The Comeback Career Podcast with Fexingo: Returning After a Gap, Stay-at-Home Re-Entry

The Comeback Career Podcast with Fexingo: Returning After a Gap, Stay-at-Home Re-Entry

By FexingoBusiness
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The Comeback Career Podcast with Fexingo: Returning After a Gap, Stay-at-Home Re-Entry episodes

  • Returning as a Speech-Language Pathologist After a Career Gap

    In this episode of The Comeback Career Podcast, Lucas and Luna explore the journey of a speech-language pathologist who returned to clinical practice after a six-year career gap. Meet Dana, a mom of two who stepped away to raise her kids and care for her aging father. We break down the steps she took to refresh her clinical skills, navigate state licensure renewal, and rebuild her confidence in a field that had evolved during her absence. From shadowing a former colleague to completing continuing education credits and leveraging her network, Dana's story offers a practical roadmap for any licensed professional returning to a regulated field. We also discuss the emotional side: the impostor syndrome, the fear of being 'rusty', and the surprising ways her gap became an asset in patient rapport. If you're thinking about re-entering healthcare, education, or any licensed profession, this episode gives you a concrete framework for making it happen.

    #SpeechLanguagePathology #CareerGap #ReturnToWork #Licensure #HealthcareCareers #SLP #ClinicalPractice #ReEntry #ImpostorSyndrome #ContinuingEducation #Careers #Business #ComebackCareer #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #CareerAdvice #WorkLifeBalance #ProfessionalLicensing

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    6 min
  • Returning as a Project Manager After an Eight-Year Career Gap

    In episode 149 of The Comeback Career Podcast, Lucas and Luna explore the story of Elena Martinez, a former marketing director who stepped away for eight years to raise her twins. When she decided to return, she didn't just pick up where she left off—she pivoted into project management, a field she had no direct experience in. Elena's journey reveals the power of reframing 'soft skills' as transferable competencies: stakeholder management, budget oversight, and vendor negotiation. She navigated certification through Project Management Institute courses, built a portfolio from volunteer work, and strategically networked with former colleagues. This episode digs into the specifics: how she quantified her parenting experience in resume bullet points, how she prepped for behavioral interviews, and how she negotiated a flexible schedule without sacrificing salary. Lucas and Luna also discuss the psychological aspects—imposter syndrome, the fear of 'starting over,' and the moment she realized her gap wasn't a liability but an asset. If you're a stay-at-home parent considering a career pivot, this episode offers a practical roadmap.

    #CareerGap #ProjectManager #StayAtHomeParent #CareerReEntry #CareerPivot #TransferableSkills #ElenaMartinez #ParentingExperience #ResumeTips #InterviewPreparation #Negotiation #FlexibleWork #ImposterSyndrome #VolunteerWork #Certification #Careers #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast

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    7 min
  • Returning to Work as a Librarian After a Career Gap

    In this episode of The Comeback Career Podcast, Lucas and Luna explore the journey of a stay-at-home parent who returned to the workforce as a public librarian after a decade-long career gap. They discuss the surprising overlap between parenting skills and library science, the challenges of re-entering a field that has changed with digital media, and the practical steps our guest took to refresh her credentials and land a role. With specific advice on volunteering, networking, and framing gap years on a resume, this episode offers a roadmap for anyone considering a similar path. Whether you're a former teacher, a book lover, or just curious about how to pivot into a people-focused role, you'll find actionable insights and a dose of encouragement. Tune in to hear how one parent turned a passion for reading into a fulfilling second act.

    #CareerGap #StayAtHomeParent #Librarian #LibraryScience #CareerChange #ReturnToWork #JobSearch #ResumeTips #Networking #Volunteering #PublicLibrary #InformationScience #ParentingSkills #SecondAct #CareerAdvice #Business #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast

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    10 min
  • How a Career Gap Led to a Government Policy Analyst Role

    In this episode of The Comeback Career Podcast, Lucas and Luna explore how a career gap can lead to a surprising and rewarding role in government. They follow the story of Maya, a former teacher who took five years off to raise her kids and returned as a policy analyst at a state labor department. Lucas breaks down the skills that translate from the classroom to policy work—research, communication, and stakeholder management—and how Maya used a side project analyzing school budgets to fill the gap on her resume. They discuss the practical steps for breaking into government work, including informational interviews, leveraging alumni networks, and navigating the USAJOBS portal. The episode also touches on the importance of framing career gaps in terms of skills gained rather than time away. Whether you're considering a public sector comeback or just curious about how to pivot after a break, this episode offers actionable insights and a real-world success story.

