How to Address Gaps in Employment

by Kate
(London, UK)

Hi,
I like a lot of the advice you give, however I did not notice much regarding what to do about a gap in your work history.

I learnt the hard way on this one.

Much of the advice on net, suggests using a non chronological CV format. The idea being you populate your document with everything you want them to see, and HIDE the stuff you don’t want them to see.

Relegating your career history to either a summary at the end of your CV or dispersing it within a “functional or skills based” CV.

Basically make it hard for the reader to accurately track your career dates, by giving them lots of good information to distract them.

I like traveling and have taken a few 3 / 6 month trips, however I felt my ratio of work to trips, suggested I was not that focused on work (can you believe that!) so I figured I would loose one of my trips, and my CV would look good again.

BIG mistake!

This tactic did work OK for less experienced interviewers, but when I found the role I really wanted, I also found myself meeting a really savvy interviewer, who immediately saw through my (on reflection) obvious and somewhat clumsy attempts to hide this gap.

A toe curling embarrassing capitulation followed by a polite rejection by the interviewer taught me to seek another way.

So I revised my CV sticking to the functional skills based format above, but adopting a clear and honest chronological career summary.

This combined with a little more thought around how I justify my travel breaks, and I haven’t looked back.

Have a great role with a new company, and am planning my next trip (though not for a few years!).

Hope this helps!