Having employment gaps on your resume can make you feel anxious about your chances of landing a job interview. However, with some preparation and strategy, you can turn this potential weakness into a strength and impress your potential employer. Here are some tips on how to prepare for a job interview with employment gaps.
Before you go to the interview, you need to identify the reasons behind your employment gaps and how they relate to your career goals. For example, did you take a break to pursue further education, start a family, travel, volunteer, or deal with personal issues? Be honest and positive about your choices and explain how they helped you grow as a professional and a person.
Don't ever apologize for employment gaps- the more you seem worried about them, the more the hiring team will consider that they may be a concern. Have your explanation and state it confidently. Make sure not to try to hide them either- always best to be honest and open!
As others have commented, be transparent and do not be embarrassed. An employment “gap” does not mean you’ve been sat on your ass. Life gets in the way, people lose jobs for reasons beyond their control, the economy is brutal, people are raising kids on their own. Life experience trumps work experience any day, so front it up with pride.
When I interview new colleagues, I always take note on employment gap between their jobs. Is it good or is it bad, you may ask. To me, it depends. It depends on your answers given. Often there are good reasons like taking care of family members or purely just a gap to pursue their interest or having a good break to recharge. My advice is be upfront and honest. Tell your employer exactly why you needed that gap. I have even had colleagues whom had a few years of gap and she told me about the reason. I took her in and she left after 6 months. Now, it is all about you, giving yourself the chance and work for it. It is not just a gap. It is what we want despite having the gap. Love y'all - Robin
As a professional resume writer, I am a huge fan of being transparent about your gaps. We are all human. We have kids with crises, parents that get sick, personal issues. I ALWAYS address the gap with honesty, a strategy that is so rare that interviewers respond wonderfully at a genuine human connection. Be yourself and be truthful.
As an HR Professional, I always believe in being transparent and honest with the reason behind your employment gap. Reason could be anything, but it should be clear and easy to understand. Having an employment gap is not bad. The important thing is to be updated with the required information related to your skills or technology in your unemployment days. Good HR Professionals always note down the points and reasons behind your employment gap. Short-term employment gaps never be the reason for missing a job opportunity.
Your resume should highlight your skills, achievements, and value proposition, not your employment gaps. You can use a functional or hybrid resume format that focuses on your relevant competencies and accomplishments rather than your chronological work history. You can also include any activities or projects that you did during your gaps that demonstrate your skills and motivation, such as online courses, freelance work, volunteering, or hobbies.
People should not have to justify a gap in employment. It's their personal business. Hiring leaders should focus on whether the person has the skills and ambition to do the job. Period.
I love this question - "how do I write a resume with an employment gap?" The answer is easy. Go for 100% transparency. Answering all the questions ahead of time will take the unknown out of the equation. Were you a SAHM? Say that. Took time off to travel Europe? Say that, too. Care for a loved one? (Yep, you guessed it)...say that! Removing uncertainty allows you to control perceptions on the other side of the table. The hiring manager won't jump to conclusions that you were simply out eating bonbons. Though, if you were doing nothing but eating bonbons, power to you! Share with me?
You can bridge gaps in your resume by talking about volunteerism, your side hustle (though avoid overlapping/conflicting dates), raising a family, training/upskilling, looking after an ill family member, or travel, but the trick is to demonstrate some value you can deliver to the hiring manager from that time. When I talk to my network of recruiters, headhunters, and hiring managers, they'll often accept a gap or two as long as you have a simple, reasonable explanation for it AND you were doing something during that time to help yourself or others. The situation may play out even better if you can show a few achievements from that time, though it's not critical.
Employers often have concerns when they come across inaccuracies on a resume, so it’s essential to be diligent in providing accurate information.
Keeping an updated resume is part of the exchange of truthful information and starts the relationship off on the right foot. If your resume isn't up to date with your most current position, then it shows that you may not be taking your job search seriously. Your resume is an invitation to an employer to meet and discuss a position with you, so be as honest and accurate as possible.
Your employment gaps are not the main focus of your interview, but you should be prepared to address them if asked. Prepare a concise and confident story that explains the reasons for your gaps, what you learned from them, and how they make you a better candidate for the position. Avoid being defensive or apologetic and focus on the positive outcomes and transferable skills that you gained from your experiences.
There is nothing wrong with employment gap. Just make sure that you have prepared your explanation well. Delivered it with confidence and without hesitation. What the interviewer is worried about is a troublemaker so don't let them think that you are one.
I have an 18-month gap in my employment from opting to travel. I made sure when I went to interviews to be very open about my motivations for taking this break and what skills I learnt from my time abroad. I also prepared answers to any concerns they had about this gap, and approached these questions with empathy and understanding of their point of view.
Employment gaps are not a death knell for a resume. My partner has an employment gap due to health reasons, and she has only been able to re-enter the workforce recently. Be honest and open about your employment gap, and have an explanation prepared ahead of time. I've found employment gaps to be more common since the COVID-19 pandemic, and I think they will be less stigmatized in the future.
Honesty is the best policy. Career gaps aren't something that you need to hide or be ashamed of. Embrace them, own the story and talk about what you've learned. Sometimes we need a break and the gap is by choice, other times, jobs don't work out. Be honest, explain your thinking, & be up-front.
