Help! I have a gap in my resume!! What to do?!
12 October 2010
Read by 1863 persons
Who hasn't worried during a recruitment because they had a gap in their resume? A weakness that every candidate generally tries to hide, or even make disappear completely! Children, health problems, unemployment... it's not always easy to explain these periods of inactivity. If we also consider the number of applications submitted for each position offered, it will be really difficult to stand out with an irregular career path...
So how can you overcome this handicap and arouse the interest of even the most difficult recruiters?
Acknowledge this period of inactivity and especially don't try to hide it
You must own your career path and not hide its gaps; a gap of a few months will certainly raise a recruiter's questions if it's not explained. It is therefore better to take stock of what you did during this period because being unemployed does not necessarily mean being inactive.
Try to highlight everything you did during this period, freelance work, participation in a humanitarian project or other... Anything that can enhance your personality is good to include.
Smooth out your career path on your resume
After a few years of experience, it becomes unnecessary to mention the months. For example, for an experience from September 2007 to October 2008, you can put 2007-2008 and then continue with 2008-2009, etc., a little trick that allows you to smooth out your career path. For shorter experiences, you can shift to the following month if necessary. That said, if you have experiences that ended in failure, it's better to leave a gap rather than specifying that you resigned after two or three months.
Avoid inventing! No lies!
To fill the gaps in our resume, we can be easily tempted to add fake experiences. Be careful, you risk getting lost in your lies. Especially since recruiters can easily detect inconsistencies in an application because it is not easy to maintain a coherent speech, especially when it is full of lies. Try, as much as you can, to remain honest, even if the price to pay is not getting the job, because a lie will catch up with you sooner or later.
Be comfortable with your career path
If you decided to put your career on hold for a while to raise your children; take stock of your career; or even follow your spouse abroad; there is no shame in that, on the contrary, it can even be a strength for you. When the recruiter asks you "why", remain natural and confident; recruiters appreciate the authenticity of candidates and their ability to justify their career path, however atypical it may be! So try to have a speech that is both impactful and relevant!
Highlight your skills to compensate for your period of inactivity
Given the evolution of the market and consequently of working methods, it is becoming increasingly difficult to sell oneself, especially when our period of inactivity is prolonged. It is therefore necessary to prove that you have managed to remain competitive! Just because you were unemployed for a while doesn't mean you're no longer up-to-date! You must continue to learn about the news related to your field, new trends, new practices...
It is obvious that despite all this advice, recruiters will not necessarily give a positive response to your application. If this is the case, you must not be discouraged! Persevere; some recruiters like to give a chance to atypical candidatures! So wait until you find the right recruiter...
Posted October 12, 2010
Article written by The ReKrute.com team
So how can you overcome this handicap and arouse the interest of even the most difficult recruiters?
Acknowledge this period of inactivity and especially don't try to hide it
You must own your career path and not hide its gaps; a gap of a few months will certainly raise a recruiter's questions if it's not explained. It is therefore better to take stock of what you did during this period because being unemployed does not necessarily mean being inactive.
Try to highlight everything you did during this period, freelance work, participation in a humanitarian project or other... Anything that can enhance your personality is good to include.
Smooth out your career path on your resume
After a few years of experience, it becomes unnecessary to mention the months. For example, for an experience from September 2007 to October 2008, you can put 2007-2008 and then continue with 2008-2009, etc., a little trick that allows you to smooth out your career path. For shorter experiences, you can shift to the following month if necessary. That said, if you have experiences that ended in failure, it's better to leave a gap rather than specifying that you resigned after two or three months.
Avoid inventing! No lies!
To fill the gaps in our resume, we can be easily tempted to add fake experiences. Be careful, you risk getting lost in your lies. Especially since recruiters can easily detect inconsistencies in an application because it is not easy to maintain a coherent speech, especially when it is full of lies. Try, as much as you can, to remain honest, even if the price to pay is not getting the job, because a lie will catch up with you sooner or later.
Be comfortable with your career path
If you decided to put your career on hold for a while to raise your children; take stock of your career; or even follow your spouse abroad; there is no shame in that, on the contrary, it can even be a strength for you. When the recruiter asks you "why", remain natural and confident; recruiters appreciate the authenticity of candidates and their ability to justify their career path, however atypical it may be! So try to have a speech that is both impactful and relevant!
Highlight your skills to compensate for your period of inactivity
Given the evolution of the market and consequently of working methods, it is becoming increasingly difficult to sell oneself, especially when our period of inactivity is prolonged. It is therefore necessary to prove that you have managed to remain competitive! Just because you were unemployed for a while doesn't mean you're no longer up-to-date! You must continue to learn about the news related to your field, new trends, new practices...
It is obvious that despite all this advice, recruiters will not necessarily give a positive response to your application. If this is the case, you must not be discouraged! Persevere; some recruiters like to give a chance to atypical candidatures! So wait until you find the right recruiter...
Posted October 12, 2010
Article written by The ReKrute.com team
