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.

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Is Your Resume Recruiter Friendly???

Experts say that we are in a recession. People are not spending because they have no confidence in the economy. And companies are trimming their workforce payroll so they are in a better position in 2009. The unemployment rate rose to 6.7%, while the economy shed 533,000 jobs last month. You are probably wondering where I am going with this? Simply this. If you are in the job market (meaning you have put yourself out there for interviews) you need to make sure your resume is marketing your skills and reads friendly in the eyes of the recruiter and hiring manager. I use to tell my clients that your resume is your advertisement and if it is written well it will get you in the door for an interview.

The sheer volume of resumes recruiters receive against a particular open position is huge. It's not practical to respond in receipt of every resume. Since a recruiter's time is at a premium, they must know your career focus within seconds of opening your resume. If your career focus isn't clearly stated, you can't assume the reader will take the time to search through your resume for clues. Most recruiters consider "Career Objective" statements worthless if they contain no real information about the specific position you are looking for and the industry expertise you offer. The best objective statements are concise, to the point (see my articleResume and Cover Letter Blundersand job specific. I've read objectives that are no where near the industry they are applying for (ex., applying for a job in the Financial Services industry and the objective says, "Seeking a position in the medical field"). Or expressing a desire to work for a competitor.

Once a recruiter understands your focus, he/she will want to know if you have the required core competencies or transferable skillsto accomplish the job. A thorough research of employer job descriptions will help you identify the core competencies your resume must feature. You cannot expect the recruiter to read between the lines. Make it clear so it jumps off of the page

Once your resume has made it through the initial screening for focus and skills, the recruiter will want to know how you stack up against other candidates. Remember, with record high resume response to job openings, recruiters need good, solid reasons to recommend you for consideration over the mountain of other candidates. Clear, concisely stated accomplishments are the best way to distinguish yourself from your competition.

If your resume lacks any of these crucial elements, then you are probably not capturing the attention you deserve, and you are missing out on important interview opportunities.

In today's extremely competitive job market, employers rely heavily on recruiters to screen out all but the top few applicants. With a recruiter-friendly resume you'll beat out your competition as the employer's first choice to interview.

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Resume and Cover Letter Blunders

~ RESUME ~

1. Too Focused on Job Duties. Your resume should not be a boring list of job duties and responsibilities. Go beyond showing what was required and demonstrate how you made a difference at each company, providing specific examples. Do not over embellish your resume
2. Flowery or General Objective Statement. Many job seekers lose their readers in the beginning. Replace the objective with a tagline stating what you do or your expertise.
3. Too Short or Too Long. As a general rule your resume should be one page, but that page should have substance. Make sure you’ve covered everything, but don’t be too verbose.
4. Listing Irrelevant Information. Many people include their interests, but they should include only those relating to the job. Personal information should not be on the resume.
5. Not Including Keywords. With so many companies using technology to store resumes, the only hope a job seeker has of being found is to sprinkle relevant keywords throughout the resume. Determine keywords by reading job descriptions that interest you, and include the words you see repeatedly in your resume.
6. Typos. Proofread. Use spellcheck or have someone else read your resume. This document is a reflection of you and should be perfect.

~ COVER LETTER ~

1. Not Using Standard Business-Letter Format. No recipient information, no return address and no date; unprofessional.

2. It's Not All About You. You need to tell the employer about yourself, but do so in the context of the employer's needs and the specified job requirements.
3. Typos and Grammatical Errors. Proofread every letter you send for typos and grammatical errors.
4. Unsupported Claims. If you make a claim about a skill and/or ability, give some examples; employers need proof.
5. Writing a Novel. A cover letter should be no longer than one page; 3-4 concise but convincing paragraphs that are easy to read.
6. Using the Same Cover Letter for Every Job and Company. It's time-consuming but worthwhile to customize each letter for the specific job and company. If you haven't addressed their company's specific concerns, they'll conclude you don't care about this particular job.
7. Not Sending a Real Cover Letter. Some job seekers -- college students, recent grads and even those with years of work experience -- don't bother sending a cover letter with their resume. Others type up a one or two-sentence "here's my resume" cover letter while others attach handwritten letters or sticky notes. Include a well-written, neatly formatted cover letter with every resume you send.

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