Long Gaps Between Jobs? Answer The 4 Interview Questions Employers won’t Ask

Long gaps between jobs (unemployment) or a string of part-time or temporary jobs without any discernible career progression (underemployment) can hinder your progress toward finding your next job. Employers may not assume positively when there is a gap since they view it as a significant uncertainty. Don't become defensive or give up as the job seeker.

Be ready instead. When you describe your experience, talents, and motivation for the next position, address any potential concerns. You'll need to prepare an answer in advance for these objections. Start by addressing these 5 questions that employers are likely considering but won't make:

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Q1. Why should I choose you for an interview over other applicants who have no gaps?

This is a query that appears throughout the application process, far earlier than a formal employment interview. It serves as another evidence of why responding to job advertisements with a barrier in your history is a losing bet. Sure, a really effective cover letter could persuade companies to interview you, but many employers don't even read cover letters. Include a cover letter with your application, please (you can write cover letters quickly). When an employer does read it, it may be quite beneficial. You cannot, however, assume that it will be read.

You'll need more than just an unsolicited résumé to approach your target companies. To do this, make direct contact by asking people to introduce you or doing it yourself (i.e., cold calling). Create the first contacts on LinkedIn, or perhaps you can meet at a conference or professional association. Before rushing towards what you need, slowly strengthen the friendship by focusing on your shared interests and even assisting the other person. Yes, you will need to put in some time and effort, but if you've been out of job or underemployed for so long, what's a few more weeks to establish the groundwork for your networking?

Q2. If you are so talented, why haven't you been hired?

The elephant in the room during your job interview will be the reason you haven't been hired yet. Your last response to any question the interviewer may have concerning your qualifications should allay any doubts they may have. You need to market your abilities, knowledge, and other qualities so well that the employer feels fortunate to have hired you before someone else does.

By concentrating on your qualifications, the impacts of the gap are offset. Don't spend a lot of time describing your gap since, in the end, it doesn't matter because the company is hiring you for your abilities to serve them, not for your life narrative. Be brief and talk in a voice that is neutral and free from impatience, rage, or defensiveness. Give a general explanation without going into great detail, such as "I was taking care of a family situation," "I was on sabbatical," or "I was experimenting with numerous other hobbies," if you completely stopped working or worked less than you would have wanted. Always return the topic to the hiring manager and the rationale behind the hiring decision.

Q3. Are you actually looking for work?

The employer can still have doubts about your motive even if you did a fantastic job of selling them on your qualifications. Why not keep doing what you've been doing if you've managed to get by this long without a job or with a less demanding work? Employers would assume that you intentionally took the break, which would cast doubt on your work ethic.

It won't be enough to just state that you have a good work ethic since in the recruiting process, results speak louder than words. However, by focusing the conversation on the employer, what they need, and why you're so eager to help with that, you may persuade people that this is a different moment. You're eager about working there in particular, not simply about going back to work.

Q4. Why should I put money into you if you're simply going to leave?

By emphasising your genuine interest in the company you're speaking with rather than just any job, you can not only dispel concerns about your work ethic but also allay another concern employers have about long gaps in employment: that you are looking for any job to advance your career and will quit at the first sign of a better offer. The company may feel that you can contribute and that you have the work ethic to maintain your job, but they worry that you may enter a rebound relationship.

Be cautious about making commitments on how long you'll stay if you're applying for a position that isn't a good long-term match. Instead, describe your goals in detail. If you leave before a full year, the employer may still be unhappy, but at least you can highlight the contributions you made while you were there.

Plan your next career move, not just your next job

If your career hurdle is unemployment or underemployment, be careful about joining a company where you’re not willing to stay. If you need to take on work strictly for the money, then that’s about your bank account, not your career, and you can keep those for-the-money jobs separate from your overall career-specific experience. (If these stopgap jobs are somewhat career-related, group them as consulting or freelancing when you include them in your profile or pitch, so there is some continuity.) Otherwise, invest in clarifying your long-term career goal, so you’re not just finding your next job but taking a strategic next step in your overall career.

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