The events of the last year have forced so many people to take career breaks.
You might have left work because of extended sick leave or needing to care for a relative, or been left jobless due to redundancy. If you’ve got a gap in your CV, here’s how to explain it to potential employers.
Firstly, let’s look at your CV itself. You’ve probably got your work history listed by month and year, with your most recent job first. Excellent – gold star for you! But what if there’s a gap between that job and the one before it, or if you left your job a while ago and are still looking?
A recruiter will notice the gap but won’t judge you for it. You don’t have to explain in detail on your CV why there’s a gap in your dates, because the recruiter or interviewer will probably ask you about it. It’s a good idea to mention it on your covering letter though, especially if you’ve been out of work for a while.
So what should you say when you’re asked about a gap in your CV?
Plan your answer beforehand and tell the truth, so you don’t freeze or over-explain. A good structure is:
- Explain why you were unemployed;
- Tell them what you did during that time;
- Show how this experience will help you in the job you’re going for.
Don’t panic if you didn’t complete a part time degree, or build the Taj Mahal out of matchsticks. Interviewers are looking for honesty and attitude, not super-powers. Tell the truth about why you’ve had a career break, don’t apologise for it, and use positive language. Here are some scenarios and some example answers:
If you’ve had time off due to illness:
“I decided to take time off due to ill health. I am now recovered and looking forward to putting my renewed energies into work. This role especially suits my event management skills and I’m really looking forward to getting back into the workplace and engaging with the public again.”
If you were made redundant:
“My employer was taken over and our department was outsourced. I’m very proud of the work I did within the digital marketing team and since I’ve been off I’ve kept up with industry developments and used LinkedIn and Google to develop my digital skills.”
If you’ve taken time off to look after your children:
“I made the decision to take a career break while my children were small. Now they’re at school I’m ready to look to the future and this Market Research Analyst role will make use of my numerical, data projection and project management skills.”
Don’t forget, an interviewer can’t legally ask you about your protected characteristics, so you should only say as much as you feel comfortable with. If you’ve practiced enough, you should find a line between keeping your personal life private and clamming up.
A gap in your CV shouldn’t be a problem for most employers. Just make sure you practice how you’re going to talk about the break, focus on your strengths and your value. Above all, make sure you highlight the positives you can bring to your prospective employer.
