Writing a cohesive resume is no easy task, but it's especially difficult when you have several employment gaps. There are many valid reasons to have a gap of more than a few months on your resume, but hiring managers often hesitate to interview applicants who took a significant amount of time away from the workforce. If you're worried about the employment gaps in your work history, here's how to explain them.
1. Use a Professional Summary
If you write a chronological resume, be sure to include a professional summary at the top of the first page. The professional summary consists of a few sentences or bullet points that sum up your strengths and attempt to explain any gaps in your employment history. Mentioning that you recently completed your degree, for example, tells potential employers you were focusing on your education.
2. Give Additional Details
To cover up lengthy employment gaps, you might be tempted to use a functional resume instead of a chronological one. Resist the temptation. Hiring managers are well aware that job seekers use functional resumes to hide employment gaps and avoid questions about their job histories. Instead of switching formats, beef up your chronological resume with additional details about how you spent your time during an employment gap. Perhaps you volunteered with a local nonprofit or completed your master's thesis. Adding these details shows you had a good reason for taking so much time off from work.
3. Explain in Your Cover Letter
No job search is complete without a customized cover letter for each position. Your cover letter offers the ideal place to explain an employment gap caused by personal circumstances. For example, you might take a few sentences to explain that you took time off to care for an aging parent. If you use this tactic, be sure to tell hiring managers how you kept your skills current while you were out of work.
4. Emphasize Education
If you spent several years going to school full time, format your resume in a way that emphasizes your educational credentials instead of your work history. List your degrees near the top of your resume instead of putting them near the end of the document. If you list the dates you attended school, it's easy for a hiring manager to see you have a valid reason for the employment gaps on your resume.
Hiring managers like to see steady career progression, but that doesn't mean it's impossible to overcome a lengthy gap on your resume. If you're concerned about past employment gaps, update your resume and cover letter accordingly. A few simple changes can help you sail through your job search and into the job of your dreams.
Photo courtesy of Pennsylvania National Guard at Flickr.com
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