Friday, 18 September 2009

• Minding the Gap in Your Resume

  
  
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  Whether we're talking 20 years of child rearing or an eight-month stretch when you couldn't find a job, resume gaps can happen to anyone. And even if you have a good excuse, these holes in your work history can worry potential employers. I've compiled some tips on how to manage—and, in some cases, avoid—resume gaps.
  
  Rework your resume: You can't change your employment history, but there are a couple of ways to tweak your resume to help minimize gaps. Try listing the dates of your previous jobs by year only—so, say "2005–2006" instead of "September 2005–May 2006" to hide brief lapses in employment. If you're a student who has only had short-term jobs, use seasonal modifiers ("Summer 2006," etc.) for the same effect. Career help sites also recommend listing dates in a small, non-bold font. If you've been working for many years but have an employment gap buried in the early '90s, it's okay to exclude it; most employers are only interested in your last 10 to 15 years in the workforce.
  
  Really rework your resume: For bigger gaps in employment, you can try some more substantial changes, like beginning your resume with a Statement of Purpose or Career Highlights section to draw attention away from those pesky dates. You might also consider something called a functional resume format, which is a non-chronological way of presenting your work history. But be careful: Employers (especially experienced ones) might recognize these techniques and see them as red-flegs. Weigh the pros and cons, and find the decision that works for you.
  
  Cover yourself: Use your cover letter and job interview to provide concise explanations for any time you spent out of work. Avoid overly personal statements or vague excuses, and highlight anything productive you did during that time. Which brings me to my next point...
  
  Avoid gaps in the first place: Even if you can't find a job, or you need to take time off for a personal reason, there are still plenty of things you can do to avoid creating an empty spot on your resume. Depending on your skills and your availability, you might consider consulting or freelance work, finding an internship or volunteer position, or publishing articles relevant to your profession. Continuing your education is also a great way to fill a jobless time, be it through formal classes or just the occasional seminar. You can add any of these activities to your resume when it's time to reenter the workforce. During your time off, it's also a good idea to keep in touch with a few former colleagues—you never know who's going to start their own business and need some new employees.
  
  And, most importantly, Don't lie: Employers will check up your work history. You're much more likely to be hired with a gap and a good explanation than after being caught in a lie.
  
  What do you do to mind the gap?
  

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