Addressing Gaps In Work Experience On A Job Resume
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Not many people have an entirely linear career, where each job marks a different step up the job ladder. This may be down to losing a job, falling ill, travelling or simply deciding not to work for an employer for a while and doing something else instead. Irrespective of the reasons, you’ll need to think about tackling gaps in work experience on a job resume, so as to allay any misgivings an employer may have in considering you as a potential candidate.
Dealing with gaps in work experience on a job resume is a vexed issue for many, and some people make the mistake of leaving a few holes here and there without accounting for them. Doing this may lead some employers to believe that candidates are unreliability or are likely to quit a new job soon. Even if you don’t have continuous employment, there are a number of general rules that should be considered when addressing this issue.
If you’ve only had a few months out of employment, you might not need to do any explaining. On the other hand, if they are more frequent, you will need to start tackling gaps in work experience on a job resume much more seriously. One way of achieving this is to include an explanation in your cover letter. Reintroducing yourself to potential employers after an extended gap in your professional experience is a lot easier with a strong, well-crafted cover letter, particularly if you have a legitimate reason.
Think about any activities you can use to fill these time periods. You might have experience relevant to your target job, regardless of whether you were paid. Volunteer activities, community involvement, special projects, consulting engagements and continuing education can be used as a way of tackling gaps in work experience on a job resume. Volunteer work is not only seen as valid experience by many employers, it also demonstrates that you’ve constructively used you time as well as utilised and possibly gained value skills.
In addition to including an explanation in your cover letter, using a functional or skill-based layout can help in addressing gaps in work experience on a job resume. Doing this allows you to tailor your resume to highlight skills and competencies sought by a potential employer and focus less on dates of your employment. Be sure to make your cover letter sound confident and upbeat, indicating that you have been actively searching for a suitable new role, and that you see this as a positive opportunity to identify a position in which you will thrive.
To find more good resources for examples of job resumes and other job resume writing help, please visit jobresumewritinghelp.com.
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