As we are entering our second year of a global pandemic, our economy has still not returned to “normal”. Many people are still out of work due to shutdowns, whether temporary or permanent, haven’t been able to find work, or had to quit due to children or parents to tend to. There are other reasons people may have gaps that have nothing to do with this past year: family obligations, education, sabbatical, …Whatever your reason, this leaves millions of people with employment gaps like never before. The question becomes, how do you address a gap on your resume? The good news is you are not the only one that will have this issue. However, there are ways to present this gap that can showcase your skills without shining a spotlight on being unemployed. 

Always Be Honest

You can be creative in your explanation to present your history in the best light possible. If you have a gap of more than a few months in your work history, you can’t just skip over it on your resume and hope no one will notice. Even though you were not working during that time, you might have been doing something that would look good to an employer.  Having a big gap in work history should not negatively impact your chances of finding a job if you can make the gap look like it was not time wasted.

Highlight Valuable Experiences Gained

If you were out of work due to COVID, employers are understanding of this situation. What they want to know is what you have been doing during this time. If your employment gap is due to something else, such as leaving work in order to take care of your ailing parents, or if you took two years off after the birth of your child, you could highlight the valuable experiences you gained during your time off. If you took a year or two off from a “real” job and spent the time wandering around Europe, describe this period as a personal sabbatical for enhancing your education and understanding of the world. List the time interval as though it was a period of employment, except that you didn’t get paid for it. Many employers will not view a gap in employment negatively. They recognize the value of continuing education, caring for others, and personal growth experiences. They will often seek out job candidates who have something unusual to offer. By explaining your big gap in work history in the proper light, you may show the boss that you are the exact type of creative and self-motivated individual the company needs for that job you have always dreamed of. If the other job descriptions on your resume take up six lines each, devote the same space to describing your “duties” during your time off. 

Freelance or Volunteer Work

One way to ensure continuity in your career while dealing with a work history gap is to freelance. You may be able to work on projects at home while caring for a sick loved one. One example of how to list this on your resume:

Freelance Pharmaceutical Project Manager — XYZ City, Maine 1992-1994
Provided project management for the following companies: ABC, DEF, and GHI.

Another way to fill the gap between jobs is to volunteer. When you volunteer, you are still continuing to use skill sets you already have while also learning some new ones. List your work history first on your resume, then prominently list volunteer experience below that. You can make this volunteer experience stand out even more by placing it in a section called Related Volunteer Experience, which can be separate from previous volunteer experiences. You can also enhance your skills for a new position by taking online courses or getting new certifications for a new career move.