Gaps in your resume

Another great question from one of our candidates: How (do I) address my gap in employment while raising children. Do you have any advice?

Why yes, of course.

1. Note it! The first and most important thing to remember is DON’T TRY TO COVER IT UP! If you took time off to start a family, take care of a loved one, or to travel the world, be honest about it. Don’t “fudge” the dates and don’t pretend you were working all that time. You can include one line on your resume with the dates of your sabbatical and/or you can note it in your cover letter. In both, take the opportunity to quickly explain why you took the time off.

2. Be strategic! Time off to raise a family is not a vacation. Chances are you spent some time volunteering or had leadership positions in your community. Make sure to briefly list leadership activities and the results you achieved as leader. iRelaunch has some great advice about strategic volunteer work.

3. Be ready! If you’ve got a gap, make sure you’re ready to talk about how you stayed current in your field while you were out. Did you continue to read industry publications? Attend conferences? Take classes? At the very least, read up on the latest and greatest in your field so you are ready to show the hiring manager you really know your stuff. You can even include this in your cover letter.

You can see from this advice, planning ahead is key. Of course, a good way to get back into the workforce is to apply for part-time and contract positions until you find that full-time dream job. We know where you can find a few in Los Angeles.

PS. Thanks for asking, Jennifer!