You finished crafting your resume and are feeling ready to send it out into the world. But there is one problem—this big, glaring gap between February and November 2015 when you were out of work. It just screams, “Look at me, hiring manager! I was unemployed!” Do you mention it, or try to hide it? Don’t worry, we’ll be able to walk you through this tricky situation.
Take Ownership
When you have a gap in your resume, your first instinct might be to try to hide it. Maybe if you don’t say anything about it, the hiring manager won’t notice, right? Recruiters at our panel agreed that, while it may be tempting to sweep it under the rug, it is best to take ownership of it in some way. If not, the recruiter may fill in the gap for you with their own assumptions. They could also think that you are trying to hide something by not saying anything about the gap. To be safe, be sure to briefly explain the gap during your interview.
Don’t Over Explain
This is where you’ll have to make some decisions in how much of your situation is appropriate to share at the interview. If you took time off to take care of a family member, simply stating that and moving on will be adequate. If you’re situation is a little more complicated, stating something like “I’d be happy to discuss the gap in my work experience in person” is enough to take ownership of the gap, without divulging or focusing on it too much. Regardless of the situation, don’t spend too much time explaining the gap. Rehearse your explanation out loud so you are comfortable with saying it. During the interview you’ll want to move on quickly and focus on why you are qualified for this position.
Fill in the Gap
You may not have solid work experiences during this time window, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have experience that is relevant and useful to employers. Show the company that you are still active and growing as a person by including any volunteer work, and look for the skills within the experience you had that might be transferable to this job. Did you learn budgeting, better organization skills, or something else? See if you can articulate what you learned during that period of time.
What Next? Keep Learning, Growing and Giving
Look for community or online classes that you can take to expand your skill set, and be sure to mention that you took or are currently taking a course in your cover letter. Not sure where to go? Lynda.com is a great resource for online classes in everything from Business to Photography, and you can do a 10-day free trial. Taking a class will let the company know you are taking matters into your own hands to expand your skill set and experiences while you are in job search mode.
Every thought about volunteering? Look for volunteer opportunities to add new skills and to keep yourself active. When times are tough, helping others is a great way to expand your thinking and be grateful for your own capabilities. It’s easy to be discouraged when you are unemployed, but by looking for ways to help others you’ll not only enrich your life but others’ too.
Leap to Confidence students were fortunate to listen to a panel of Human Resource professionals from San Diego companies discuss tips and strategies for re-entering the workforce and presenting their best selves. This article is inspired by that panel. Thanks to Amy Benoit of Federal Heath Sign Company, Janelle Frickey of City of San Marcos, Amy Hernandez and Charisse Charters of ResMed, Penny Sandifer of Pacific Marine Credit Union and Edith Villaseñor of Pridestaff.
