It can be tough to get back into the industry after leaving advertising for a while as hiring managers may not look kindly on the gap in your resume. So SapientNitro is looking to address the problem with the launch of its “Returnship” pilot program in Toronto and New York, a 10-week paid program for those looking to re-enter the workforce following an absence. The agency announced the launch of the program at the 3% Conference and launched a pair of videos introducing the concept.
In “Career Invisible,” a woman recounts her career history during a job interview. It seems to be going well until she mentions taking time off to care for her father, at which point the image, presented from the interviewer’s perspective, begins to blur and the audio becomes muffled. It concludes with the question, “Why is what we learn in cubicles seen as more valuable than what we learn in life? and an invitation to visit invisible.careers. A second video, presenting a woman who knows she is being ignored due to taking time off to be a full-time mom, is less effective, without the gradual reveal of “Career Invisible.”
On the website SapientNitro explains it launched the program “to support our belief in the value of both a person’s work experience AND life experience.” With the pilot program, the agency aims “to learn more about how to support these seasoned candidates on their path back to making full time impact at work.”