I've been out of work for over a year now, and I think it's hurt my chances at landing interviews. While I know the job market is tough, I've noticed that recruiters and employers often pass over my profile, sometimes even sending flat-out rejections. The main concern I have is the gap in my resume. I left my last job because it was a toxic environment, and since then, I've worked on an art project, volunteered at a crisis line, and even developed a small retro-style app in Python to help with productivity. I've included this on my resume, but it doesn't seem to make a difference. I used to get recruiter messages fairly often before 2024, but now, they mostly tell me I'm not a fit after an initial call. I'm even considering jobs outside of IT, even though I have around 10 years of experience, primarily in cloud and virtualization (like Linux, VMware, Azure, and a bit of DevOps). Any advice on how to handle this situation would be greatly appreciated!
5 Answers
I switched to a dateless resume and it worked wonders for me! Instead of specific dates, just list durations like '9 years here', '6 years there', etc. Also, on LinkedIn, don’t mention you're unemployed when you share your story. Just say something like, 'After my last role, I moved on to focus on personal projects.' Keep it vague and direct. When asked when you can start, say you’re ready but have a few things to wrap up—smooth and to the point!
If they ask about your gap, just say something like, 'I took some time to pursue a passion project during my hiatus, and my family supported my decision to seek new opportunities afterward.' If they press for details about the project, you can mention you signed an NDA, which you can’t discuss. This keeps it simple and discreet.
> "Can you explain this gap in your resume?"
"Sure, I wasn’t happy and wanted to pursue a passion project. The timing was right and my family agreed I would seek employment after."
You could say that you had to attend to family issues during that time and worked on that app for self-improvement. It’s honest without giving too much away.
Consider adding a cover letter that highlights your volunteer work and self-improvement efforts. When I've been part of hiring, I see every cover letter that comes my way. It’s important to keep it genuine and not pretentious. A strong letter can really bolster your resume and help get past initial screenings.
Hmm, what about putting this on the resume? Or should I leave it out?
You might want to simply state that you took some time to focus on family and now you’re ready to jump back into work. The key is to be vague about the specifics of your gap. Listing various projects can seem a little desperate; instead, just convey confidence and say you’re excited to return to work after handling personal matters. Companies generally won't probe too deeply into family issues.
Thanks a lot, that is quite helpful. In this case, do you think I should leave the gap unexplained on my resume?
Wow, I never considered that. Was this recent?