Embarrassed about a gap in employment on your resume? Don’t be. After the economy crash in 2008-2009, resume gaps became very common due to corporate downsizing and layoffs at almost all organizations. With so many people with work experience vying for a small number of open positions, it made it even harder for those just entering the job market to find jobs. Having a gap on your resume doesn’t matter; it’s how you explain it that does. Here are a few tips to help you better address you employment gaps during an interview.
Be Honest
There’s no reason to lie about gaps in your employment history. Whatever your reason for taking time away from the workforce, honesty is always the best policy. When the question comes up during an interview, maintain your integrity. If you took time off because you had kids, say that you wanted to spend time raising your children and you were fortunate enough to be able to do so. An interviewer will appreciate this much more than you stammering your way through an answer about how you took time off for a personal project you were working on.
Put a Positive Spin on It
An employer knows that not all employment gaps are due to layoffs or getting fired. You could have taken time off to travel or take additional courses, both of which can make you a better candidate for the job. Talk about the classes you took and how they will help you in this position. Share what you experienced during your travels. At the very least, an employer will know that you got the travel bug out of your system and won’t have an itch to take time off anytime soon.
Be Confident
Though the thought of discussing being let go or fired might make you anxious, don’t panic. You already know there’s a good chance the interviewer will ask about your resume gap, so you have plenty of time to prepare an answer. The more you practice answering the question, the more confident you’ll sound. By reiterating the skills you’ve attained and the lessons you’ve learned from the experience during the time off, you’ll be able to bridge the gap with the upmost professionalism.
Looking for a new opportunity to end your current employment gap? Let the experienced recruiters at BOS Staffing help. For more than 35 years we’ve helped candidates throughout Northeast Georgia and nationwide find top job opportunities. Contact us today to start working with the staffing firm that’s helped hundreds of candidates just like you.
