Whatever the outcome of this interview, I just wanted to tell you that, unlike you, I didn’t have the guts to mention my ‘maternity leave’ as a project on my resume. I think more mothers, in fact, all mothers should do it. Thank you for being an example.”

This was my conversation during my first call with the HR head of one of India’s largest ed-tech platforms. I had applied for a role with them. While preparing my resume after a maternity gap of 3 years, I was in a fix. The gap seemed like a vulnerability, but in truth, being a first-time mother was the toughest project I had embarked on. I had to multi-task, go the extra mile every single minute, enable my team member (son) to achieve his milestones ahead of time, nurture a person into a sensitive, sensible human being… and the list goes on. So I decided to not find an excuse for the long gap and instead wear it as my crown. And it paid. My effort was noticed and appreciated, and that’s when I realized that #IBelieveInThePowerofVulnerability. Our vulnerabilities make us more human than shining in any high-risk project ever will.

I also make it a point to say ‘I don’t know this’ when I don’t know something, followed by an ‘I will figure out how to do this’. Where’s the weakness then? Nowhere.