How to Address a Gap in Employment

No matter what industry you work in, creating a resume that gets noticed is oftentimes an essential part of the job hunting process. One of the issues that plague many job seekers is how to address a gap in employment. Whether the space in between roles is one month or several years, knowing how to explain your unemployment on paper and during the interview may be necessary to maximize your chances for getting that next job.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Addressing Gaps While Unemployed

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Take a class related to your career. This can be a great way to demonstrate that you were committed to advancing yourself professionally. Even if you have a degree, don't be afraid to take a class in a subject you've previously studied, as a refresher course. Colleges also often provide a wide variety of resources to students that can be valuable tools for finding employment.
- Take a seminar. An academic seminar is an intense course of study related to a specific field. In business, "seminar" often refers to a commercial training event. Both can be useful in addressing an employment gap.
- For example, a teacher might take a class on pedagogy.
- For example, a software engineer might take a class on a new programming language.
Many people choose to do work as a contractor, or to work as a consultant on projects, in between long-term jobs. This can be a great way to develop skills related to your career, as well as provide some income. Consider consulting or contracting.^{[1]XResearch source}
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This can be a way to show that even though you were unemployed, you were still working in a sense. Some people are fortunate enough to be able to volunteer regularly, and this is not likely to count against them. Instead, volunteering, especially if it can be connected to your career, will likely look good on your resume.^{[2]XResearch source}
Many organizations hold professional conferences around the country every year. These professional conferences are often great ways to develop professionally. They can also be a wonderful way to network with people in your field.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Addressing Unemployment While Applying

Think about how long you were unemployed. Does it merit getting addressed in your cover letter? These days, it is not uncommon for employment searches to take six months. Several years of unemployment will raise questions. Many employers may fear this gap is prison time or a job you are unable to list on your resume due to gross negligence.
Smaller gaps do not likely need to be addressed at this stage. If you have had longer gaps between employment, you may wish to address them in your cover letter or list the time on your resume or CV.^{[3]XExpert SourceKatrina Georgiou
Career CoachExpert Interview. 25 June 2020.} If you feel you must, then make sure to do so in brief.
3
Change the style of your resume. When there are large gaps of unemployment, or even more than one gap in employment, you may wish to choose a different resume format. A functional resume lists work experience in skill/position-related categories, as opposed to chronologically. In this way you highlight the nature of your work experience.^{[4]XResearch source}
- Create categories like “Customer Service Experience” and “Managerial Experience”. This will avoid highlighting any gaps of time.
- Omit months. Especially when you have worked jobs for a number of years, this can give you a little bit of wiggle room around the start and end of employment.
- List positions held for the longest amount of time first. This will show off your commitment, and your ability to responsibly hold a job for long periods of time.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Interviewing with Employment Gaps in Mind

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Tell the truth. You may be asked questions about your gaps in employment. It is best to tell the truth in these cases. When you do, make sure to play up the positive aspects, if you can.^{[5]XExpert SourceKatrina Georgiou
Career CoachExpert Interview. 25 June 2020.}Don't use this as an opportunity to say negative things about your previous employer. You don't want to come across as a complainer, or as a person with a negative or toxic attitude.
- If your employer asks you about time in prison, or criminal charges, in many cases you are required to tell them the truth by law. Background checks may or may not be used, and these will more than likely reveal prison time. By being honest and forthcoming, you establish your integrity, you indicate: “you can trust me”.
- Be vague. Talk about the work generally. Refer not to the specific task you did, but to the general industry. You might say you “had a stint in the entertainment industry”
- Omit. In this case, you might just say that you were unemployed. Some previous employment can reflect poorly on you, and in such cases, it may be necessary to say that you were not working at all. This can be better than ruining your chances at a fulfilling job.
The last thing you want is for your employer to think that you will be sick again, or need to go on vacation, soon. Even if you might be planning a vacation, you don't want this to hurt your chances at employment. Make sure they feel this will not be an ongoing problem. If you were on an extended vacation, talk about how you're eager to feel productive and career driven again.
3
Focus on skills you acquired. Many people overlook the fact that not all work has to be paid. There are many instances where gaps in employment are connected to times when an individual develops new skills or continues to improve professionally. Volunteering, raising children, and sabbaticals can all represent time dedicated to improvement. Highlight these aspects when discussing employment gaps during an interview.^{[6]XExpert SourceKatrina Georgiou
Career CoachExpert Interview. 25 June 2020.}
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Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Addressing Gaps After You've Been Hired

1
Tell people on a need-to-know basis, but be honest. You may or may not feel you have to talk about your previous work experience. If you were out of the workforce for a long time, it might come up. In these situations, say only as much as you feel comfortable saying. Make sure to frame it in a positive light.^{[7]XResearch source}
- If you feel you need to talk about it, make a friend that you trust.
- Be honest, but reserved when asked about your employment gap if you feel it is a sensitive topic.
If you've framed your period of unemployment in a certain way, make sure you stick to your story. After some time it may be possible to open up or give more details to co-workers once you've become friends, but until then, make sure your story isn't changing all the time.
3
Forget about it. You have a new job now, and though you may feel some stress, guilt, or deficiency related to your gap in employment, remember you have a job now. You can let go of the past struggle for employment. Letting go of the past can help you deal with feelings you have related to this period.
- Remember that your current achievement means more than past unemployment.
- Treat yourself to something nice. This can help to remind you that you are gainfully employed, and that you deserve to let go.
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Expert Q&A

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How do you explain a gap in your employment?
Katrina Georgiou
Career Coach
Katrina Georgiou is a career coach and the founder of Katrina Georgiou Coaching based in Silicon Valley. Katrina helps individuals find new careers as well as career advancement, including resume writing, interview preparation, salary negotiation, and performance reviews. Trained in the co-active method from the Coaches Training Institute (CTI), Katrina uses personalized communication and leadership strategies to support her clients in building successful and fulfilling careers.
Katrina Georgiou
Career Coach
Expert Answer
Transparency is key when explaining a gap in your employment. It can be helpful to include the sabbatical on your CV with what you were doing during that gap (especially if you gathered any new skills!) to reduce any assumptions that could be made by a recruiter or hiring team.
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Tips

Once you've tailored your resume to cover employment gaps as effectively as possible, don't volunteer information or bring up the subject yourself. Wait for the potential employers or recruiters to ask about lapses and only then should you be ready with information.
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Warnings

Some employers will insist on a full account of every month of your life from the day you leave education. This is to identify any periods spent in prison. It's better to be upfront in you are at all concerned that a period of detention may affect your chances of employment.
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