How to Explain Career Gaps (With Examples!)

A career gap, also known as an employment gap, is a period during your professional career in which you did not have formal employment. Career gaps can range in length — from several months to a period of several years. It can also occur voluntarily or involuntarily. People decide to stay unemployed mostly because they want to raise their children, travel, or go to school full-time. 

All this considered, having career gaps is nothing to be ashamed of. You do not need to hide them from an interviewer. In fact, you can even use your career gap explanation as an opportunity to showcase your productivity outside of the workplace.

Needless to say, there are ways to minimise the image of your employment gaps. 

Take note that the three main places where you can address this are in your resume, cover letter, and interview. Read our tips and tricks to learn how to explain your career gaps in these areas.

Refresh your resume

Wondering how to handle career gaps on a resume? If you went on an employment gap, then a standard resume that reads like a timeline may not be the best for you. Instead, utilise a combination of a functional and a chronological resume format. Begin with a summary of qualifications and a list of key competencies. Then, follow that with a chronological list of your work experience. 

Find out the 9 tips to improve your resume template. 

Improve your cover letter

A cover letter is a great place to explain significant gaps in employment, as it allows you to go into detail. Explaining career gaps in your cover letter and resume also shows employers that you are honest and trustworthy. Both qualities will help you stand out from other candidates.

Highlight your certifications

Show that you have spent part of the time you were unemployed preparing to rejoin the workforce. Earn certifications relevant to your industry. Take continuing education classes. Join industry-related associations or do volunteer work. Positive examples like these can help fill up the career gaps in your resume. 

A professional who has several years of experience usually has nothing to worry about if they can explain their gaps in employment satisfactorily. Likewise, if the employment gap occurred early in your professional career, a well-explained reason will reassure the hiring manager.

Omit specific dates

If your employment gaps are small — weeks or months in-between jobs — try omitting the specific months of your employment. Instead, only add the year you were employed in each job. However, note that this method of disguising employment gaps in your resume works only if the length of time between each position is less than a year.

Be careful that you do not look like a job hopper either. Many employers still hire those who appear to be job hoppers, but leaving a job in less than a year still does not look great on your resume. However, job-hopping is not considered a gap in employment.

Find out more tips on practise etiquette in job interviews. 

Use familiar narratives

Many of the reasons people find themselves unemployed are extremely common. These issues can be explained quickly, without you having to go through much detail, because chances are, employers are familiar with them already.

Refrain from going into too much detail about your time off. Only delve deeper into the topic if your interviewer asks you directly. Better yet, prepare for the most common job interview questions beforehand.

You may have experienced career gaps for the following reasons: 

A failed business or startup

Showing failure does not necessarily mean a bad resume. Many career experts encourage showing a failed business, because even a failed attempt will show your competency level. Highlight achievements from that experience that could fit the job you are interviewing for. 

Took time looking for a new job

You can give examples of how you have been proactive but selective about looking for a new job during your career gap. Show how you have thought about what you want from a new job as well as from a new employer. Explain why you think this particular position is a good fit for you and why you would be a good fit within the company at large.

Became a stay-at-home parent 

Explain that you took time out to prioritise your family and look after your children. Elaborate on why you now feel ready to go back to work. Why are you excited about this new phase in your life? Provide details that can prove you are a good fit for the position. Also, make sure to show closure (e.g. the kids are grown and in school). Employers know that family is important, but they also want to be reassured that you won’t treat your role as secondary.

Left the workforce to be a caretaker

There is no need to go into the details of the illness or your responsibilities as a caregiver during your employment gap. Just like taking time off to be a full-time parent, make it clear that your relative has recovered or you have more support in place at home and can reenter the workforce with no obstacles. 

Personal illness

Illnesses and injuries explain career gaps in employment very easily. But, make sure to clarify that these ailments won’t get in the way of you working efficiently. Again, there is no need to provide specific details of the illness or injury unless it directly affects the job you are interviewing for. Show that you are ready and more than willing to return to work, emphasising why you think the position you applied for is a good fit.

Pursued higher education

Explain why you decided to go back to school. What specific skills did you want to build? What was the qualification you wished to gain from furthering your education? Show that you are dedicated to personal development and sharpening your skills even further.

Took time off to travel

Expound on why you decided to go travelling. If you learned anything through this experience, now is the best time to talk about it. Stress on points such as personal development, better cultural awareness, and gaining new perspectives. At the same time, make it clear that you are ready to return to work full-time. So, also talk about why this particular job opportunity excites you. 

Got fired

Explain that you and your former company had different expectations. Show how you realise that you could have handled some things differently, but through the entire process, you have learnt a lot and are excited about the new opportunity to bring everything you have learnt to your next job.

Got laid off

Briefly talk about why your previous role was made redundant (e.g. budget cuts). Provide examples of key achievements and strong performance while you were in your previous job. Take time to explain what positive things you have been doing (ex. continued education by taking a certificate course in the industry you are interested in) since having left your previous employer and why you think the position you applied for is a good fit. 

If you got laid off due to the challenges of COVID-19, don’t worry. A JobStreet report shows that up to 71% of hirers will not factor this in their assessment. In fact, a quarter of all surveyed employers will actually be more likely to consider these candidates. 

Relocation

Relocating from one geographic area to another is a reason why you would have a career gap in your resume. The best strategy is to tell the employer how you spent your time while unemployed, highlighting positives gained rather than the negatives.

Explain your career gap during your job interview

When there are career gaps in your resume, employers might be afraid of what you are hiding. Leave no room for assumptions. Don’t let the employers think the worst. Instead, explain things calmly and positively to the interviewer. 

If your resume shows an employment gap from seven years ago, don’t worry about it. An old gap on your resume is not a serious matter. Also, be mindful that you do not have to volunteer things that are not particularly relevant or may hurt you. 

Be honest

Any employer can find out about your career gap through a basic employment check. So, don’t even try to cover your resume gaps with different dates or putting in years spent in the company instead of the actual dates. These tactics make it look like you are trying to cover something up. It is alright to show career gaps in your resume. Just explain what you were doing during that gap in two sentences or less.

Be prepared

A career gap will come up in your interview, so you should have an explanation ready even before you go in for the interview. Discuss why you have gaps in your resume and reassure the employer why it will not happen again under their watch. You can continue and talk about what you learnt and the value gained during this gap. Make your explanation short and to the point, with a strong finish line that shows your enthusiasm to rejoin the workforce.

Again, be honest. Don’t try to cover things up. The last thing you want is to be caught by an employment check.

Be confident

Though talking about your career gap might make you uneasy, it is best to remember that resume gaps are not as uncommon as jobseekers might think. Many people take time off for one reason or another at certain points in their lives. 

During the interview, keep things short. Once you have talked about your career gaps briefly, you can move on to the highlights of your resume. Give examples of your abilities and skills that would be beneficial to the job that you are interested in.

Returning to the workforce after some time is nothing to be apprehensive about. Just remember to keep these helpful tips and tactics in mind when explaining your career gap. 

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