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In a world where employers seek the most experienced prospects to get a job, accounting for a gap in your resumé can be daunting. Though it depends on how long the interval took place and the circumstances surrounding it, employers will be skeptical about hiring you if you have a significant career gap and will be curious as to why you took that much time off. As such, it is crucial to adequately address resumé gaps in an interview setting and avoid having them in the future if possible. So, if an employer asks you about a hole in your resumé, here are some things that can help you advance regardless of the gap.
Honesty is Your Best Friend
More than anything, employers appreciate truthfulness. So even if you feel like your reasons for not working during a period may not be strong enough to account for a gap in your resumé, being upfront about it will get your employer’s trust faster. Besides, if you were to lie to them about it, there are significant chances they won’t buy it, and you will give off a poor first impression. So being brief and blunt about your break is the best way to start the conversation.
Focus on the Good
There is no way you spent your time off work not doing anything. After all, sometimes, these breaks can benefit us in other areas. For example, you might have developed a new hobby, volunteered, taken a course, or freelanced. These experiences and skills are great to live by, and employers will appreciate you taking the time to accomplish new, exciting things. Also, let recruiters know if anything you did during the break relates to your job position! They may interpret it as positively as they do actual work experience.
Cover Letter to the Rescue!
If you are worried that a specific company will overlook you over an inactive interval, one of the best ways to reassure yourself is to address it in your cover letter briefly if you are able to submit one in your application. Just like you would in person, be straightforward and highlight the good things the break brought you. It will also serve as one less question in your interview!
It’s Not the End of the World
Ultimately, life can be busy and unexpected. Therefore, if you haven’t worked for an extended time, there’s nothing to worry about in the long run. And at the end of the day, the job that suits you best will not look at the fact that you were inactive for some time, but they will focus on how you bounced back from that gap and focus on how your skills and effort will be a delight to have in their workplace.
