Is it unreasonable to have a gap in your resume? Some recruiting agencies and HR departments would scoff at the mere mention of that – how dare you not be constantly employed? Clearly it signifies underlying problems if you haven’t been employed throughout your career!
But the world is rarely so black and white. Life is full of the unexpected, and it often creates unforeseen breaks. Whether we stop working to care for the people around us, to care for ourselves or for some other reason, a gap in the resume is usually justifiable – with a bit of strategic thinking, you can frame your unemployment as a positive and boost your desirability as a potential hire. To find out how, read on!
An outdated outlook
There are countless reasons why someone would stop working. With the global spread of COVID, nearly 500 million people were infected and over 6 million have died, according to recent figures from the World Health Organisation. Given that the world’s population is almost 8 billion at the time of writing, this means about 6 percent of the world caught COVID – or about 6 in every 100 people. It’s very likely that you know someone who has gotten sick. For those who have limited health care options, the onus of care often falls to family members or close friends, which can quickly become a full-time job.
Conversely, the pandemic has caused major economic shifts that resulted in many companies downsizing their employee base – is it fair to expect that everyone managed to find a replacement job right away?
The pandemic also triggered “the great resignation” in North America during 2021, in which many low-paid employees resigned due to a lack of advancement opportunities and poor work-life balance (especially as many low-paid positions are “essential” jobs in the service industry, which are arguably at greater risk during the pandemic despite receiving little to no workplace benefits). After being in the grind for so long, is it wrong to take a break for some self-care or to seek a job with better treatment
Reframing the stigma
If you have a gap in your resume, it helps to frame the break in a positive way. According to Julia Segal of Top Resume (a platform specialising in resume services), there are several ways to tackle this, depending on what you did during your break from work.
· Enthusiastic mentions
If you achieved something that you are proud of during your unemployment, add it to your career history in your resume – this is especially handy if you recently started a family! For example:
April 2022: Fully embraced fatherhood
May 2020 – March 2022: Copywriter
· Skill sharing
Just because you are unemployed doesn’t mean you have to stop working or learning – new skills, online courses, qualifications and certificates are all fair game. If you picked up any new skills (particularly ones that are useful for social and professional settings) during your unemployment, let recruiters know! For example:
Completed a course on first-aid
Received a certificate for SEO management
Learned to use Adobe Photoshop for colour balancing and photo retouching
· Independent work
If you pursued freelance or pro-bono work, it’s still a good idea to list these projects. Make sure to prepare references for each project – some recruiters are rather scrupulous when it comes to self-employment or independent work, and may want evidence you were actually doing something productive. Charity and volunteer work could also be valid for this section:
Freelance copywriting for an online clothes retailer
Volunteer work at local animal rescue
Pro-bono design work for a church fundraiser
· Honesty is the best policy
“Give a window into your personal life and just tell it like it is,” explains Segal. “Depending on your style, you can infuse it with humour.”
If you needed to take a break for some personal time, it’s a perfectly valid reason for putting a pause on your career. “Taking planned time off shows a sense of thoughtfulness and self-awareness, which is an excellent asset,” she adds. “Meanwhile, recognising that it was a good point to leave your old job – perhaps before a big new project – shows strategic thinking.”
Of course, recruiters might also be interested in asking why you left your previous job and whether you left on good terms. It’s generally a good idea to not burn any bridges when you advance your career, but sometimes it can’t be helped. If the company treated you poorly and it triggered a heated departure, tell the recruiter when asked. Assuming the recruiter is from an agency that values the talent pool, it could help them to avoid placing future candidates in a bad role.
When framing your departure from your previous job, Segal recommends breaking it into three sections:
1. How you recognised it was time to go
2. What you hoped to achieve during your break from work
3. Why you are hyped and ready to continue with your career
“A good recruiter or hiring manager wants to talk to you about your prior experience, your skills and what you can offer the company… If you are enthusiastic about the time you took off, share that enthusiasm with the recruiter,” expresses Segal.
In today’s competitive and cutthroat world, more people are beginning to realise the importance of proper self-care and prioritising friends and family. If a gap in your resume really irks a recruiter, it might be a sign that the company also expects significant employee “commitment” above and beyond the job description. Whatever the case, take the time to frame your break properly – it might just help you land your next job!