    #CareerGap #StayAtHomeReEntry #GovernmentJobs #PolicyAnalyst #PublicSector #CareerPivot #MayaStory #TeacherTurnedAnalyst #SkillsTranslation #USAJOBS #InformationalInterviews #AlumniNetworks #ResumeGaps #SideProjects #StateGovernment #Careers #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast

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    8 min
  • How an HR Coordinator Returned After an Eight-Year Gap

    In this episode of The Comeback Career Podcast, Lucas and Luna explore how one parent turned an eight-year career gap into a successful return as an HR coordinator. They break down the specific strategies that worked: refreshing professional networks, translating caregiving skills into workplace language, and negotiating a phased return. Listeners will learn about the 'skills translation' exercise that helped bridge the gap, the importance of informational interviews, and the surprising role of volunteer work in rebuilding confidence. The episode also touches on how to handle the 'what did you do during your gap' question with honesty and poise. Whether you're returning to HR or any other field, this episode offers practical, actionable advice for making a comeback after a long break from the workforce.

    #CareerGap #ReturnToWork #HRCoordinator #ParentingAndCareer #PhasedReturn #InformationalInterviews #SkillsTranslation #VolunteerWork #ResumeTips #InterviewAdvice #CareerComeback #WorkLifeBalance #Networking #ConfidenceBuilding #HR #Careers #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast

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    8 min
  • Returning as a Product Manager After a Career Gap

    This week we follow Maya, a former business analyst who stepped away from her career for five years to raise twins. She returned as a Product Manager at WorkflowGrid, a mid-size B2B SaaS company. We break down her strategy: a part-time freelance project management gig during the gap, a product management certification, and networking through the return-to-work program Path Forward. Maya applied to 40 positions, landed three interviews, and negotiated an initial 15% salary reduction with a six-month ramp-up. Within six months, she earned a promotion and raise. This episode offers concrete tactics for skill updating, salary negotiation, and handling imposter syndrome. If you're considering a return after a career break, Maya's story shows it's possible with a thoughtful approach.

    #ProductManager #CareerGap #ReturnToWork #MomBoss #BusinessAnalyst #SaaS #CareerPivot #Networking #SalaryNegotiation #Freelance #Certification #WorkLifeBalance #ComebackCareer #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #Careers #JobSearch #ProfessionalDevelopment

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    6 min
  • Returning as a UX Designer After a Career Gap

    In this episode, we explore how a four-year career gap led Sarah Chen back into the workforce as a user experience designer. After staying home with her twins, Sarah felt her design skills had atrophied. But by building a volunteer project for a local nonprofit, taking a UX bootcamp, and attending weekly meetups, she landed a contract-to-hire role at a health-tech startup within five months. We break down her strategy: identifying transferable skills from previous marketing roles, pivoting her portfolio to showcase UX thinking, and using networking to bypass resume screening. Plus, practical advice for parents considering a similar return—including how to frame a gap in interviews and which resources (like the UX Design Institute or Google's UX certificate) offer flexible learning. If you're a parent wondering if a return to design is possible, this episode gives you a concrete roadmap.

    #CareerGap #UXDesign #ReturnToWork #StayAtHomeParent #CareerPivot #PortfolioBuilding #UXBootcamp #Networking #HealthTech #DesignThinking #Careers #Parenting #LifelongLearning #JobSearch #InterviewTips #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #TheComebackCareer

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    7 min
  • How a Career Gap Led to a Supply Chain Manager Role

    Maria Rodriguez took a five-year career gap to raise her two young children. When she decided to re-enter the workforce, she didn't expect to land a supply chain manager role at a regional manufacturing firm. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how Maria used a returnship program to bridge her past experience as a logistics analyst with the skills needed for today's data-driven supply chain. They break down what returnships are, why companies like Caterpillar and Accenture use them, and how job seekers can find similar opportunities. Maria's story highlights the importance of networking within industry associations and translating soft skills into leadership competencies. If you're considering a return to work after a gap, this episode offers a concrete roadmap—from identifying target companies to negotiating a start date. No fluff, just actionable advice.

