Ask-A-Career-Coach: How Do You Explain A Gap In Your Résumé?

Contributed by Caroline Ceniza-Levine of SixFigureStart

What do prospective employers really think when they see a gap in your résumé?

It depends on the length of the gap, the industry and function you are targeting, and how the gap compares to everything else in your marketing campaign.

Length of the gap matters because a few months or even up to a year can be explained away with non job-related activities like travel or a sabbatical.  That said, you still want this explanation to sound empowered and interesting, not as if you just dropped out of life.  After a year, however, you really need to demonstrate that you’ve stayed active in your target sector, or else prospective employers will be concerned that your knowledge, skills and network are out of date.

Target industry and function matter because certain sectors change faster than others.  Technology skills quickly get outdated so a gap of even a few months may raise concern.  Sales is so relationship-based that a gap may cause prospective employers to question the strength of your contacts.  Employers in hard hit industries may not dwell on a gap because they recognize the upheaval in the market overall and may not attribute it to you.

Finally, how the gap compares to the rest of your marketing campaign is a key driver in how it’s perceived.  Notice I said “marketing campaign” as opposed to just a résumé. 

Many jobseekers are concerned about gaps in the résumé.  For protracted gaps you need to be pitching directly as the résumé may be too atypical versus other, more standard, resumés.  So don’t focus on just dropping your résumé.  Find decision-makers directly and tell your story.  If the gap is one small part of an illustrious career, it will be weighed less heavily.  If you are a new graduate and your gap is your entire post-academic career, then it sticks out.

In short, the gap is there.  Market around it.  Explain it with confidence.  Be prepared to move on if you want employers to do the same.

Caroline Ceniza-Levine is co-founder of SixFigureStart, a career coaching firm comprised exclusively of former Fortune 500 recruiters. Prior to launching SixFigureStart, Caroline recruited for Accenture, Booz Allen, Citigroup, Disney ABC, Oliver Wyman, Time Inc, TV Guide and others.  You can reach Caroline at caroline@sixfigurestart.com.