Explaining Gaps in Your Work History

Gaps in your professional resume happen for a number of reasons, including periods of unemployment, extended travel and family emergencies. These work history gaps inevitably come up in the job search, often in a face-to-face interview. By preparing a straightforward explanation in advance, you can avoid being caught off guard and handle the issue with grace.

Be Truthful

When explaining your work history gaps, the truth is the best option. Provide a short, succinct explanation for your professional hiatus, and deliver it without apologies. When possible, show enthusiasm and positivity. Doing so lets the employer know that you are not ashamed and you have nothing to hide. Being honest from the start ensures that little white lies don't come back to haunt you down the road.

Be Confident

Your demeanor plays an important role in explaining work history gaps. Cowering, acting uncomfortable or refusing to meet the interviewer's eyes immediately create suspicion. The employer might assume the worst: for example, you were fired for wrongdoing and had difficulty finding another job, or you are trying to hide a jail stint. These initial doubts can be difficult to shake. Head off any bad impressions by adopting a confident attitude. Make eye contact, and stay alert but relaxed when discussing the holes in your professional resume. Keep emotion out of the mix, and stay objective to create a feeling of trust.

Make a Professional Connection

Not all work history gaps are bad; in fact, they can be assets. Examine the gaps, and find the ways they benefited your professional skills. If you took advantage of a layoff to learn a new software program, let the employer know. If the new job requires work with international clients, highlight the intercultural communication skills you developed during a year-long backpacking trip around the world. These experiences can give you a unique edge over other applicants. Be careful not to force a tenuous or nonexistent professional connection, however. If you did nothing work-related during your time off, stick to a simple explanation.

Emphasize Work-Life Balance

Modern workers deal with fast-paced, high-stress environments that can lead to burnout. If your work history gaps were necessary for your mental health, let the employer know. Explain that you worked steadily through college and nonstop for 10 years after, and you needed a break to reevaluate your professional priorities. Tell the employer that the job before the break required 80 hours a week, and you took a month off to decompress and reconnect with your family. This strategy can be risky, particularly if you want a job with an intense company, but it demonstrates to an employer that you are aware of your limits and you prioritize a work-life balance. An employer that values holistic employee health is likely to appreciate your self-awareness.

As a job seeker, you can't avoid a discussion of your work history gaps. By staying truthful and professional, you can make the gaps a non-issue and give the employer confidence to move on to other subjects.

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