Filling in the Gaps: Building a Resume When You Have Been Out of the Job Market

Many adults and students may have gaps in their resume for one reason or another. New parents may have taken some time off to make sure they got a good start at raising a new baby. Many mothers have decided to be stay-at-home moms for years before deciding to re-enter the job market. Others have gone back to school full-time to complete a degree. These are all good reasons for not being in the job market and they don’t have to effect you negatively. Many employers will recognize that these are honorable things to do and the gap in your resume will not matter all that much.

Many people choose to leave these periods of time completely off their resume. This can work negatively against you if the resume will be the deciding factor in whether or not you get a first job interview, especially if you are entering the corporate business world. Try looking at the situation differently and tell the employer in your resume what you were doing during that period of time.

If you were on maternity leave or decided to be a stay-at-home mom or dad, mark the time period on your resume and use terms such as “full-time parent,” “maternity leave,” or “family management.” Many employers will respect the fact that you took that time to stay with your family and ensured that you were getting your children off to a good start. You may even consider mentioning some skills that you were able to pick up throughout that time period, such as multi-tasking and time management skills. What parent doesn’t have to learn those at some point and time, especially a stay-at-home parent? Many parents may also have participated in some volunteer activities through Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, 4-H and sports teams. Talking about how you were able to help those organizations through your skills and knowledge will show that you are able to work with others and were willing to volunteer your time to help others as well.

If you took off time from working to travel and study, mention that you were a full-time student studying abroad. Highlight any languages or skills you may have learned throughout that time period. If you went back to school, mark the time period that you were not working and tell why you were not working. Be sure to include your degree or certification that you may have achieved during that time period.

Gaps in working do not have to work against you. As long as you are honest and approach the situation in a professional manner, employers will not see those gaps as a negative component on your resume.