How to Address a Career Gap in Your Resume
What you will find in this blog:
- The resume gap of old
- Reasons for a career gap on your resume
- How to address a career gap on your resume
- Resume gaps are no big deal
Oh no! A career gap in your resume? What will you do now? (Sobs.) This is a red flag to every recruiter and company, and your professional life is essentially over.
Oh wait, scratch that.
Honestly, a career gap in your resume is not a big deal anymore. If you address it professionally and appropriately, a resume gap does not have to hinder your chances of landing a job.
The resume gap of old
Back in the day, a resume gap was treated as a major red flag. It signaled (wrongly) to the hiring manager that you were perhaps not reliable, unable to hold a job, or that you would give poor job performance. Resume gaps could prevent you from being considered for a role, even if the gap was for something reasonable, necessary, or simply out of your control.
This was the case so much so that some people would lie and make up positions and companies simply to try to explain away or cover up a resume gap.
Luckily, that is not the case today. Most employers (those worth working for) understand a reasonable resume gap. Plus, you do not want to lie on your resume with fake companies and jobs.
Reasons for a career gap on your resume
There are so many reasons why you might have a gap in your resume, including but not limited to:
- Family or elder care
- Personal injury
- Personal health issue
- Childbirth or childcare
- Furthering education
- Military transition
- Relocation
- Family loss
- Layoff
While these are all completely reasonable explanations for having a resume gap, people are still scared and unsure how to address breaks such as these on their resumes.
So, how should you approach a career gap on your resume?
How to address a career gap in your resume
In a word—simply. You do not have to go into a drawn-out explanation, and you certainly should not make something up to fill the gap. Be honest, but you do not need to give every little detail.
List the break with a clear and concise title such as, “Family care,” “Caregiver leave,” “Furthering education,” “Relocation,” “Military transition,” or other straightforward explanation. If you freelanced, earned a degree or certificate, volunteered, or some other additional item during that time, great. Include that information as it also adds to your experience.
Otherwise, list the reason and the dates and move on. When a recruiter calls, you can again be honest with them, but you do not need to share your life story. Use straightforward answers such as:
“I took a break to care for a family member.”
“I had just gotten out of the military and was exploring my career path options.”
That is it. Then you can shift the conversation to the experience that you do have that fits the job description.
No drama, just the truth without too much fanfare. Additionally, it is really none of their business why you have a career gap, and if your experience fits the role, then you should be considered without a career gap red flag hanging over your head.
Resume gaps are no big deal
While once believed to be an application death sentence, a career gap really is not a big deal. Today’s employers understand that life happens, and you may have needed some time to care for a sick relative, address your own health concerns, consider career path options after leaving the military, or any other reason why you might have taken a step back from employment.
The key to addressing a career gap on your resume is to be honest and not overexplain. A line item with the dates and simple clarification are best. Any employer you would want to work for will recognize your value even with a gap in your resume.
Need help addressing a career gap and getting back into the workforce? Connect with me to learn how I can help you craft a resume that will catch a recruiter’s eye. Yes, even with a career gap.