You explain the two years you spent caring for a parent. The interviewer's tone shifts. The conversation keeps going, but something has already changed.
If you've felt that moment — the quiet recalibration in someone's eyes the second you mention a gap on your resume — you're not imagining it. It's real, it's documented, and it's one of the most persistent biases in modern hiring.
Let's talk about why it happens, what the research actually shows, and — more importantly — what you can do about it.
Where This Bias Actually Comes From
This isn't a new prejudice. It's an old one wearing a modern suit.
