Mind the Gap
Resume gaps used to be a bigger deal in the job hunt. With the pandemic making hirers more sympathetic and understanding of the gap, we've asked ourselves: Is there still taboo around the subject? Let's find out!
NEARLY 70% OF US WORKERS HAVE RESUME GAPS
"A survey published last month revealed that 68% of workers have experienced a gap in their employment, with family responsibilities (39%) being the most common reason. Among these workers, 60% believe the gap has made it harder to find a new job. To top it off, the number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks or more) was at 1.1 million in March, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In total, this group makes up nearly 20% of all unemployed persons.
However, it is possible to acknowledge that gap without it hurting your chances of getting hired, says Stefanie Ince, career coach and founder of Toronto-based March Management Leadership Coaching. Some experts even assert that the wave of layoffs during the pandemic has lessened the stigma of having time off on your resume. Sites such as LinkedIn are also helping to normalize it by adding a new “career break” option, where users can list reasons for time off such as "career transition," "relocation" or "health and well-being." Learn more
YOUR NEXT HIRE SHOULD BE A "RETURNER"
"Workers who stepped off the career path in recent years, especially women, are finding new opportunities to re-engage with employers that are trying to fill open jobs. During the pandemic, approximately 2 million women reportedly left the workforce because their jobs evaporated, changes to their job requirements prompted them to walk away, or because they felt called to caregiving responsibilities to family members when schools shut down and nursing homes presented danger to elderly relatives.
Some labeled the pull-back by women from paid work a “ she-cession.”...About 84% of millennial women anticipate taking "significant breaks" during their career, according to a study by Manpower Group." Learn more
HOW TO EXPLAIN YOUR RESUME GAP
"At least once in every interview process you’ll be asked some version of, “Can you walk me through your resume?” In addition to your skills and experience, you need to be able to explain your transitions between jobs, including gaps. This is critical: When you ignore gaps between jobs when discussing your resume, you lose the opportunity to control the narrative about your job transitions or time away from the commercial workforce.
Based on my research of employment gaps for my book, Wanted → A New Career: The Definitive Playbook for Transitioning to a New Career or Finding Your Dream Job, here are five common reasons for work-history gaps — and how to own the gap during the interview process..." Learn more
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