Employment Gap, Handling the gap in employment

Tips to handle gap in your employment.

If you are looking out for a new job, there’s a possibility that you are unemployed at the moment. If this holds true for your candidature, be cautious in drafting your CV. First of all, ensure that you do not send out your age old CV. Take time to draft a new CV and start your job hunt with this new, updated document.

The reasons for a gap in your employment can be numerous, like:

• Being away for higher studies.
• Female candidates having little baby at home.
• Being ill.
• Being made redundant etc.

While the first two reasons are easy to handle, the last two will give recruiters a reason to raise an eye brow on your candidature. So, what can you do about it?

Here are some tips to handle gap in your employment.

1. Draft CV around skills

Go through the job requirements well and draft your CV in such a way that the prospective employer gets to see your skills and strengths first. This can be done by keeping your skill sets on the first page.

2. Focus on achievements

Your achievements during the last jobs can find a place below your skill set.

3. Do not discuss about bad health

If the gap in your employment is owing to some illness, do not mention it in the CV. Leave it to be discussed during the interview. You can give an impression of good health by mentioning about some sports that you have been participating in.

4. Last jobs on last pages

Mention about the specific jobs and year when you did them on the back pages, towards the right hand side.

5. Being made redundant is no crime

Being made redundant may not necessarily be your fault. Companies do face problems and it could have happened with your company too. Just put it across in the right words during the interview.

6. Motherhood requires a break

The job market still respects motherhood. May be, you will not get a start from where you left your career but getting a job should not be a problem. You can explain this to the prospective employer during the interview.

The bottom line is, draft your CV in such a way that the prospective employer is impressed with your skills and achievements. Inspite of having a gap in your employment, she should be willing to see you. Note that you should not lie in your CV or during the interview but you definitely have the right to remain silent. Once you are there for a face-to-face discussion, it is up to you to convince the interviewer.