Bridge the Unemployment Gap In a Resume

As they say, stuff happens. Life happens. So do layoffs, new babies, sick relatives and a host of other occurrences that can result in a gap in your employment. Whatever the case a gap in your resume will draw the attention of an employer. So, how do you explain this in your resume?

First, let’s discuss the dates. There is no hard set rule that says that you have to list mm/yy in your resume. Include years instead of months (2000-2001).

Second, think about what you did during that period of unemployment. Did you freelance or do consulting or contracting work? Did you volunteer or become a mentor? All of these count as work. But what if you decided to stay at home?

I’ve met many men and women who decided to stay at home to raise their children or take care of an aging parent. How do you cover that period in a resume? Well, I read one that I thought was very unique. After her maternity leave ended she decided to stay at home and raise her new born until he was 10 months old. She wanted to return to work in her field (administration) and realized that because of her 10 month absence an employer may be concerned about her ability to do the job. She updated her resume using the date format I had suggested above. Her responsibilities at home were converted into transferable skills. She created a job title (Household Manager) and listed her skills and experience in this manner:

• Performed daily duties in a high pressure environment
• Used time management skills to meet deadlines
• Thoroughly planned and managed workload
• Continually set priorities
• Analyzed and managed budget
• Maintained records
• Researched information on the Web
• Followed through all projects with a viable plan
• Responded to last minute changes
• Often solved complex issues on the spot without step-by-step guidance>

You get the idea.

In that scenario some suggest that you use a cover letter to explain the time you took off to care for an aged parent or raise a child. Because one cover letter and resume does not cover all jobs (read my article “Resume and Cover Letter Blunders I would recommend experimenting by using both methods – explaining in a cover letter and not mentioning it in a cover letter but list that period in the method I listed above. When addressing your gap in a cover letter keep it brief and factual, highlight the positives, and bring the conversation back to your qualifications and interest in the job for which you are interested in.

Next, check the format of your resume. Do not bold your fonts, use italics, or change the font size. Doing so will bring attention. Make sure it is consistent in appearance.

Choose a functional resume instead of a chronological resume (read my article “Resume Format and Overview

Heather Mundell, a co-author of Career Hub, wrote a nice piece on how to explain a resume gap during an interview.