Job interviews can be stressful for even the most prepared job seekers. For some, one common question adds to the pressure: “Can you explain this gap in your resume?” Panic can easily set in. “What if they don’t understand how I lost my last job?” “What if being a homemaker for those years hurts my chances?” Many other questions can run through your head. Anna Papalia, a career coach, says the gap-in-resume question is usually asked for a different reason than most interviewees think. @anna..papalia Employers do—and should—care about large gaps in employment. Since they invest major time and resources in screening, onboarding, and training new employees, companies must be selective about who they hire. A resume gap could signal you had trouble finding a new job after a job loss, or that you have difficulty making a commitment. They may wonder what you were doing while unemployed and whether you’re trying to hide something. If you have gaps in your resume, hiring managers want to know the “why” behind that period of unemployment. More importantly, they want to be sure your absence from the workforce doesn’t imply behavioral patterns or attitudes that might make you a risky hire.   What is considered a big gap in employment? According to Indeed.com, any break over six months is considered significant.   How to answer “Why is there a gap on your resume?”      Be honest. It can be tempting to conceal gaps in your work history when you’re trying to present yourself in the best light possible to employers. But lying on your resume is never a good idea. Since they review so many of them, hiring managers are skilled at spotting inconsistencies and other red flags on resumes. Most verify work history and may even perform background checks. If you’re untruthful about employment dates, it’s likely you’ll be found out eventually—and you could even lose your job over it. Honesty is always the best option.      Explain employment gaps in your cover letter. In general, there’s no dedicated place on your resume to detail the reasons you were out of work for an extended period. This is where your cover letter comes in handy. Address resume gaps proactively by calling them out in your cover letter. Summarize the reasons for your hiatus—one or two straightforward sentences will do. Don’t get too wordy, since you want to keep the focus on your relevant experience and attributes and why you’re the right choice for the job. extra hard to illustrate the value you bring to a potential employer.      Highlight what you did accomplish while out of work. You may have been out of the workforce for a bit—but that doesn’t mean you sat around twiddling your thumbs. If you took on any unpaid roles or noteworthy projects during that period, be sure to say so on your resume. This shows you stayed active and engaged even though you weren’t formally in the workplace. Volunteer or caregiver roles should be listed on your resume just like a paying job. Any degrees completed or courses taken can be noted in the Education section of your resume. For example:     ◦    You volunteered for your community food bank.     ◦    You went back to finish your degree.     ◦    You brushed up on your technology skills by taking a course.     ◦    You were the sole caregiver to an ailing family member.     ◦    You pursued a side project important to you.     ◦    You traveled extensively and explored new cultures.     •     Consider any transferable skills or perspectives you gained and how they make you a stronger candidate for the job. For instance, maybe you came up with a successful fundraising idea for a charity you volunteer for. Or you managed the event committee at your church and gained valuable leadership skills. Don’t hesitate to think outside of the box! #interview #howtoanswerinterviewquestions #resume #jobsearch #careertips #unemployed ♬ original sound – Anna Papalia In a TikTok video, Papalia explains that hiring managers are primarily asking this question to weed out candidates who don’t need a job. “I know it sounds ridiculous, but they want to verify that you’re not just quitting every time you get frustrated,” she says. Papalia says the interviewer wants to make sure the person wouldn’t just leave the job because they have a trust fund or a wealthy family member to fall back on. It’s to ensure the interviewee wants or needs the job, so they can say, “Great! We need a reliable person who needs a job, so this works out.” Gaps in a person’s resume and career have become more common. It’s very likely that the interviewer has spoken with several candidates who have career gaps. They may have had one or two gaps on their own resume as well. So the stigma of having a gap in a resume is less of a red flag than in previous years. How to answer “Can you explain this gap in your resume?” While the insight Papalia provides may calm some fears, many may still wonder how to answer the resume gap question. Having an answer prepared ahead of time is still recommended. There are many reasons for gaps in a resume, but there are also some guidelines career experts recommend. Keep it short and honest No matter the reason for a gap in your resume, it’s better for both the interviewer and the job seeker not to dwell on it. For one, the interviewer doesn’t want or need your life story, and a detailed answer could be too personal. Secondly, the interviewee wouldn’t want to waste the limited time in the interview instead of focusing on what they can bring to the role, the job description, and the company environment. Give a brief explanation—one or two sentences that get to the point. The best answers don’t go into unnecessary detail or leave room for second-guessing. Here are some common reasons for career gaps and stronger ways to respond: Don’t: “I was laid off because…” Do: “Unfortunately, I was affected by the company’s restructuring, and my role was eliminated.” Don’t: “I wasn’t working because I was a full-time parent/caregiver and now I need a job.” Do: “I took time away from my career to care for my young children/family member.” Don’t: “I was fired but it wasn’t my fault because…”  Do: “I learned a lot in my last role, but it turned out to be challenging in unique ways and it wasn’t a good fit. While it didn’t work out, it was a good experience and taught me to be careful of the next role I accept.” There may be different reasons, but overall, the advice is to keep it brief, impersonal, and focused on the positives. Redirect the conversation to what you can offer Another reason to keep your explanation short is to allow you to shift the focus from what happened then to what you can offer now. After your one- to two-sentence answer, spend most of your time discussing why you’re excited about the role you’re interviewing for. If it applies, share any relevant classes or certifications you acquired during your time away from full-time employment. If you did any freelance or volunteer work during that time away, bring it up. It shows the interviewer you’ve been proactive and preparing for a full-time position rather than sitting around. It can be especially helpful if the work is relevant to the role. Redirecting the focus to the job itself shifts the conversation back to the role rather than why you didn’t have one. Remove the gap in the first place Another way to answer, “Can you explain this gap in your resume?” is to remove the question entirely. Simply include a section explaining why you weren’t working during that time frame. Much like with a verbal answer, it can be brief and avoid personal details. “Family care leave” is a valid answer. It can apply to childcare, caring for a sick loved one, or even yourself. Just be sure to make it clear that you’re ready and motivated to get back to full-time work. @greglangstaff Even if you were taking care of yourself… you’re a part of your family so it’s still family care leave. Also, sharing our own health issues or other challenges can activate biases in the hiring managers. We do not need to share details. ANOTHER IMPORTANT TIP: you don’t need to explain every gap. I usually say that if it’s more than a year ago or less than a year, just leave it be. #resume #cv #career #jobsearch #learnontiktok #greenscreen ♬ original sound – Greg L. – Career Coach Gaps in employment that are under six months usually don’t require an explanation. That said, you should still have an answer prepared if your resume includes multiple short gaps.Eliminating those gaps preempts the question, and most interviewers will respect your privacy. It also reinforces that you’re proactive and intentional in your job search. Those searching for work should mind the gaps, but there’s little reason to feel too tripped up about them.  The post Career coach reveals the reassuring reason job interviewers ask about gaps in resumes appeared first on Upworthy.