Latest / The Comeback Career Podcast with Fexingo: Returning After a Gap, Stay-at-Home Re-Entry / How a Career Gap Helped One Parent Return as a Corporate Paralegal
Transcript
- Lucas: So you took six years off to raise kids, your last job was in legal research at a boutique litigation firm, and now you want to come back as a corporate paralegal — but every job posting seems to want 'recent experience.' Today we're going to talk about one mom who actually pulled that off, and the exact playbook she used. Luna: I love this case because it's not about luck — it's about a really deliberate strategy. And the person we're talking about is a listener, actually — she wrote in after she landed the role. Lucas: Right. And if today's episode helps you think through your own return — or gives you one concrete tactic you can use — the way we keep this show ad-free and listener-supported is through people like you. If you found value here, you can throw a couple bucks toward the coffee fund at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Seriously, every bit helps us keep doing these deep dives. Luna: Yeah, and we mean it — no sponsor breaks, no mid-roll ads. It's just listeners who decide the show is worth a latte now and then. Lucas: Exactly. So let's get into it. This listener — let's call her Sarah — had been a stay-at-home parent for six years, from 2020 to early 2026. Before that, she worked for three years as a legal research assistant at a firm that handled employment litigation. She had a bachelor's in political science and a paralegal certificate from 2019. Luna: So she had about three years of experience, then a six-year gap. That's a pretty common profile for a lot of our listeners. Lucas: Very common. And the first thing she did was resist the urge to explain the gap in her resume summary. Instead, she led with a 'professional summary' that highlighted the skills she'd kept active. She had done pro bono intake screening for a legal aid hotline — about two hours a week, remote — for the last three years. That was her bridge. Luna: So she wasn't completely out of the legal world. That's key — even a small regular commitment counts. Lucas: Absolutely. But she also knew that most corporate paralegal roles at mid-sized firms — say, 50 to 200 attorneys — want someone who can handle entity formations, contract review, and corporate governance filings. She hadn't done any of that in her litigation job. Luna: So how did she close that gap? Did she go back to school? Lucas: She took two specific steps. First, she completed a free online course through the National Association of Legal Assistants — NALA — on corporate law basics. It was a self-paced module, took about 40 hours over six weeks. She put 'Continuing Education: Corporate Law Fundamentals' right under her certificate on her resume. Luna: That's smart — it shows initiative and current knowledge. And it's not a full degree, so it's not overwhelming. Lucas: Exactly. Second — and this is the part I found really clever — she didn't apply directly to job postings. She went through a temp to perm agency that specializes in legal placements. Specifically, she used a firm called Special Counsel. She told them upfront: 'I have a six-year gap, but I have a paralegal certificate, litigation experience, and I just completed a corporate law course. I need a foot in the door.' Luna: temp to perm is such an underused strategy for career re-entry. Companies are way more willing to take a chance on a temp than a direct hire — there's less perceived risk. Lucas: Exactly. And the temp agency does the screening for you — they verify the skills, they vouch for the candidate. Sarah got placed on a three-month temp assignment at a mid-sized corporate law firm in Chicago, doing exactly the kind of work she wanted: entity formation documents, annual report filings, due diligence for mergers and acquisitions. Luna: So she's basically getting paid to get the experience she needs — while proving herself to a potential employer. Lucas: Right. And here's where the salary negotiation comes in. At the end of the three months, the firm offered her a permanent position. They came in at $48,000 a year, which is honestly low for a corporate paralegal in Chicago — the going rate for someone with her certificate and a few years of experience is more like $55,000 to $60,000. Luna: Did she push back? That's always scary, especially when you feel like you're lucky to even have the offer. Lucas: She did, but she didn't say 'I need more because I have a family' or bring up the gap at all. She said: 'Based on my paralegal certification, my three years of litigation experience, and the corporate coursework I've completed, I believe the market rate for this role is between $55,000 and $60,000. I'd love to accept at $57,000.' She anchored to the market, not to her personal situation. Luna: And what happened? Lucas: They came back at $54,000 with a $1,000 signing bonus. She accepted. That's a $7,000 increase from the original offer — more than 14 percent higher — just by having a number in mind and stating it professionally. Luna: That's huge. And it's a reminder that the gap doesn't have to define your value — the skills you have right now do. Lucas: Exactly. Now let's talk about the interview itself, because Sarah also shared a specific question she asked that she thinks made the difference. It's a question I've heard from a few successful returners, and I want to share it exactly. Luna: I'm all ears. What was it? Lucas: She asked: 'What does success look like in this role in the first 90 days?' That question does two things. First, it shows you're thinking about performance, not just getting hired. Second, it signals confidence — you're not defensive about the gap, you're focused on delivering value. Luna: That's a fantastic question. And it's the kind of thing a hiring manager remembers — it sets you apart from the 20 other candidates who just said 'I'm a hard worker.' Lucas: Exactly. And she also had a specific answer ready when they asked about the gap. She said: 'I took time to focus on my family, and during that time I kept my skills sharp through pro bono work and a recent corporate law course. I'm fully ready to return to a professional setting, and I'm excited to bring my organizational skills and attention to detail to your team.' Luna: Short, positive, and forward-looking. No apology, no long explanation. That's exactly the right approach. Lucas: So let's recap the actual steps for someone listening who wants to replicate this. Step one: identify a bridge activity — even a few hours a week of pro bono, volunteering, or contract work that keeps a toehold in your field. Luna: Step two: take one focused online course that fills the skill gap for the specific role you want. Not a whole degree — one targeted module. Lucas: Step three: go through a temp agency that specializes in your industry. Legal, accounting, IT — most sectors have them. They're motivated to place you because they get paid when you work. Luna: Step four: in the interview, lead with the 90-day question. It's a power move that shifts the conversation from your past to their future. Lucas: And step five: when you get an offer, research the market rate for the role in your city and anchor to that number, not to your gap. Use sites like the Bureau of Labor Statistics or the NALA salary survey, and say the number out loud. Luna: Sarah's story is such a good example because it's replicable. She didn't have a fancy network or a secret connection. She just had a plan and executed it. Lucas: And that's the takeaway: returning after a gap isn't about erasing the gap — it's about building a bridge from where you were to where you want to go. Sarah built that bridge with a pro bono shift, a certificate, a temp agency, and a single well-placed question. Luna: I think a lot of listeners will hear that and think 'I can do that.' And you can. It just takes a little structure. Lucas: If you've got your own return story — or a tactic that worked for you — write to us. We read every message, and we might feature your story in a future episode. Until next time, keep building that bridge.