Whether you were laid off, took a break to care for a loved one, left a job due to relocation or something else — employment gaps are a workforce norm across all industries.
Whether you’re concerned the gap may be perceived as negative, or if you suspect the decision-maker might be poised to show grace, there’s no doubt the reader will be wondering why it occurred.
As an Executive Resume writer, I often get asked, “Should I address my employment gap?” While my response is always YES, how you go about it depends on the situation.
Stick with the Truth
Honesty is always the best policy when addressing a career gap. Although changing dates or making up a non-existent job may be tempting, if you’re busted, you’ll likely be perceived as unethical, and there’s no turning back.
Harness Your Cover Letter
By utilizing part of your cover letter to explain the circumstances behind the gap, you can address any issues or unspoken assumptions head-on. I recommend sticking with the main facts (there’s no need to go in-depth), including relevant experience that shows your skills remain current, and keeping things short and sweet.
A few examples:
GAP SCENARIO #1: Parenting/Childcare
“After a successful 10-year career where I catapulted from a pharmaceutical sales rep to a District Manager, I took maternal leave. During this time, I remained current on Salesforce and kept in touch with territory doctors and medical gatekeepers. Now that my son is entering kindergarten, I’m eager to return to help your company launch this product.”
GAP SCENARIO #2 Corporate Layoff
“I spent 8 years revitalizing the NC/SC territory that grew 30% YOY under my direction as the Regional Manager. When our company was acquired, they realigned my territory and reduced the workforce 50%.
I’ve since conducted deep-dive market research and come up with a sizeable client target list that will enable me to hit the ground running should you consider me a great fit for the role.”
In both scenarios, your reasons for the gap are loud and clear. More importantly, the narrative reinforces your interest in the role and shows your committment to remaining in the workforce.
Recall Expert Acts of Kindness
Think back on the times during your gap when you lent your expertise pro bono, and share them to show you’ve kept your skills sharp.
For instance, if you helped a small business set up a lead generation system, analyze their market or create a rudimentary CRM to manage their sales pipeline, include it!
I’ll share a personal example. When my children were young, I took some time off from paid work, but continued to help those in my community who needed help writing resumes, school newsletters, press releases, etc.
While I received plenty of thank yous and didn’t receive a dime, I made sure to incorporate these activities into my resume, thus showing the reader proof my skills remained current.
Focus on the Positive
While it’s easy to focus on the negatives of workplace absence, review the situation with a different lens to spotlight the positive as it pertains to your future career.
For instance, let’s say you are looking to return to pharmaceutical sales after taking time off to care for an aging parent. Chances are you learned a bit about the healthcare reimbursement landscape or advocated on behalf of your loved one with physicians and RNs.
By spelling this out and focusing on the positive, you’ve identified lessons learned that apply to the role you are targeting today.
Be Mindful, Not Panicked
While not a dealbreaker, it’s important to be mindful of career gaps and how best to address them. Doing so in a way that is transparent and focuses on your skills, talents and successes, you can show the reader you’ll make a great new hire.
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Previously published on MedReps.com