4 Ways to explain employment gaps on your resume!

Job hunts can be excruciatingly time-consuming. When you have gaps in your career, they will last much longer. These are often red flags for recruiting managers, and if you do not justify them, they will presume the worst. They may believe you were fired, had stability issues, or had difficulty being hired due to flaws in your background or candidacy.

In actuality, you might have been at home raising children or away from work caring for an elderly loved one. We recommend confronting the gaps head-on and explaining the "why" behind these gaps to prospective employers. How can you go about doing so?

Here are some suggestions brought to you by professional resume writers and career guiders - for bridging a career gap:

·       Address it in your cover letter.

If you have a difference of a few weeks or even a few months, don't dwell on it too much. However, gaps of more than 4-6 months would almost certainly necessitate an explanation. Although your resume outlines your career highlights, your cover letter is the perfect place to go into more detail about your past, what you were doing during your career gap, and what you discovered all along way.

·       Discuss how you spent your time.

Do you want to know how to re-enter the workforce after a break? Be forthright about it. For example, if you were a stay-at-home parent with small children, discuss the lessons you learned from managing a household, such as organizing and budgeting. Alternatively, if you were caring for a sick loved one, explain how you relied on freelance work and consultancy roles to fill in the gap and keep your expertise set sharp. Don't forget to have any continuing education seminars or job certifications you've obtained.

·       Be prepared for interviews.

If a hiring manager plans an appointment with you, be willing to discuss your job gap, but only if asked. If they do ask, they may want more information or merely to confirm what you said in your resume and cover letter. Prepare to supply the recruiting manager with the information they need in order to step forward and reflect on your skills as a candidate.

·       Be honest.

Whatever the reason behind your career gap, be open and honest about it. A recruiting manager can easily verify the details you offer, so don't add fictitious dates to fill a gap in your resume or fictitious volunteer opportunities. Simply be honest and concentrate on why a company should hire you.

Need more insights on the same? Get in touch with resume maker and career consultant now!