Quick Answer
Yes, you can and should put maternity leave on your LinkedIn profile. LinkedIn offers a section called “Experience” where you can list your maternity leave just like any other job or position. Adding your maternity leave keeps your profile up-to-date and provides the full picture of your professional journey for connections and recruiters.
Should you put maternity leave on LinkedIn?
Yes, it’s recommended to add your maternity leave to your LinkedIn profile for several reasons:
Keeps your profile accurate and complete
Putting your maternity leave on your profile shows the actual timeline of your career – when you left your previous role for maternity leave and when you returned. This provides the full, transparent view of your work history.
Demonstrates employment gaps are for valid reasons
Employment gaps for causes like maternity leave are perfectly reasonable. Including it prevents assumptions that you were unemployed or took time off for unclear reasons.
Shows you’re proud of motherhood as an accomplishment
Like any major life event, becoming a mother is a significant accomplishment. Listing your maternity leave indicates you’re proudly owning that part of your personal and professional journey.
Explains any employment or education gaps
If you take significant time off for maternity leave, it will naturally create gaps in your resume. Putting this time on your profile explains those gaps clearly.
Provides career context and history
Your maternity leave is part of your complete career story. Adding maternity leave to your profile adds context for connections about your full professional timeline.
How to add maternity leave on LinkedIn
Adding your maternity leave to your LinkedIn profile is straightforward:
Go to your profile’s Experience section
This is where you list your employment history. Click “Add profile section” if you don’t already have an Experience section.
Click + to add a new position
Use the + button to add your maternity leave as a new position on your profile.
Enter “Maternity leave” as the position title
Simply write “Maternity leave” or “Parental leave” as the position title. You can also specify “Maternity leave – [Company name]”
Include the start and end dates
List when your maternity leave started and ended. This provides the exact timeframe.
Enter the company name as appropriate
If you took leave from your employer, list your company’s name. If not employed, you can simply list “Maternity leave” as the company too.
Leave description blank or provide details
Optionally, you can include brief details like “Took 6 months maternity leave for the birth of my second child” in the description field. This is optional.
Once you enter these details, your maternity leave will appear just like any other position in your experience timeline!
Example of adding maternity leave on LinkedIn
Here is an example of how maternity leave could look on your LinkedIn profile:
| Dates Employed | Jan 2022 – Jul 2022 |
| Title | Maternity leave |
| Company | ABC Corp |
| Location | New York, NY |
| Description | Took 6 month maternity leave from my Marketing Manager role at ABC Corp for the birth of my daughter |
This shows the maternity leave timeframe and context right within your profile’s work history.
Tips for listing maternity leave on LinkedIn
Here are some tips to make the most of listing your maternity leave:
State the facts, don’t apologize
You have nothing to apologize for – maternity leave is perfectly reasonable so don’t feel the need to justify or explain it. Stick to the facts.
Be brief yet descriptive if you add details
You can opt to give a high-level overview of your leave but don’t need to go into personal details. For example “Maternity leave for the birth of my second child” suffices.
Add other parental leaves if applicable
Along with maternity leave, be sure to list any paternity or other parental leaves as your “title” during those times as well.
List leave even if unpaid or informal
Even if your maternity leave was technically unpaid or informal, list it on your profile. This still keeps your timeline accurate.
Update your profile photo if you wish
It can be nice to update your profile photo to one with your new child if you want to celebrate this life update!
What other parents and experts say
Listing your maternity or parental leave on your LinkedIn profile is encouraged by both parenting experts and experienced parents:
Recruiters look for unexplained gaps
As hiring expert Sylvia Giltner explains, “If you leave a gap in your work history, recruiters will wonder what happened during that time – and not in a good way.” Listing your leave prevents this.
Shows adaptability and family commitment
Leadership advisor Karen Chopra shares that showing you can balance both family and career demonstrates valuable adaptability and commitment.
It’s common and accepted practice
“Moms listing their maternity leave on LinkedIn is very common and widely accepted nowadays – I say go for it!” advises career coach Melanie Feld.
Owning your full experience has power
“As a mom myself, I think owning the full timeline of our motherhood journey, including leave, gives us power,” says parenting blogger Shantrell Simmons.
Conclusion
Listing your maternity or parental leave accurately on your LinkedIn profile keeps your work history complete, provides important context, demonstrates employment gaps were for valid reasons, and represents your full professional journey. Follow the simple steps to add this experience just as you would any other position. This practice is encouraged by career experts, recruiters, and experienced parents alike. So proudly include your maternity or parental leave on your profile!
