Explaining gaps in your CV, what might result in career breaks and what impacts these can have.
“Can you tell us what happened between these two jobs, why were you out of work?”
At some point in our careers, we will be asked about ‘gaps in our CV’. A lot of the time we really can’t help but have a slight break in our careers, if we are looking for work in-between jobs then surely that’s fair enough right? All in all, yes this is fine. If there happens to be an extensive period whereby you were looking for work then perhaps eyebrows will be raised in investigative anticipation. What you ideally want to be doing is making use of the time that you are looking for work if it feels it is going on a little longer than perhaps first hoped.
How to productively fill your time
Look to spend your days committed to learning a new skill, or taking a course on a subject that is going to enhance your development as a professional. Prospective employers will hopefully understand that looking for a job can be a full-time job in itself, so seeing you have taken the initiative to utilise your time wisely, will be looked upon favourably.
What might result in a career break?
A difficult one to answer as life is difficult to predict. Whether it is taking a career break for a travelling, sabbatical or you require a rest from work, it is important that we detail this on our CV’s. Sometimes reasons for a break can be sensitive so sharing them at interview can be awkward. You are not obligated to reveal anything sensitive in detail, so feel free to give a simple and short explanation.
Impacts of career breaks
You may have heard the phrase, ‘it’s always easier to find work if you have work’. If you are in employment it is usually more reassuring to prospective employers reviewing a CV. However, if you are looking for work do not look at this as a negative, just ensure you detail the reasons in your CV as to why you are immediately available to work. Finally, always make sure the month and years you worked to and from for each employer are clearly specified on your CV.
We hope your job seeking is a success!