clarity and confidence. Luna: So for anyone listening who's on a gap right now, what's one thing they could do today to start building this skill? Lucas: Pick a topic you care about — something you've learned during your gap, even if it's mundane — and record a one-minute video on your phone. Just you, talking to the camera. Watch it back. Then do it again tomorrow. That's the whole workout. Luna: And don't worry about being perfect. The first one will be awkward. That's the point. Lucas: Exactly. And if you keep at it, by the time you're ready to re-enter the workforce, you'll have a skill that most people never deliberately practice. That's a massive competitive advantage. Luna: I want to circle back to Mia for a second. Did she ever get nervous in those early Salesforce presentations? Lucas: She did. But she told me something I love: she said, 'I was nervous, but I was also excited. Because I had done this 150 times in my living room. I knew I could recover if I stumbled.' That confidence came from repetition. Luna: That's the key — knowing you can recover. Public speaking isn't about being flawless; it's about being resilient. Lucas: Exactly. And that resilience is something a career gap can build in a way a full-time job often doesn't. When you're in a job, you're always performing. In a gap, you can experiment, fail, and iterate without consequences. Luna: I think that's a really optimistic message for anyone worried that their gap is a red flag. It's not — it's a workshop. Lucas: And if today's episode gave you a new way to think about your gap, or a practical step you want to try, the way we keep this show ad-free and listener-supported is through people like you. If you found value, you can toss a coffee our way at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Luna: Yeah, and that directly supports the time we put into researching stories like Mia's and bringing them to you. No pressure, just a sincere thank you if you do. Lucas: Alright, back to the topic. One last tip: if you're preparing for a re-entry interview that involves a presentation, practice in front of someone who doesn't know your industry. Ask them, 'Did that make sense?' If they get it, you're golden. Luna: That's a great test. Jargon is the enemy of clarity. Lucas: So here's the takeaway: a career gap isn't a blank space on your resume. It's a chance to build a skill that most professionals never formally train for. Use it wisely, and you'll come back a more compelling, more authentic speaker than ever. Luna: And if you have a story about how your gap helped you with public speaking, we'd love to hear it. Reach out to us on the show's social media. Lucas: Until next time, keep talking. Even if it's just to yourself in the mirror.