Dealing With Gaps in Your Résumé and Cover Letter

2012-06-15
From: MSN Careers
Rare is the job seeker who doesn’t have at least one gap in his or her work history. From being laid off because of a merger to taking time off for travel to caring for a newborn child, there are many reasons professionals may spend time out of the workforce. Still, job candidates often fear that prospective employers will view a gap as a scarlet letter. You can allay the concerns a hiring manager may have if you address the issue appropriately in your reacutesumeacute and cover letter. Following are tips for minding a gap:

Avoid the nitty-gritty details.
Be truthful about why you’ve been out of work, but don’t go on ad nauseam about your trials and tribulations. For example, if you vacated a position to tend to personal matters, consider offering a brief sentence or two in your cover letter explaining the circumstances. This job seeker efficiently and succinctly addressed a reacutesumeacute gap: quotI have served as an in-home caretaker for my ailing mother for the last year. Fortunately, she has recovered and is once again self-sufficient, and I now am ready, willing and able to re-enter the workforce.quot

On the other side of the coin, this person’s explanation invites questions instead of answers: quotMy long period of unemployment had to do with a variety of time-consuming events, in particular, an IRS audit of my financial dealings.quot

If you were fired or left a job on bad terms, explain the details during the employment interview, if asked.

Explain how you remained connected.
It’s wise to describe how you stayed sharp and kept up with developments in your field during your time away. For example, did you attend any industry-specific conferences or seminars, join a professional association or take an online or classroom-based continuing-education course. Did you work with a staffing firm as a consultant or temporary professional? If so, include that information in your job-application materials. Demonstrating that you remained professionally engaged will show that you have both initiative and up-to-date skills.

Don’t overlook transferable skills.
Even if you didn’t spend your time away from the office focusing on your career, you may still have gained experience that gives you an edge in the employment market. For example, after a decade-long absence from the traditional work world, the following candidate took a lighthearted yet savvy approach to describing her time as a stay-at-home mom. quotAs Domestic Engineer, I’m responsible for managing the lives of my husband and six children,quot she wrote. quotMy position requires organization, diplomacy, honesty, communication, patience and self-motivation.quot While written with tongue in cheek, the applicant highlighted skills that employers find valuable.

Consider noting in your reacutesumeacute or cover letter any activity you took part in that allowed you to hone your professional abilities. If, for example, you served as president of your homeowners association, you likely enhanced your organizational, budgeting and conflict-management skills. Citing these types of quotunofficialquot positions shows that you haven’t been stagnant or let your skills become rusty.

Life can take you in unexpected directions, and prospective employers understand that most workers will have periods in their careers when they’re out of work. To address an employment gap, be proactive. That way you’ll ease any concerns a hiring manager might have right away. By demonstrating that you’ve remained connected to your field and committed to building your skills while out of work, you’ll reduce the chance your reacutesumeacute falls through the gap.

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