How to Answer Common Questions About a Gap in Your Resume
Is there a gap in your employment history? If so, you may be concerned about that vacant time period on your resume. Like many job seekers, you think that gap will act as a giant red flag to hiring managers. This isn’t necessarily true.
Although it may seem like it, you’re not the first person to have a gap in employment. It’s very common for individuals to experience job loss at some point in their career. This break in employment can be the result of numerous factors:
Professional (lay off, downsizing, firing)
Health-related (a medical or health issue, caring for an ill relative)
Personal (taking time off to attend school, travel or relocate to a new city/state)
Regardless of the reason for your gap, most hiring managers will not outright dismiss your resume from consideration. However, they will want to know more about the reasons for that gap during a phone screener and/or follow-up interview.
If you have a gap in employment and you’re having trouble explaining it to hiring managers, we can help you. Below, you’ll learn some of the most effective ways to answer common questions about resume gaps.
Be Upfront
One of the best ways to lay the foundation for successfully explaining a gap in your resume is to call it out. Get ahead of the question by offering an explanation in the job history section of your resume.
If your job history contains a gap, offer a brief one sentence explanation in the respective job summary. For example, if a lay-off resulted in a year-long gap between positions, begin the next position’s job summary with the phrase, “After being laid off from my previous position, I was able to secure a new role as a (job title) at (employer) a year later.” When a hiring manager reads this sentence, they’ll immediately understand why this gap exists. That one simple sentence may satisfy their curiosity.
Be Honest
Although the method above may prove sufficient for most hiring managers, there are others that may require more detail. Your brief explanation may have raised a few additional questions about the gap that they will want to ask during your phone, video or in-person interview. Typically, they’ll want to learn more about what you did during your down time. The key to answering these additional questions is to be honest.
If the year-long gap was due to difficulty finding available positions that matched your skills, you can express this by saying “My previous employer restructured its various departments which resulted in the elimination of my position. While I completely understood the reason, it was difficult to secure a new position in that particular job market. However, after several months of persistently pursuing employment opportunities, I was able to secure work as a (job title) with (employer).”
Additionally, if you spent the time between jobs enrolled in online courses, be sure to inform the potential employer of this fact. Doing so shows your commitment to improving your existing skills or learning new ones.
If your gap was due to a firing for personal reasons, it’s best to simply write “Position Terminated” on the resume - and offer a more detailed, professional and honest answer during the interview. The best way to handle this is turn the incident into a positive: “While I learned a lot during my time at (previous employer), it was clear to me and the management team that my skills were much better suited at an organization that was more aligned with my professional passions and interests. Rather than continue in a situation that was not ideal for either party, I was now free to pursue new and exciting opportunities like the (job title) with (hiring company).” Instead of trying to shift blame or point fingers, this explanation goes a long way toward demonstrating your professionalism and your winning attitude.
Trust a Professional
If you’re still feeling a little anxious about explaining a gap in your resume to a potential employer, let the team at Elite Personnel help you! Finding a job on your own can be tricky, so let our recruiting experts introduce you great employers in DC metro area. We’ll help you explain any employment gaps and lay the groundwork for a successful interview with your next employer. Contact us today to get started!