It’s very normal to have a “gap year” on your resume. You are not alone.
But how can you effectively handle employment gaps on your resume and interview?
- Think of other activities you could use to fill that period of time.
Perhaps you have experience that is relevant to your job target, even though you were not paid, e.g. community involvement, volunteer activities, special projects, continuing education and consulting engagement – these are all great experiences to be added to your Work Experience section of the resume.
- Use a career summary to highlight your best work experience and top qualifications.
If your employment gaps aren’t short, you probably have to use a summary section to draw attention to your unique selling points while downplaying the work chronology.
- During the job interview….
You don’t need to bring up your employment gaps if the employer isn’t asking any questions about these gaps. But if they ask you about your gaps, you need to tell them that you have kept up-to-date with new changes and trends in the industry.
If your employment gap was caused by reasons such as continuing your education, looking after children, taking care of a sick family member or recovering from an illness / injury, please make sure you are not apologetic because your positive attitude will help you improve the quality of your resume.