This New Social Network Wants To Get Moms Back Into The Workforce

Whether it takes the shape of unequal pay or sexual harassment, nearly every woman has to deal with discrimination in the workplace at some point in their career. But no one has it quite as bad as women returning to the workforce after taking an extended hiatus from corporate America to focus on raising a family. 

In fact, according to a recent study from the Center for Talent Innovation, 90 percent of women who left their jobs to devote more time to their families, eventually wanted to return to work, but only 40 percent were able to find full-time jobs.

That's where Jennifer Gefsky and Niccole Kroll come in. Gefsky and Kroll are the co-founders of Après, which is billed as a "LinkedIn for women who have taken a career break," in a new profile from Fast Company. According to the women, one of the most challenging hurdles to clear when resuming a career after an extended absence is rebuilding the network of professionals that were left behind.

Described as a “marketplace for both full- and part-time positions, consulting projects, maternity fill-in positions, and pro-bono opportunities across a wide range of industries," Après promises to help women reconnect with those networks.

Members do not pay to join or search jobs, but they can upgrade to a premium membership so that their profile is searchable for $250 a year or $25 amonth, with a three-month minimum.

"This virtually untapped pool of candidates is an invaluable source of talent for corporate America—they bring a strong skill set, a proven work record, reliability, and life experience," Gefsky said. 

Après launches May 4. Sign up here.