When preparing for your interview, you’ve most likely thought about how your experience best reflects your abilities to the role for which you are applying. It’s not uncommon for candidates to only focus on their experience and forget about where they might be lacking experience, specifically for a particular time period.
But eagle-eyed recruiters and hiring managers will check the dates of employment be on the lookout for any gaps in your CV and they will more than likely ask about it.
There are plenty of reasons why there might be a gap in your employment, from career breaks to family matters. The number one tip is to not lie or dodge questions about your gaps from potential employers. There is no point in hoping they won’t ask – you have to assume they will, so the key is to prepare an answer.
While it’s important not to lie, there are ways you can explain gaps in employment that can actually turn them into a positive attribute. Firstly, think about what you were doing during your time off. If you went travelling, talk about the reasons why you went and emphasise that you’re now ready to return to the workforce full time. After all, a hiring manager who hears you went travelling for two years will want to know if you’re likely to do that again. Check out how to explain other common CV gaps in our infographic below.
The important thing to remember is to remember when you have to explain a gap in your work history is to be honest. You don’t necessarily need to go into too much detail but, you be prepared to explain what you were doing during that time and why you’re ready to take on the next challenge.
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Gap photo by Kristopher Roller on Unsplash