I completely agree, don’t let the gap take over the interview. Don’t over-explain. Keep the explanation light and concise and try to end it on a positive note, i.e. sharing what you learned, anything exciting you did during the gap, how you are moving forward.
One of the best ways to prepare for any job interview is to research the company and the role that you are applying for. This will help you tailor your resume, story, and answers to the specific needs and expectations of the employer. You can use the company website, social media, news articles, and industry reports to learn about their mission, vision, values, culture, products, services, customers, competitors, and challenges. You can also use LinkedIn or other platforms to find out more about the hiring manager and the team that you will be working with.
Employment gaps happen for a reason. Very few portals like LinkedIn have added a feature like the Career Gap option to their sites. Employment gaps when explained with honesty are accepted. Also, how you utilized your time during that period is also important. Employment gaps will be considered less taboo when more employers start tolerating people with gaps. Gaps are not just a spacebar there are real-life circumstances involved.
Always do this. It shows interest and passion. Many times I hear from Hiring Managers how impressed they were with a candidate's knowledge of the company. You're competing against similarly skilled individuals, so anything you can do to stand out will go a long way.
In my view, craft your narrative with purpose and confidence. Acknowledge your employment gaps, emphasizing how these moments cultivated resilience, adaptability, and a hunger for growth. The goal is to showcase how challenges transformed into opportunities, shaping your unique skill set and fostering a deeper understanding of professional dynamics. Demonstrating positivity and a proactive mindset, present your story as a testament to your capacity for turning obstacles into stepping stones towards success.
Another important step in preparing for a job interview is to practice your answers to common and behavioral questions. You can use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers and provide concrete examples of how you handled similar situations in the past or how you would handle them in the future. You can also prepare some questions to ask the interviewer at the end of the interview to show your interest and enthusiasm for the role and the company.
Don't just give stock responses. Use examples from your past work history. Weave that into your story. If you can compare a past responsbility to one you will have in the new position, it shows that employer you're able to think creatively.
Practice makes perfect! Every time! That’s how you grow confidence speaking about the uncomfortable. Have a friend, peer, partner, parent ask you some common questions and give you feedback. Practice any question you struggle with several times until you find your flow.
Finally, you need to be confident and positive during your job interview. Remember that your employment gaps are not a deal-breaker and that you have valuable skills and experiences to offer. Dress professionally, arrive on time, smile, make eye contact, and use a friendly and respectful tone. Thank the interviewer for their time and follow up with a personalized email or note that reiterates your interest and qualifications for the job.
Don't ask questions just for the sake of asking questions. If something interests you and you want to know more, be sure to ask clarifying questions. When the interview takes more of a dialogue form, this is a sign you're doing good.
Confidence is key. If you’re nervous when answering uncomfortable questions, it’ll probably make the interviewer nervous about your answer. This isn’t necessarily a show-stopper though so don’t get bogged down by this. Also don’t show you are weighed down emotionally by the gap. Interviewers want to see how you bounced back or kept yourself motivated. Keep the conversation light and as positive as is reasonably possible. No need to go overboard with positivity though, it won’t come across as genuine. Treat the gap question like any other typical interview question. Don’t let it fluster you.
?Give reasons while you were not employed?during that time, State what you did during the gap.? Be truthful and confident.
I think comparing to preparing a story to justify your rationale, what's more important is to help interviewer understand what you've done to stay connected with the market during your gap period. When I was headhunting a CFO role for a foreign bank's China HQ based in Shanghai, I shortlist 6 seasoned finance professional to the HRD. While 5 of them were in the market, 1 of the candidates has already left market for 2 years. She travelled abroad to take care of her own family business, then back to Shanghai and went to a leading MBA program. During the interview she demonstrated her amazing agility on how to stay connected with the market and also showcased incredible resilient and business acumen: That explained why she got the offer!
After the interview, ask for feedback. This can provide insights into how potential employers view your employment gap and how you might address it in future interviews.
When preparing for a job interview with employment gaps, it's crucial first to be honest about the reasons for those gaps. If they resulted from personal choices, like traveling or raising a family, convey how these experiences enriched your skills or perspective. For involuntary gaps, such as layoffs, be candid but focus on how you've stayed updated during the hiatus—perhaps through courses, freelancing, or volunteer work. Practice concise explanations to prevent overemphasising the gaps. Emphasise your enthusiasm for returning to work and the value you'll bring. Before the interview, research the company thoroughly to show commitment. Lastly, exude confidence. Everyone has unique paths; how you leverage your experiences matters.
The best way is to be clear, concise and honest about the life developments that led to that employment gap. It could be growing family, illness or moving countries. For example my 5 years gap is because I moved to the US for my husband’s employment opportunity. However, what’s more important for the interviewer is to note how a professional stayed up to date with industry, did they use that time to study, gain (any) extra skill, and the persons commitment to come back to work life with evermore zest. Return-ships are a great way to add years of experience to your team, I call this diversity & inclusion too. Life Happens but a person with commitment to start all over again and stay positive is what every company needs.