By Brianna Rooney, CEO & Founder — TalentPerch
Today’s job market is highly competitive, and with such a competitive market comes necessary shifts in how people search for jobs. Your resume is your handshake and calling card in the job market that hiring professionals use to get an overview of their skills, experience, and fitness for their available positions.
According to a recent study, 59% of job seekers have some sort of gap in their resume. The reasons for these gaps can vary — from needing to take time off to care for a family member, to becoming a stay-at-home parent, or having difficulty finding work after a firing or layoff. Whatever the reason for gaps, they are common and may cause job-seekers stress when it comes to how to convey such information on their resumes.
Addressing resume gaps shouldn’t cause you to fear potentially missing out on a new opportunity for employment. Instead, see it as an opportunity to highlight your strengths and skills applicable to the jobs for which you are applying.
Overcoming stigma
The first step in addressing gaps in your work history involves a mindset shift. Many people believe there is a stigma attached to resume gaps, especially if those gaps are longer or due to being let go from your last position.
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, over 23 million Americans lost their jobs, meaning all of their resumes will include a gap due to this loss. The stigma attached to resume gaps in the past still lingers with some employers, yet many modern employers are starting to recognize that it is not the gap that matters, but rather what the potential employee did with their unemployed time.
When you set out to find a new position, you must do so with a positive approach and mindset. If you enter the job search with a tremendous amount of shame and anxiety attached to your resume gaps, it will show through during the interview process. By reframing your mindset toward the concept of resume gaps, you can go into interviews confidently, prepared with honest and concise answers that address those gaps and call attention to your fitness for the job.
Navigating resume gaps with confidence
Once you adjust your outlook on the issue of resume gaps, you need to move forward confidently. Though most interviewers will still ask about a resume gap, they may be far more understanding about this, given the current state of the market and the global pandemic that we all just collectively weathered.
If there is a noticeable gap in your resume, you may want to mention it first within your cover letter, before an interviewer has the opportunity to call attention to it. Simply state that you are aware that the gap exists with a simple explanation of why it does, and what you learned or did during your time away from work.
When asked about a resume gap, honesty is the best policy. If you lie about why a gap exists, it could mean trouble down the road if the lie is uncovered. Prepare for the question that you know is coming by devising answers that address what you did with your time during the gap in employment. You may not think the online course that you took in coding would be of interest to the interviewer, but it shows that you were taking the time between jobs to sharpen your skills and work toward your next paid position. Volunteer hours, professional development classes, workshops, and even time spent on self-study or travel can all be considered valuable time well spent during a work gap.
What if a gap exists due to a personal matter, such as an illness or mental health issue? If you did not spend your gap in employment sharpening skills or working toward a better position, but were simply surviving a personal setback, be honest about that as well. Simply explaining that you were attending to a personal matter, but that you are now ready and eager to return to work should suffice.
You don’t need to feel ashamed of personal gaps in your resume. The attitude of many employers following the unprecedented pandemic has trended towards more understanding. Applicants are human, and personal time away from work is sometimes necessary.
Highlight your skills and continuing education
Today’s resumes are not like the more traditional chronological lists of work experience they were in the past. In such a competitive market, applicants must find new and creative ways to ensure their resumes stand out.
By formatting a resume to highlight skills instead of chronological work history, you can make gaps less of an issue and draw attention to why employers should consider you. With this type of resume, job experiences can be listed under relevant skills. For example, your time as a manager can be listed under “leadership” or your time in sales can be listed under “customer service experience.”
It is also easier than ever to gain training and education that adds heft to one’s resume. Online courses, workshops, classes, and in-person continuing education opportunities can all be added to your resume to show that, regardless of when you were employed, you were always working on broadening your education and skill set. If you were unemployed for a time, or even if you still are, use that time to prepare for your next role by earning relevant certifications or training to set yourself above the competition when you reenter the job search.
According to a Forbes article, 96% of employers say they would hire someone who lost their job during the pandemic. The overall attitude toward employment gaps on one’s resume could be radically changing in this new world of work. Acceptance of mental health wellness, gap years to explore one’s passions, taking time off for family matters, or traveling to discover new places is growing.
By learning to get past the stigma that once surrounded gaps in your resume, you can approach the job search confidently and ready to showcase a wealth of skills and experience.
About the Author: Brianna Rooney is a serial entrepreneur and powerhouse in recruiting. She is the founder and CEO of TalentPerch, Thriversity, The Millionaire Recruiter website and YouTube channel, and Techees.