Parent & caregiver Q&A
A living set of answers to the questions we hear most from working parents and caregivers searching for flexible work. Each answer is written long-form because most of these questions don't have one-line answers.
How do I explain a five-year caregiving gap on my resume?
One sentence is enough. Put a single line in the work history section that reads "2020-2025: Full-time caregiver." No apology, no euphemism, no clever rebranding. The matter-of-fact framing…
Is it realistic to find truly part-time remote work, or is that a unicorn?
It's realistic, but not abundant. The honest framing is that part-time remote work exists in real volume in a few specific categories and almost not at all in…
What questions should I ask in the interview to find out if a flexible job is actually flexible?
Six questions, asked in order, will tell you almost everything you need to know. Memorize them and ask them in the first or second interview. Each one is…
Should I take a pay cut for flexibility?
Often yes, but only if you've done the math on the real trade and you've set a floor below which you won't go. The temptation, especially after a…
How do I find async-first companies specifically?
Async-first companies advertise themselves with specific words and behaviors that are easy to spot once you know what to look for. The combined signal is reliable enough that…
I have no current references after being out for years. What do I do?
You probably have more references than you think — they just don't look like the references you had when you left full-time work. The fix is to broaden…
How do I handle a sick kid day when I'm new in a job?
Plan for it before it happens. The sick kid day is going to come — usually within the first six weeks of any new role, because your immune…
Are job shares actually a thing, or is that a myth?
They're real but rare in the United States, common in some specific industries (especially nursing, teaching, and parts of the UK and Australian public sector), and increasingly available…