Employment gaps...what to do

re: Employment gaps...what to do

HeatherLeigh — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 20:01:51 GMT

Hey Dan, do you think that maybe "freelance work in _____" is a phrase that you can use that makes sense? As far as school, put it in your education section of your resume. If you intend to finish the degree, you can out "in progress:, if not put a line that says "classes completed in _________" and just use a short title of what each class was.

Stuff that you shouldn't mention in cover letter or resume are the unemployment thing (don't tell anyone that!) and the grades of your classes (if they want to know, they will ask but it's not significant enough to take up space on your resume).

OK, does that help at all?

re: Employment gaps...what to do

Dan Neuwirth — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 19:23:19 GMT

Have a two year gap of employment, actually worked during that time, part time working with a person who owned his own company on an on call basis. During this time I tried to change careers from teaching to somehting else. Couldn't find a job that would have paid more than unemployment I was getting. Do I need to put something on my resume? I recently went back to school took 3 graduate classes, got two A's, a B+ and a letter of reference from one of the professors. I am now substitute teaching in 4 school districts and am looking for full time employment, in the teaching world. Before I looked to get out of teaching my experience and qualifications were outstanding. Any help is appreciated. I addressed it in a cover letter, first thing but don't know if i want that to be the first thing I want the recruiter to read?

re: Employment gaps...what to do

HeatherLeigh — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 03:46:14 GMT

AC - I'm not really going to agree on your assessment of the impact of resumes gaps, but I sure like your attitude! :)

re: Employment gaps...what to do

AC — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 03:29:44 GMT

I can tell you that I have several years worth of "gap" unemployment on my resume. And, the belief that some recruiters will not touch a resume with long gaps is probably true. However, I covered my gaps with a 10-year long career sabbatical to obtain a college education and an advanced degree in information technology. I also travelled around the world at the time. But, the main reason I left my previous career is that I just didn't want to work for my employer and I wanted to spend time with my family. When I went back into the workforce, I located temporary professional work through staffing firms associated with my industry. The recruiters in temporary staffing firms are accustomed to people who need flexible work arrangements including those returning to the workforce. Using a temporary staffing firm (especially those associated with professional or executive work not just administrative) is the bridge to close your gap and get the current references you need to move on. As for all the "gaps" on my resume, I leave them there. If it is a concern to a recruiter, then they won't hire me and that is their loss. I don't concentrate on the past...I concentrate on what I can do for someone NOW. I do not address gaps in a cover letter. I state that I have been working on my education and here is what I can do for the organization NOW. My response to gaps in employment is that no one has to apologize for being what they are...if you want to take a break from the workforce, you can do that and still get back in (and still make the same amount of money you did a few years back). Wages haven't increased that much since the late 1990's. Keep your skills current by working on "projects" - whether at home or through "project" work and develop a "portfolio" resume rather than a chronological one. Gaps are important for the chronological resume, the don't mean anything for the "portfolio" resume.

re: Employment gaps...what to do

HeatherLeigh — Sat, 04 Feb 2006 00:17:32 GMT

Jasmin- I graduated college during a recession and took jobs that I didn't want to keep to get by. Some of the less desirable jobs can give you some interesting exposure and help you pay the rent, but I think only you can decide what is right for you (as for me, I needed money right then to make car payments). I do think that the farther you are out of college without a full-time job, the harder it will be to land the more desirable positions. THere's no rule on how long the gaps shold be, because it depends on what the gap is for. Having a 3 month gap to travel sounds totally reasonable to me. I'd just recommend documeting it on your resume.

re: Employment gaps...what to do

Jasmin — Fri, 03 Feb 2006 23:36:32 GMT

Hi all-
I really appreciate this blog and found it very helpful. I have some questions and would greatly appreciate your input.
I recently graduated from college in December, and am passively looking for employment while visiting a friend in Brazil. I am learning Portuguese, and plan to be here until the end of March. My concerns are: How long is too long of a gap? And, when should I settle with a less-desired job instead of waiting out for a better position? How common is it to take time off after college? Thank you!

re: Employment gaps...what to do

HeatherLeigh — Wed, 28 Dec 2005 22:35:56 GMT

Makes sense Chris (I might be one of those bored suburban looking people myself). I guess my point is to explain the gap on the resume so people don't make assumptions about what you were doing during that time. You can obviously explain it all in the interview, but just leaving a gap on the resume might not give you the opportunity. I'm not trying to tell people not to have gaps. Just that leaving a gap of time unrepresented by any notation may give the impression of an un-planned sabbatical.

re: Employment gaps...what to do

Chris — Tue, 27 Dec 2005 19:41:23 GMT

After college, I took a year and a half to travel in Asia. When I returned to the (conservative, defense-oriented) DC computer job market, I cannot count the number of interviewers who, sitting behind a desk looking bored and stiff and suburban, said they had always wanted to do that and said I stood out in the pile because I had done something interesting like that.

Same thing after graduate school - I returned and got a top-notch MSFT programming position.

Now, after 9 years at MSFT, I took more time off for travel but am back looking seriously for another stint. I have just started the search and it is not yet clear whether this latest travel is going to be looked upon as favorably. Early indications are that it is not a problem, but I have to assume it raised red flags with some.

My point is that I think it really depends on who you are, what the time off was for, where you are in your career, and of course who you are talking to.

re: Employment gaps...what to do

HeatherLeigh — Tue, 21 Jun 2005 02:20:57 GMT

Andy-good idea...and also...you are CRAZY!

re: Employment gaps...what to do

Andy — Sun, 19 Jun 2005 03:30:18 GMT

I always just put that any gaps in employment were spent doing what I will go back to doing if I don't get hired: "selling drugs to their kids". ;)

Seriously though right out of the Marines and after my first year of college I took a year off and went and lived in the woods to see if I could survive like that for an extended period of time. I just put that I took a sabatical from my studies and if they ask further I tell them what I was doing. It gets some raised eyebrows but I've never had a problem getting jobs so I don't think it's affecting my hireability.