How to Explain Gaps on Your CV in a Job Interview

Struggling to explain employment gaps to potential employers? Read our guide to discover strategies and advice on how to explain gaps in your CV. 

 

 

What Is An Employment Gap? 

 

An “employment gap” refers to a period of unemployment that can last months or years. It may be voluntary (e.g. return to education, travelling) or involuntarily (e.g. caretaking duties, illness).

 

What Are Some of the Most Common Reasons Behind Employment Gaps?

 

1. Caring for a sick family member
2. Caring for a young child
3. Medical or health issues
4. Relocating to a new country/city 
5. Travelling 
6. Pursuing further education, going back to school or pursuing any other type of professional training
7. Trying to start a business or freelance career
8. You were laid off or left your previous job and had trouble with job-hunting

 

Does A CV Gap Make Me Unemployable?

 

Absolutely not! It is not uncommon for many professionals today to take employment breaks throughout their careers for a wide range of reasons. In fact, In a recent global survey of more than 22,000 people, LinkedIn found that 62% of people globally have taken a break from their career at some point in their lives. As such, no reputable employer will hold this against an otherwise strong candidate. 

 

If you are in a situation where you sense that a potential employer is biased against you because of an explainable CV gap, then you must ask yourself if this is someone you would like to work for. Because odds are that their opinions and expectations will be highly out of sync with the norm in more areas.

 

Why Do Interviewers Ask About Employment Gaps?

 

When Hiring Managers assess a candidate’s CV, an unexplained employment gap may indicate a cause for concern. However, if the candidate is otherwise a strong prospect (in terms of skills and experience) then the onus is on the Hiring Manager to discover the reason behind the gap. As SHRM advises, “Making assumptions without first asking questions and gathering information could lead to bad hiring decisions.”

 

Do You Always Need to Explain a Gap in Your CV?

 

It’s unlikely that a Hiring Manager will ask you to explain employment gaps that are very short (i.e. less than six months) or very old (over 5 years old). If they do ask you about this, a simple short answer should suffice. Conversely, it is highly likely that a Hiring Manager will ask you about any recent or lengthy employment gaps on your CV. 

 

 

The Benefits of Explaining Gaps on Your CV

 

It’s best to take a proactive approach by addressing gaps from the offset in your CV and/or cover letter to show that you are honest and trustworthy. Findings from an experiment conducted by ResumeGo revealed that job applicants who gave a reason for their employment gap received close to 60% more interviews than those who did not. 

 

Staging A Return to the Jobs Market | Laying Down the Groundwork for a Successful Re-Entry

 

If you are looking to return to the working world after an employment gap, there are some things you can do to increase your odds of having a successful job hunt. Taking on self-improvement tasks will show employers that you are serious about personal development. Time willing, consider doing the following: 

 

• Earning certifications relevant to your industry
• Taking continuing education courses
• Undertaking a project 
• Getting involved in professional associations 
• Volunteering with a community organisation 
• Taking on a part-time contract or freelance work
• Read up on recent trends, technologies and developments in your market

 

How to Address Your CV Gap 

 

As a candidate, you have three opportunities where you can address gaps in your employment: 

 

1. Your cover letter 
2. Your CV 
3. During the job interview 

 

How to Proactively Address Employment Gaps in Your Cover Letter 

 

If you are directly applying for a role, then it is a good idea to include a cover letter with your application. This will give you an opportunity to explain and contextualise any gaps in your CV. Note, if you are working with a recruitment partner you will not need to compose a cover letter as they will communicate with the organisation on your behalf. 

 

When writing your cover letter, start by following the usual format. After three to four paragraphs, insert a few short lines to explain your CV gap. If applicable, comment on the skills you developed during this time and tie this back into why this makes you a strong candidate for the position. Complete the paragraph by stating that now ready to re-focus on your career and reiterating your enthusiasm for the job.

 

How to Explain Employment Gaps in Your CV

 

For Short Gaps of Less Than a Year: When writing date ranges for each position, simply list years instead of months. Just bear in mind, that this trick won’t work if you have a lot of employment gaps. 

 

For Long Gaps: Anticipate any questions by including the employment gap on your CV. Format the gap as another item under your employment history by including a date range and a one-line explanation. 

