An employment gap in your resume does not mean that you are not a desirable candidate. Act professionally and always be confident in your abilities.
Let's admit it- life can at times be complicated. Today, you could be the cock of the walk, but tomorrow the feather duster. This could happen to even the best of the best. That is why having an inconsistent work history is normal. It could be that you took a break to raise your family, overcome a health condition, care for an ailing friend or relative, or you were unable to find a new job. The inconsistencies do not bode well with recruiters especially when you are desperately trying to get a new job unless you address the employment gaps in the following ways:
Use a Functional Resume
Ordinarily, most resumes have a format that requires you to list down your work history chronologically. That is not the case with a functional resume. A functional resume emphasizes your skills over chronology. This is to say that it focuses on your skills and expertise. This can be done by designating a skills section on your resume where you show specific accomplishments. The display of achievements is used to highlight the skills and expertise that you got.
Your Employment Gap Story
If you choose to use a format other than the functional resume one, then you will need to explain the reason for your employment gap. This can be explained in your cover letter with something called a summary paragraph. In the summary paragraph, you will give a brief explanation of the noticeable employment gap. This is where you tell your own story. Remember, a recruiter can tell when your story seems a little fishy, so you should be as honest as you possibly can.
Grouping Together
It could be that during your employment gap, you did freelance jobs or other temporary jobs. Try grouping these together to show that you were active even though you were out of a job. Grouping the jobs together will also help in emphasizing the skills that you acquired, in addition to those that you already had.
Overall, an employment gap in your resume does not mean that you are not a desirable candidate. Act professionally and always be confident in your abilities.
