Explaining employment gaps in an interview
If you have a gap in your employment history don’t worry it’s quite common. 🤯 A lot of people have been unemployed at some point during their lives and there a plenty of good reasons to explain an employement gap. Here’s how you explain your employment gap in an interview! 👇
Don’t be afraid to tell the truth when explaining your employment gaps.
Preparation is key
Whether or not it is relevant for the role, be prepared to talk about your employment gap in an interview. Have in mind that recruiters might ask about the employment gap in order to understand why it took place and what you potentially did during that time. Being prepared before the interview will therefore help you to address the employment gap in a positive and confident way.
Be honest
Don’t be afraid to tell the truth, recruiters normally know the job market the best and they understand the challenges job seekers face. Plus, there are plenty of understandable reasons to justify an employment gap just remember to be honest without going into unnecessary details.
What did you do?
What you should focus on is what you did during the employment gap, that’s what really matters!
Did you learn a new skill?
Did you pursue a personal project?
Did you discover the world?
Did you volunteer?
Did you familiarize yourself with an industry?
These are all great points to mention and it creates a link between what you did during the employment gap and the role you are after.
Keep it short and be positive
Make sure to keep your explanation short and remember to be positive. Think about all the good things that happened during the employment gap and your desire to move forward.