By:Anais John
Employment gap is a common problem that people usually experience while searching for a job. Often times, these gaps can become a bit tricky to deal with. Employment gaps are the amount of time that you spend at home between jobs and they can leave a question mark or maybe a bad impression on your resume.
Hence, you have to be very careful while applying for any job, when you have a long employment gap in the resume. Go through the following few tips, and use them while preparing your resume to explain the long employment gaps:
- Explanation Is Necessary For Lengthier Gaps
You have some explanation to do if you have an employment gap for more than two years. And, you will need to do it within the resume instead of waiting it out till the interview time for taking the opportunity to explain the why and why not. If you do not explain your gaps, chances are, you will not be considered for the next stage of the interview.
- Explain Why You Left The Job
You also need to explain why you left the job in a positive manner so that your prospective employers know why you really had to let it go. Do not forget to keep a positive tone while doing so. For example, instead of saying “I didn’t like my previous job” you can say “We were usually on not the same page when it comes to …” This holds a promising image to your employers that you see their new position positively and will not quit just because you did not like it.
- Bring A Twist With Resume Format
Your employer will have a maximum of a minute to review your resume. In that minute, use the visual tricks so that your employer skips on the employment gap altogether. For example, use simple and plain font instead of using a bold and large font to highlight your years of experience. This will help your employer to focus more on what you did rather than how much time you spent.
- List Your Experience In Years, Not Months
When you are framing your resume and reach the section of work experience, list your experience in months instead of years to gain an additional advantage. This gives you leverage by hiding an employment gap of months you might have suffered when you stayed back at home due to some personal reasons.
- List Other Miscellaneous Experience
If you had an employment gap and spent your time doing something productive like home-business, entrepreneurship, freelancing or volunteering, explain it in your resume and be sure to list everything. Even if you took time to go traveling, highlight it so that your employer does not ponder why you stayed back at home to do nothing.
- Be Honest In Your Resume
Never take the excuse of “I was ill” or similar in your resume. Use your employment gap with honesty and dignity for whatever reason you took time off your employment. Even if you decided to be a stay-at-home parent for personal reasons explain it relevantly to your employer through either your resume or cover letter.
- Use Work “History” Instead Of “Experience”
Calling the resume section “Work Experience” makes your resume sound unprofessional if you are planning to include different work experiences that include or exclude paid jobs,. You could have taken an employment gap for personal reasons, and including it in your work section under professional heading can instantly make your resume get ignored.
Keep these little nifty tips in mind when you sit down to design your resume and you will have employers calling you back for an interview in no time.
Author bio: Anais John takes great pleasure in helping people with finding their passion that ultimately leads them to the right career path. Aside from counseling she also offers students an essay writing service. When not working she prefers to hang around with her friends and family.
