How to Find Solutions of Employment Gap and Get Re- Employment? Practice Proven Tips and Techniques that Work to Succeed!

Abstract:

An employment gap is a period of time when someone is not employed between jobs or is out of the workforce.

 

Employment gaps can be short or long, and can be voluntary or involuntary. 

They can occur for a variety of reasons, such as:

Personal health issues

Caring for a family member

Travel or further education

Being laid off

Time off to find the right job

Raising young children

Relocating for a spouse's new job 

 

Employment gaps are often noted on resumes and cover letters, and can sometimes lead to questions during job interviews. It's important to address employment gaps effectively to avoid negative assumptions during the job search process. 

 

When explaining an employment gap, you can use the STAR format to frame your story:

Situation

Set the scene of what happened.

Task

Explain what the goal was during this time and any responsibilities you had.

Action

Highlight what you did during the gap, mentioning any personal development and skills-building.

Result

Emphasize what you learned from the experience and how it helped prepare you for your next job. 

Keywords

Employment Gap, Re-Employment, Training, Experience, 

Learning Outcomes 

After undergoing this article you will be able to understand the following 

1. What do you understand by Employment Gap?

2. Why Employment Gap happens?

3. What are the reasons for Employment Gap?

4. How to include Employment Gap in Resume?

5. How to answer properly about Employment Gap during interview?

6. How to narrate your Employment Gap in STAR format ?

7. Strategies to get Re-Employment after Gaps.

8. Conclusions

9. FAQs

References 

1. What do you understand by Employment Gap?

Employment gaps are periods during your professional career during which you did not have secure, formal employment. Historically, employment gaps were times when the applicant did not work at all.

2. Why Employment Gap happens?

There are many reasons why an employment gap can happen, including: 

 

Personal reasons: These include starting a family, traveling, or caring for a sick relative. 

 

Health: Poor health can lead to a temporary gap in employment if it makes it difficult to work or if treatment interferes with work. 

 

Professional reasons: These include being fired, having a position made redundant, or having problems with the workplace culture. 

 

Personal development: You might take time off to focus on personal development, such as earning certifications or licenses, or taking a course. 

 

Geographical shift: You might take time off due to a change in location. 

3. What are the reasons for Employment Gap?

There are several reasons why someone might have an employment gap, including: 

 

Family reasons

Starting a family, family troubles, or taking time off for family and children are all common reasons for an employment gap. 

 

Illness

If you were ill and unable to work, you can mention that you're now recovered and able to work. 

 

Education

You might have taken time off to pursue your education or to gain specific skills and qualifications. 

 

Caregiving

If you were a caregiver for an ill family member, you can include that in your resume. 

 

Travel

Taking a gap year or career break to travel can be an advantage, as it can show that you've gained independence and understanding of other cultures. 

 

Layoffs

If you were laid off due to downsizing, economic conditions, or lack of work, you can mention that it was a temporary measure and that you might be able to return to the company if business improves. 

 

Personal reasons

If your employment gap is straightforward, such as taking time off for personal reasons, you can mention it briefly in your cover letter. 

 

4. How and What to include Employment Gap in Resume?

When explaining an employment gap, focus on being concise, honest, and positive, highlighting any skills or experiences gained during the break, 

such as: 

"During this time, I dedicated myself to raising my young children," 

"I took a career break to pursue further education in [field]," 

"I was actively involved in volunteering at [organization],"

 or 

"I focused on personal development through [specific courses or activities]."

Common reasons and sentence examples:

Family caregiving: 

"I took a leave of absence to care for a sick family member."

Childcare: 

"I stepped back from work to focus on raising my young children."

Education: 

"I returned to school to pursue a [degree name] which enhanced my skills in [relevant area]."

Travel: 

"I took time off to travel and explore new cultures."

Health issues: 

"I experienced a period of health concerns that required time for recovery."

Career transition: 

"I took a break to re-evaluate my career path and explore new opportunities."

Entrepreneurship: 

"I dedicated time to launching a small business venture."

Key points to remember:

Be specific: 

When mentioning a reason, provide a brief explanation without going into unnecessary detail.

Focus on the positive: Emphasize how the time away from work has contributed to your skills or personal growth.

Be truthful: 

Avoid fabricating reasons and be prepared to answer follow-up questions.

5. How to answer properly about Employment Gap during interview?

To answer properly about an employment gap during an interview, be honest and upfront about the reason for the gap, briefly explain what you did during that time to maintain your skills and remain relevant to the job market, and focus on the positive aspects of the experience, highlighting any new skills or knowledge acquired; avoid being defensive or overly apologetic, and transition quickly to discussing your qualifications for the current role. 

 

Key points to remember: 

 

Acknowledge the gap:

Don't try to hide it, address the gap directly on your resume and in the interview. 

 

Be concise:

Provide a brief explanation without going into unnecessary details, especially if the reason is personal. 

 

Focus on the positive:

Emphasize any skills development, volunteer work, educational pursuits, or other activities that kept you engaged during the gap. 

 

Connect to the role:

Explain how the skills gained during the gap are relevant to the current job you're applying for. 

 

Practice your response:

Prepare your answer beforehand so you can deliver it confidently. 

