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How
to Handle a Gap in Your Job History
When you think of The Gap, we all think of the clothing
store with the super skinny models and cute ads, right?
Well, in the wonderful world of resume writing and job
searches, a gap in employment is a totally different ball
game. In fact, it's one of the things that causes the
most stress and fear in the hearts and minds of the job-seeker.
Let me tell you why.
Looking for a job in itself is a full-time job. You are
at a point in your life when you are at your most vulnerable.
Anything out of the ordinary on your resume will intensify
that stress and fear. When you are stressed out, chances
are you may not be thinking as clearly or logically as
you ordinarily would when life is great and things are
rolling along.
But as they say, stuff happens. Life happens. So do layoffs,
new babies, sick relatives, and a host of other occurrences
that can result in a significant gap in your resume.
No matter how diligent, hardworking, and responsible you
are, it is possible that you may find yourself out of
work for a significant period of time at some point in
your career. The key point to remember is not to let this
gap in employment hurt you during your job search.
Just because you are not working does not mean that you
can't keep busy. Keeping busy does not mean spending your
days watching Dr. Phil, Oprah, and Montel (people do watch
this guy)!
Keeping busy means staying involved in your profession.
In fact, it's a lot easier to re-enter the workforce if
you keep your skills sharp and your job knowledge up-to-date.
Here are some suggestions to help you stay connected to
your career while conducting your job search:
Many times, employees who are “in-between” jobs
supplement their knowledge (and income) by taking part-time,
contract or consulting assignments. Sometimes these assignments
can result in full-time, permanent positions. Take a class
in a subject related to your profession. Volunteer with
an organization or become a mentor. Read trade journals
and attend seminars in your field of expertise.
A gap on a resume glares out at a recruiter or hiring
manager. If you've spent your employment gap doing freelance
work, consulting, or mentoring, be sure to list that experience
in the Professional Experience section of your resume.
Include the name of the organization, job functions, dates,
and city and state. In other words, treat it as you would
a regular job!
If you have an extensive gap in employment, you may want
to address it in your cover letter to the prospective
employer. Include a brief one- or two-sentence explanation,
but do not go into detail about a long illness or a frustrating
job search. Rather, state that you were out of the workforce
for whatever reason, and explain that you are eager to
return. If the gap in your employment happened a long
time ago, don't bother mentioning it at all. Employers
are not interested in what happened in 1984!
Should the subject of your employment gap come up during
an interview, explain why simply and briefly. In other
words, use the exact same brief, simple explanation you
used in your cover letter. Obviously, they were impressed
enough with your background (despite any gaps) to invite
you in for an interview!
Regardless of the reasons for your employment gaps, always
maintain a positive, optimistic attitude, and be sure
to let the hiring manager know that you are excited and
ready to return to work! |
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by Cynthia Wright
Cynthia Wright is a human-resources
professional with 10 years of experience
in staffing and recruiting. |
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Access a range of
interesting websites with info to help you prepare for
your job search...
just click on a topic.
www.hoboken.com
"everything Hoboken"
www.nj.com
newspapers, job resources, general information, "everything
Jersey"
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