Family issues, traveling, sabbatical, sickness, redundancy, raising a family – these are all reasons why so many people have gaps in their CV history but it’s how you deal with the gap which will contribute towards landing your dream job.
Edit your CV
If you have been working for several years you do not need to explain all your career history since completing education. By listing on one line the employer name, job title and years you were there will save a lot of space – and by only stating the year rather than month helps to avoid employment gaps.
You could just put the employment from and to dates as years omitting the months for previous roles however a half decent recruiter is likely to ask you for the actual months you were employed there as well as the years, particularly during the last 5-7 years of your career which is the most crucial part of your working life.
Rather than explaining gaps in the middle of your CV which takes up unnecessary space or could simply put the reader off you straight away, explain any lengthy gaps in a covering letter supplementing your CV. Gaps for more than 3 months should be explained.
Honesty best policy
Never lie in your CV, it will eventually come out so honesty is always best.
You might not be able to fully disclose certain information especially in the case of a settlement agreement or tribunal but by informing the recruiter of this situation they will understand and should not press you for details.
Never change your employment dates to try and fudge any career gaps in your CV. If the recruiter or hiring company calls your past employer they will provide your actual dates and then your fabrication of the truth (or lie) will probably result in you not being offered the job.
Always be honest about your career gap, recruiters and hiring managers see career breaks all the time in CV’s but lying about your gap will not benefit you – it could cost you the job.
Be Proactive
There are many ways you can fill any gaps in your CV whilst you are looking for work.
Take up voluntary work. Do an online course (speak to an advisor at the Jobcentre about any courses you could be interested in as there may be government sponsored courses available meaning you do not have to pay for them). If you enjoy writing then start a blog or if you’re creative find things to make and either donate or sell on eBay or Etsy.
Do not wait for things to come to you, you have to be proactive and by doing this it will show your grit, determination and drive to want to improve yourself and be a contributor – employers will look much more favourably on someone who does not just sit and wait for the world to come to them. By being proactive your life will have structure, value and meaning which ultimately will boost your morale and confidence.
Positive words
Explaining gaps in your CV is simply a matter of the right positive wording e.g. ‘I was let go and I’ve haven’t found work since’ would sound much better if you said ‘I have been taking some time out to re-shape my career direction and identify companies and opportunities which genuinely excite me.’ This conveys a strategic approach to your having a gap.
If you have been proactive in improving your skills through learning or showing flair by setting up a small side-line venture to occupy your time whilst you seek your next full-time perfect role, talk about how this experience has benefited you – it is far more impactful to show a positive mind-set.
Be Prepared
Your gaps will get raised in interview so being ready to cover them off with a slick response will be crucial to interview success.
By genning up on the hiring company and understanding more about who they are, their business culture and the actual job description, you will be able to succinctly and convincingly convey why you are an ideal candidate for the role despite your career gaps. Being able to talk confidently and knowledgeably of their industry, latest trends and competitors will propel you into a front row seat for next interview rounds.
Reasons
If you have gaps in your CV for any of the following reasons here is how to handle communicating them:
Travelling
Right thing to say – ‘I didn’t take a gap year prior to university and after 5 years of working I really wanted to explore part of the world I had no knowledge of. I spent six months traveling around Asia and immersing myself in the local cultures and communities. It has given me a much wider appreciation for how different cultures think and operate which I believe makes me a more rounded individual. I now feel ready to embrace my next exciting career challenge.’
Wrong thing to say – ‘I went to Koh Racha in Thailand and partied hard for 3 months, I really can’t remember much about it other than the Moon party which was amazing.’
Family Issues
Right thing to say – ‘My father was really ill and as my mother wasn’t capable of looking after him by herself I decided to take time out from work to support them both and I’m happy to say my dad made a full recovery so I’m now able to return to work full time and can’t wait to get started.’
Wrong thing to say – ‘I had some issues which I don’t want to talk about’.
Sickness
Right thing to say – ‘Unfortunately I did not feel strong enough to be a positive contributor to my job due to a lengthy illness so I made the difficult decision to resign from my job which I actually loved. However, I’m now back to full health and fitness so I’m keen to settle into my new career challenge.’
Wrong thing to say – ‘I have an on-going health problem so I give up work easily.’
Redundancy
Right thing to say – ‘Unfortunately due to covid pandemic 30% of our workforce were let go, I was really enjoying my job and although I’d only been there 5 months I was starting to make quite an impact. It was literally a case of last in first out and being a newby to the team I was part of the cost cutting exercise. My line manager is more than happy to provide a reference for me.’
Wrong thing to say – ‘They let me go because my face did not fit’.
To summarise
Be ready to talk about your career gaps, the odd few weeks or couple of months here or there are common and understandable therefore hardly likely to raise any red flags but prolonged periods out of work will require careful explanation.
Head any concerns off at the pass by bringing up your gaps at the start of the conversation if you have not covered them off in an accompanying letter with your CV.
Be positive and engaging, show your desire to want to be a positive contributor to a future employer and this will highlight you as a desirable candidate. Be honest, don’t hide anything and then you will have nothing to fear. Recruiters want to help you get a job so being honest with them is key to your future success – if you lie to them and they later find this out they will feel embarrassed and let down by you, ultimately they may not want to ever discuss another role with you.
Need more CV advice?
It takes about 7 seconds for a recruiter to accept or reject your application. Does your CV clearly convey your key skills, achievements and responsibilities? Nailing the perfect CV is vital to securing a job interview. If you think your CV could do with some tips and advice for improvement contact me for a free CV review – rowena@shoreyconsulting.co.uk