 

Example answer: 

 

"As you can see on my resume, there was a period of [length of gap] where I took a break from full-time employment to [briefly explain reason, e.g., pursue further education, care for family]. During this time, I [mention specific activities like taking online courses, volunteering, or personal projects] which allowed me to stay current in my field and develop new skills in [relevant skill area]. I am now eager to apply this knowledge and experience back into a full-time role." 

 

What to avoid: 

 

Making excuses: Don't blame others or make excuses for the gap. 

 

Being overly negative: Avoid dwelling on negative aspects of the gap. 

 

Lying or omitting information: Honesty is always the best policy. 

 

Sharing too much personal detail: Keep personal reasons concise and relevant to the job. 

6. How to narrate your Employment Gap in STAR format ?

The STAR format stands for "Situation, Task, Action, and Result," which is a structured way to tell a story by first setting the context ("Situation"), then explaining the specific challenge or goal ("Task"), detailing the actions you took to address it ("Action"), and finally outlining the positive outcome or result achieved ("Result") - often used in interview situations to showcase your skills and experiences effectively.

Breakdown of the STAR format:

Situation:

Briefly describe the context or scenario where the story took place.

Include relevant details about the challenges or issues you faced.

Task:

Explain the specific goal or responsibility you had in that situation.

Clearly state what you were expected to achieve.

Action:

Describe the specific steps you took to address the situation or complete the task.

Highlight your key skills and decision-making process.

Result:

Share the positive outcomes or achievements that resulted from your actions.

Quantify your results with data or metrics whenever possible.

Example STAR story:

Situation:

"Our team was tasked with launching a new product within a tight deadline, and there were significant concerns about meeting the marketing budget."

Task:

"As the project lead, I was responsible for developing a cost-effective marketing strategy to generate awareness and drive sales for the new product."

Action:

"I conducted thorough market research, identified key demographics, and collaborated with the design team to create targeted marketing materials. I also explored alternative promotional channels to optimize our budget allocation."

Result:

"Through these strategies, we successfully launched the product on time and under budget, exceeding sales targets by 20% within the first month."

Key points to remember when using the STAR format:

Be specific: Provide concrete details about your actions and results.

Focus on your contributions: Highlight your individual role and responsibilities in the situation.

Quantify when possible: Use numbers and data to demonstrate the impact of your actions.

Practice your delivery: Rehearse your stories beforehand to ensure you can tell them confidently.

 

7. Strategies to get Re-Employment after Gaps.

Here are some strategies to get re-employed after a career gap: 

 

Update your resume: You can add new skills you learned during your break and update your professional summary to reflect your career goals. You can also try a different resume format, such as a functional resume, which focuses on skills and competencies instead of work experience. 

 

Write a cover letter: In your cover letter, you can explain your career gap and the reason for it. 

 

Take online courses or certifications: You can specify how the skills or experience you gained from the course can give you a competitive edge. 

 

Consider a career coach: A career coach can help you identify transferable skills, boost your confidence, and provide personalized strategies. 

 

Be confident: You can remain confident in your abilities and work experience, even if things have changed since you've been away from work. 

 

Be open about your career gap: You can be honest about why you took a break. 

 

Network: You can reconnect with former colleagues and research job descriptions. 

8. Conclusions

Here are some tips for addressing employment gaps: 

 

Be honest

Be honest about the gap's reason and length. 

 

Use a functional resume

This resume style focuses on your skills and experience, rather than your job history, which can help mask gaps. 

 

List unpaid work as experience

You can list unpaid work as experience on your resume to provide context and highlight relevant experiences. 

 

Focus on what you gained

Instead of apologizing for the gap, focus on what you gained during that time and how it makes you a better fit for the role. 

 

Mention professional development

If you took courses, certifications, workshops, or other self-improvement activities during the gap, mention them to show you're staying relevant and improving your skills. 

 

Show closure

If the gap was due to family reasons, such as starting a family, divorce, or family troubles, show closure. For example, you can mention that the divorce is final, or that you went to counseling and are now in a relationship. 

 

Don't go into too much detail

If the gap was due to redundancy, mention the circumstances but don't go into too much detail, especially if it was due to underperformance. 

 

9. FAQs

Q. How to negotiate salary after Employment Gap?

Ans. 

When negotiating salary after a career gap, you can consider the following tips: 

 

Research

Research the market rate for similar roles to understand what's reasonable. 

 

Compare salaries

Compare the salary offer to the industry standard and what you've researched. 

 

Be confident

Confidence is important during salary negotiations, even if you don't feel it. 

 

Negotiate, don't bargain

Treat salary negotiations as a professional conversation, not a shopping bargain. 

 

Avoid sharing salary history

Don't share your previous salary, especially if your current salary is low. Some businesses and governments have banned salary history questions. 

 

Consider perks

Consider the perks that come with the job offer. 

 

Give a higher amount

Start with a higher amount and work your way down. 

 

Be respectful

If you have other job offers, mention them respectfully and include your desire to work for the employer. 

 

References 

The Education-Jobs Gap

Underemployment Or Economic Democracy?

By D W Livingstone, 

1st Edition 1998

Why Good People Can't Get Jobs

The Skills Gap and What Companies Can Do About It

Peter Cappelli

Wharton School Press

Published: May 2012