 

How to Explain Employment Gaps On Your LinkedIn Profile 

 

In 2022, LinkedIn launched a new feature that allows users to include career breaks on their employment history. Currently, users can choose from a dropdown menu of reasons to explain the break such as full-time parenting, health and wellbeing, caregiving, personal goal pursuit, and layoff/position eliminated. To find out how to add a career break to your profile, read this step-by-step guide from LinkedIn’s help centre.

Preparing the Perfect Interview Question Response

 

1. Explain the reason for the employment gap clearly but briefly. Oftentimes, the reasons for taking a break are quite personal so there is no need to overexplain. 
2. Reassure the interviewer that you have no intention of taking another break in the near future. Explain that the situation has ended, so you will be totally ready to work again if they hire you. 
3. Put a positive spin on things by highlighting any accomplishments you achieved during the break. Did you master any new skills, take on voluntary work or complete a course? If so, mention these and tie them back to why you would be an ideal candidate for the position. 
4. Refocus your answer on the job by reiterating your interest in the organisation.

 

 

Additional Interview Tips

 

• Positivity is key when trying to stage a return to work. As such, you should not apologise for employment gaps. Instead, focus on the lessons learned during this time.

 

• Be honest and upfront about your experience. 

 

• When coming back to work, you may be tempted to grab the first job opportunity that you’re given. Don’t forget that interviews are a two-way street and are as much about the candidate assessing if the role is a good fit for them. Research the organisation beforehand and prepare plenty of questions in advance. 

 

• Some employers may be worried that your skills have gone rusty over time. Allay these concerns by researching the latest developments in your industry and referencing these throughout the interview. 

How to Explain a Gap In Your CV | 5 Sample Answers

 

Redundancy

“Unfortunately, my last employer was forced to conduct lay-offs as a result of major budget cuts. As a recent hire, I was made redundant due to a ‘first-in, last-out’ policy. 

 

In spite of the abrupt ending to my time at FakeCo, I don’t hold a grudge against them and I’m proud of the work I did there. As you can see, my former manager is one of my referees and I think that this speaks to the quality of the work I did during my time there.

 

Following on from the redundancy, I took some time to upskill and completed a Project Management certification. In fact, the main reason I applied for this role was because it offered the perfect opportunity to bring together my IT and Project Management skills.”

 

Illness / Injury

“I had to take some time away from work due to a medical condition. I’ve since made a full recovery and I feel ready to move on to my next professional challenge. 

During this period of illness, I made an effort to stay up-to-date with the latest developments in Supply Chain Management. From what I’ve read, it seems like your company is a real innovator in this area and this is why I am very interested in joining your team.”

 

Caring Duties

“From 2019 to 2021, I was caring for a family member who had a serious illness. However, I am now ready and eafer to return to the workforce. 

During that time, I did some volunteer work with a local charity. At one point, I co-ordinated a fundraising event during which I managed a team of 12 other volunteers. 

I think that this experience along with my extensive professional management experience would make me an ideal candidate for this job.” 

 

Childcare 

“I took four years off to care for my child. However, I am eager to return to work now that he is old enough to start school. 

During this time, I took on several freelance projects with a number of diverse clients. This allowed me to keep my skills sharp and to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and best practices in UX Design. 

One of the reasons that this role appealed to me was because your company is a market leader in this area and I believe that I can add value to your UX team.”

 

Travelling

“I’ve always wanted to travel the world, so last year I took six months out to explore South East Asia. During this time, I immersed myself in many different cultures and developed my language skills. I’m now ready to refocus on my career and I think that this role would be an excellent fit for my skills and experience.”

 

Liked This? Why Not Read Our Other Guides On Commonly-Asked Job Interview Questions

 

• Tell Me About Yourself
• Why Do You Want to Work With Us?
• What Are Your Strengths & Weaknesses?
• Why Should We Hire You?
• What Are Your Salary Expectations?
• Why Did You Leave Your Previous Job?
• 25 Great Questions to Ask An Employer at the End of the Job Interview
• Tell me about a time when you had to deal with workplace conflict
• A Guide to The Competency-Based Interview Style