By Kay LaRocca
It’s a fact of life that at times there are valid reasons for unaccounted
years on a resume. However, there are also some reasons that may not be
viewed as favorable in the eyes of a prospective employer. Nonetheless, it
is something that you must address and can’t ignore. You must be able to
account for all periods of time. If you must leave gaps in your resume, be
prepared to address these periods during interviews. It is also appropriate
to address it in the cover letter, but choose to ignore it and you can be
setting yourself up for rejection!
The reasons can include anything from maternity leave, education, military
or other active duty, to those of a more serious nature. Perhaps there was
an illness, death in the family, or other personal emergency.
Whatever your own unique situation may be concerning a gap in your career
history, do not offer an explanation on the resume document. This is best
left for discussion in an interview, or perhaps include a paragraph of
explanation in the cover letter. This is usually done toward the end of the
letter, and can begin with "You will note that I was unemployed from _______ to _______. This was due to a family member who was critically ill and we offered our help and support."
If the situation is a little more difficult to explain, perhaps a
termination, or reorganization, you can address this with "During the time
of my unemployment from ______ to ________ I offered my services doing
volunteer work while actively searching for employment." If you acquired
additional training, or experience while unemployed, even if it wasn’t a
paid position, by all means include it.
By spending an adequate amount of time in preparing and presenting your own
unique background and experiences, you are bound to create a document that
focuses on all of your positive strengths and abilities, regardless of any
gap in employment.
--Kay LaRocca is Vice President Corporate Services for CareerSoar.com. Her email address is kay@careersoar.com.
