She left the workforce for 11 years to raise her sons. Now, she’s a CEO

Susan De Marco was nervous to reenter the workforce when her third son went off to kindergarten.

She spent 11 years as a stay-at-home mom, raising her boys and doing odd jobs and volunteer work from time to time. With a CPA, MBA and an impressive pre-mom résumé in hand, she applied to so many jobs she lost count. But "nobody even reached out to me."

"I started to get discouraged," De Marco said. "You take time to raise your children, and it's like people think you forgot. ... Everything you've done is just forgotten."

Then, one of her applications prompted a callback. The company, Brand K Partners in New Jersey, is an accounting firm for nonprofit organizations and was founded by Amy Karson, a mom of three.

Karson said the gap in De Marco's résumé "didn't even phase me." De Marco's experience as a mom, Karson said, "was such an asset." She's hired other stay-at-home moms, too, and said they've all been successful hires.

"We've hired people with strong volunteer experience, people that get very involved in their children's schools," and others who can demonstrate they've found productive ways to fill their time even if it's not through employment, Karson said.

De Marco made partner at Brand K within a few years, had another baby and took care of her mother after her mom had a stroke. In 2024, when Karson stepped down to pursue other career interests, De Marco was promoted to CEO.

Résumés are 'one of the biggest barriers'

Stay-at-home parents and empty nesters often hit the same wall when looking for work: the résumé gap.

New AI-driven technology may be filtering out résumés with large gaps, said Scott Siff, a business strategist who unsuccessfully tried to help his dad land a new job in his golden years. And job listing platforms are often overwhelming, difficult to navigate and targeted to 20-somethings. Siff realized there was a market of willing workers desperate to find jobs without a tool to help them.

Now he's working on a website, Pivoters, designed for older professionals looking to start a new chapter.

"We're trying to reduce all the barriers," Siff said. "And one of the biggest barriers is creating a résumé. If you haven't been in the workforce for 20 years ... it's like, 'Oh my God, how do I even get started on that?'"

What not to do

De Marco and Karson have three don'ts for stay-at-home parents thinking about getting back into the workforce.

1. Don't give up. "There's a reason for everything," De Marco said, and timing is key. "Never ever regret taking time off to take care for your family. The right opportunity will come at the right time."
2. Don't settle. "You want to find your next home," De Marco said. "Continue searching for the right fit. Some organizations will work with their staff to have flexibility to care for their families."
3. Don't doubt yourself. "Don't shy away from an opportunity that you think is below your skill level," De Marco said. "Because you can prove yourself."

A tip when job hunting

Lean into your soft skills, like empathy, problem solving, patience and multitasking. In applications and interviews, parents should talk about juggling kids' activities alongside volunteering at schools and other responsibilities. Karson said managerial roles are ideal for parents, since parenting is managing your family.

Siff echoed these same dos and don'ts for empty nesters looking for work, and said to let friends and family know you're open to work, too.

"Be creative in the channels you're looking through," Siff said.

Madeline Mitchell's role covering women and the caregiving economy at USA TODAY is supported by a partnership with Pivotal and Journalism Funding Partners. Funders do not provide editorial input.

Reach Madeline at [email protected] and @maddiemitch_ on X.