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Hiring for a Returnship Program Takes a Special Recruiting Expertise

Many of the companies we speak to have tried hiring returners on their own. The conversation with them is usually the same. They’ve created a Returnship program with a team to support it, they’ve added a page to their website, maybe given the program a cute name like “(insert company name) ReLaunch”, identified some roles dedicated just for the program, shared on social media, and then waited for the applications…which never come.  

Recruiting and hiring for a returnship program is not that simple. 

Job seekers who have taken a career break are hesitant. They worry about the gap in their resume, and they worry that they don’t measure up to a more traditional candidate who doesn’t have a gap. And for good reason.  

A study from 2012 showed that recruiters and hiring managers viewed a candidate with a two-year gap as more difficult to place than someone who is currently working but has a non-felony criminal record. That is disheartening for sure. And even though the view of a career gap has evolved since 2012, the challenges and bias are still there. 

(Read: A Comprehensive Guide to Implementing a Successful Returnship Program)

A recruiter that has experience sourcing and screening returners understands the bias is there and has gone through training to acquire a unique set of skills. They are able to see the potential in a resume and pull out the strengths of a returner candidate during the interview process. They are able to direct the candidate to training or classes that complement their work experience and get them up to speed to make them a more desirable candidate for companies   

In some cases, recruiters need to give a little nudge to a returner to ensure them that they are a great fit for a role and should apply. This was the case with one memorable Women Back to Work candidate. 

Our partner, Palo Alto Networks, was looking for a certain technical skillset in a returner candidate. And since WBW makes a concerted effort to stay in close touch with the individuals in our program, our Program Director knew of a candidate that would be a great fit for the role. But when she reached out to the returner, the returner was hesitant to apply. She worried that she didn’t have the skills to do the job well. The WBW team knew otherwise and convinced her to apply. She ended up getting the job and became a very productive and valued member of the Palo Alto Network’s team. 

Attracting, screening, and recruiting returners takes a unique approach. And to do it successfully, you need to make sure the members of your recruiting team are trained on all the unique aspects of the job.  

Women Back to Work is the leading provider of customized Full Service Returnship Programs for medium and large companies across the US and India.