Tuesday 18 October 2016

Explaining gaps on your CV

For an employer seeing gaps on a job seeker’s CV’s can set off warning bells pretty quickly. Here’s some useful and sensible career advice about how to work with these gaps, and sometimes, use them to your advantage.



1. Be Honest

Employers, especially Hiring managers are experts in knowing when someone is telling the truth and when they are not.

Though it may be tempting to pretend like those periods of time when you were not in work didn’t exist, or they were shorter than they actually were, in reality the person looking at your CV or interviewing you will find out. This will rule you out straight away. Take the safe bet and be honest. Plus, by telling the truth you can potentially work gaps to your advantage.

2. It is how you handle gaps

Don’t think you’re the only person an employer is reviewing who has gaps in their CV. An employer is going to ask you about the gaps in your employment not because they are out to get you or because they hate you, they just want to know what you were doing so they can get a rounded idea of you as a candidate.

It’s pretty logical.

For many people in professional life you may hit a point where you want to take a different direction. In that case it often can take time to figure out what that is, or work your way into a different industry. This often turns out to be a positive or even the best thing that happens to someone. It’s up to you whether you want to treat this as a blemish or a refocus in your career trajectory.

Form a strategy

·         Gaps are what you make them. If you take the time to understand where your skills lie, and what industry your personality fits best, taking a gap could be a blessing. Understand what your end goal is to avoid having another gap.

·         Once you know what your goals are, make sure you know what skills and training it will take to get there. Many businesses are now taking the time to understand the skills and personality of candidates in front of them rather than simply judging based off their CV.

·      It’s a wise idea to submit an application that allows employers to see your skills  and aptitude, such as on Talent Propeller Jobs. Employers would rather someone with gaps on their CV, but with the skills and aptitude rather than the other way round filling their job vacancies

It’s a tough world out there, but if you put in the extra effort it will really help set you apart and create results. For more tips and job seeking advice Check out Talent Propeller Jobs!