How Can Women Leverage Returnship Experiences to Secure Full-Time Tech Roles?

Women can maximize returnships by highlighting transferable skills, building strong networks, showcasing measurable impact, seeking feedback, aligning projects with career goals, and leveraging credentials on resumes. Demonstrating adaptability, engaging in company culture, rebuilding confidence, and preparing for negotiations boost chances of securing full-time tech roles.

Women can maximize returnships by highlighting transferable skills, building strong networks, showcasing measurable impact, seeking feedback, aligning projects with career goals, and leveraging credentials on resumes. Demonstrating adaptability, engaging in company culture, rebuilding confidence, and preparing for negotiations boost chances of securing full-time tech roles.

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Highlight Transferable Skills Gained During Returnship

Women can leverage their returnship experience by clearly identifying and emphasizing transferable skills acquired, such as coding proficiency, project management, or product design. Demonstrating how these skills were applied in real projects during the returnship can make a strong case for securing a full-time role.

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Build a Strong Professional Network During the Returnship

Returnships provide opportunities to connect with mentors, peers, and leaders within the tech company. Women should actively engage with these contacts, seeking advice, sponsorship, and referrals, which can significantly improve chances of transitioning into a full-time role.

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Showcase Measurable Contributions and Impact

Documenting specific achievements or contributions during the returnship—such as delivering a feature, improving a process, or collaborating on key projects—helps demonstrate value to the employer and others in the industry, positioning candidates as results-oriented professionals.

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Seek Feedback and Continuous Learning Opportunities

Taking initiative to request constructive feedback during the returnship allows women to identify skill gaps and growth areas. Actively addressing these can improve performance and readiness for permanent roles, signaling commitment to self-improvement and career development.

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Align Returnship Projects with Desired Full-Time Roles

If possible, women should select or negotiate projects during their returnship that closely relate to the full-time roles they aspire to. This alignment showcases direct applicability of experience and makes the case for a seamless transition into permanent positions.

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Leverage Returnship Credentials on Resumes and LinkedIn

Clearly listing the returnship experience, along with tangible outcomes and technologies used, on resumes and LinkedIn profiles can attract recruiters and hiring managers. It helps bridge employment gaps and illustrates an active commitment to re-entering the workforce.

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Demonstrate Adaptability and Resilience

Returning to work after a break requires resilience and adaptability, traits highly valued in fast-paced tech environments. Women can highlight how they managed the transition and quickly adapted to new tools, workflows, or team dynamics during their returnship.

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Engage in Company Culture and Volunteer for Extra Responsibilities

By proactively participating in team meetings, company events, or taking on additional tasks, women signal enthusiasm and dedication to the company’s mission. This cultural fit can increase the likelihood of receiving a full-time offer post-returnship.

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Utilize Returnships to Rebuild Confidence and Professional Identity

Women can view returnships as a platform to regain confidence and reaffirm their professional identity. Emphasizing this personal growth during interviews or networking conversations demonstrates self-awareness and readiness to contribute at a high level.

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Prepare for Post-Returnship Negotiations

Finally, women should approach the end of their returnship with preparedness—researching market salaries, understanding company role structures, and articulating their value. Effective negotiation can help secure favorable full-time employment terms after the program ends.

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What else to take into account

This section is for sharing any additional examples, stories, or insights that do not fit into previous sections. Is there anything else you'd like to add?

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