Career Growth During Maternity Leave: Breaking the Stagnation Myth

Pregnancy and maternity leave are often viewed as a time when career progression is put on hold. Women frequently hesitate to switch jobs, promotions are delayed, and professional decisions are postponed until after their return. However, some professionals receive offers they cannot refuse during this exact period, successfully changing jobs or stepping into senior roles.

Breaking Barriers During Pregnancy

Gil Baklash, a senior product designer at Gong, discovered she was pregnant with her first child right in the middle of the company's interview process. She was not actively looking for work, but when she encountered an opening at Gong—a company she had always wanted to work for—she applied. Finding out about the pregnancy sparked immediate hesitation. "I asked myself if this was the time to take on a new challenge or if it was safer to stay in familiar territory," she recalls.

I asked myself if this was the time to take on a new challenge or if it was safer to stay in familiar territory, she recalls.

Baklash chose to disclose her pregnancy early in the interview process. "I stammered a bit when I brought it up, but the reaction was amazing," she notes. They immediately congratulated her and asked when she was due, never giving her the impression that it was a negative factor. She joined Gong in her seventh month of pregnancy and took nearly eight months of maternity leave after the birth of her daughter, Hili. Throughout the leave, she maintained contact with the team, attended events, and even when her return was briefly delayed due to her daughter's brief hospitalization, she received unwavering support.

Career Growth Amid Survival Mode

Aviram Ben Shushan, head of design at Appcharge, and his partner Shahar, a neurologist at Sheba Medical Center, were among the first couples of two fathers to complete a surrogacy process in Israel. When their identical twins were born, Ben Shushan took a six-month paternity leave from a managerial role at a major company. Changing jobs was far from his mind. "I had two babies to feed, diaper, and bathe. I was in pure survival mode."

During his leave, Gil Tov Li, VP of Marketing at Appcharge, reached out to him for professional consultation. The meeting evolved into an offer to join the startup and build its design department from scratch. "Gil knew I was on paternity leave with twins and still saw me as the right person," Ben Shushan says. He joined when the twins were about eight months old and the company had around 40 employees. Today, the company employs roughly 180 people, and he manages a team of designers, proving that family and career can scale together.

Stepping Up While on Leave

Iana Sivan, a development director at the fintech firm April, was promoted to her role during maternity leave with her fourth daughter. With roughly 15 years of development and management experience, she now oversees a group of more than 20 employees. The promotion offer arrived about a month before her planned return from a six-month leave.

"I didn't hesitate about whether I wanted the role; instead, I asked myself how I would manage to do it at the level I expect of myself," she shares. What helped her make the decision was strong organizational backing. Sivan emphasizes that balancing leadership and family requires clear boundaries and letting go of perfectionism, guided by the principle of being fully present wherever she is.

A Shift in Organizational Mindset

Ilanit Levi Biton, CEO of iTalent, a tech recruitment firm, notes a tangible shift on the ground. More organizations are recognizing that a woman's career is continuous, and pregnancy is simply a natural part of it. Companies that adopt this forward-thinking approach avoid missing out on top-tier talent due to temporary circumstances, ultimately building a culture rooted in long-term trust and commitment.