    #CareerGap #Returnship #SupplyChainManager #Logistics #MariaRodriguez #WomenInSupplyChain #iRelaunch #Caterpillar #Accenture #ReturnToWork #CareerPivot #Manufacturing #InventoryManagement #Leadership #Networking #Business #Careers #FexingoBusiness

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    9 min
  • How to Return as a Real Estate Agent After a Career Gap

    In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how a parent returning from a six-year career gap successfully launched a career as a real estate agent. They break down the licensing process—typically 3 to 6 months of pre-licensing coursework plus the state exam—and how many new agents work under a sponsoring broker for two years. They discuss how skills honed during a parenting gap, like negotiation and time management, directly translate to real estate success. Plus, they share practical networking tips for finding a broker who values re-entry candidates. Whether you're considering real estate or just curious about the path, this episode offers a concrete blueprint for turning a career gap into a fresh start.

    #RealEstateAgent #CareerGap #StayAtHomeReEntry #ParentReturningToWork #RealEstateCareer #Licensing #Apprenticeship #NegotiationSkills #TimeManagement #Broker #Fexingo #BusinessPodcast #Careers #ReturnToWork #ReEntry #MomsInBusiness #DadsInBusiness #RealEstateLicensing

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    7 min
  • Returning as a Data Scientist After a Career Gap

    In this episode of The Comeback Career Podcast, Lucas and Luna explore how to re-enter the workforce as a data scientist after a career gap. They discuss a 2024 LinkedIn survey showing 62% of hiring managers are open to candidates with gaps, the importance of building a portfolio with Kaggle competitions and personal projects, and the right certifications to update your skills. Lucas shares a real-world example of a parent who took a five-year gap and returned to a senior data scientist role by completing a bootcamp and contributing to open-source. Luna asks about interview strategies, networking, and salary negotiation. This episode offers practical advice for anyone wondering if their data science skills are still relevant after a break. (This episode contains a short listener-support segment.)

    #DataScientist #CareerGap #ReEntry #ReturnToWork #Kaggle #DataScienceBootcamp #Certifications #LinkedInSurvey #PortfolioBuilding #InterviewTips #Networking #SalaryNegotiation #StayAtHomeParent #TechCareers #ComebackCareer #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #Careers

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    7 min

About The Comeback Career Podcast with Fexingo: Returning After a Gap, Stay-at-Home Re-Entry

From the publisher's feed

After a career break — whether for parenting, caregiving, health, travel, or burnout recovery — re-entering the workforce can feel like navigating a foreign country whose language you once spoke fluently. In this series, Lucas and Luna dissect the practical and psychological mechanics of that return. Each episode centers on one concrete obstacle: how to reframe resume gaps so hiring managers see depth, not absence; which certifications or freelance projects actually accelerate re-entry; how to negotiate salary when you've been out three years and your old peers are two promotions ahead. They examine real cases — a former marketing director who spent four years as a stay-at-home parent and now runs a boutique consultancy, a software engineer who took two years to travel and ended up pivoting into product management. Lucas brings the data: Bureau of Labor Statistics re-entry rates, employer survey data on bias against gaps, and the surprisingly strong retention numbers for returners. Luna pushes back with the emotional reality — the identity shift, the impostor phase, the moment a recruiter asks 'So what did you do?' and you have no tidy answer. Together, they build a toolkit: how to tell your story in interviews without apology, which industries are most gap-friendly, when to lean on your network versus cold applications, and how to protect the boundaries you learned during your break. Every conversation is grounded in named companies (Dell's returnship program, Amazon's 'boomerang' policies), real salary data, and step-by-step scripts. The listener they serve is the professional who stepped away and now wonders if they can step back — and if so, how to do it on their own terms. The episode that stays with you: you'll know exactly which three things to do next Monday, and you'll feel less alone in the doing.