How to explain gaps in resumes: Tips and tricks for success

Format your resume to minimize gaps 

Many professionals need to know how to explain gaps in resumes. Stay-at-home moms, for example, may take anywhere from two months to two years away from work.

There are many ways to structure your resume to make gaps less obvious and focus on the positives. This allows you to tell the truth but avoid highlighting the gaps and making them seem more significant than they are.

If you have large work gaps, we suggest using a unique type of resume. For example, a functional resume focuses on your hard and soft skills and competencies instead of specific roles, chronological work, and employment dates. You can also consider a hybrid resume, which uses the skills-based layout of a functional resume but adds some work experience to supplement it. Make sure to use a flexible resume template that accommodates your chosen structure.

For smaller gaps, consider omitting the exact months on each job entry and use years instead. An employment gap of a few months isn’t a major issue, so downplaying it is admissible. For example, if one of your roles was from April 2018 to July 2020, and your next role was from November 2020 to May 2023, you can list it like so:

You can also briefly mention employment gaps between work entries to provide clarity. Here’s an example:

"... gaps are an opportunity to learn, so describe your growth opportunities and improvement to put a proactive, positive spin on your history."

How to explain a gap in your resume during interviews

Many hiring managers overlook resume gaps when they’re impressed with your application, but it’s likely they’ll bring it up during the interview, so it pays to be prepared. Here are a few common reasons for work gaps and how to handle them:

• Layoffs and restructuring: Frame this as an opportunity for personal and professional growth. Describe how you reacted, discussing how you were looking for new challenges, and it presented an opportunity to look for your dream job.
• Career change: Highlight your transferable skills, including adaptable hard skills and universal soft skills. Rather than focusing on how you left your previous job, emphasize your work ethic and courage to pursue your ideal career. 
• Personal travel: Explain the abilities and perspectives you learned while abroad. Highlight the parallels between your industry and the lessons you learned traveling, such as how learning a new language and talking with locals enhanced your charisma in a sales role.
• Health-related absence: If you’re interested in how to explain a gap in a resume due to illness, it’s very simple. Give a brief response, telling the interviewer you had to handle a medical issue, and then reassure them you’re ready to reenter the workforce. This is a private matter, and employers don’t want or need any details.

Here’s an example response for a candidate who experienced layoffs:

We recommend structuring your responses using the STAR method. This framework describes the Situation, Task, Action, and Result of each scenario, helping the recruiter understand your skills and motivations more deeply.

How to explain a gap in resumes on social media and cover letters

Cover letters and social media platforms, like LinkedIn, are excellent places to explain resume gaps and leave a positive impression. Here are a few strategies:

LinkedIn:

• Fill in the gaps: Add a short-term job title to bridge gaps. Keep this truthful but positive, using a phrase like “Professional development.” This shows recruiters that it wasn’t an empty space in your life and contained meaningful interactions.
• Use the About Me section: Touch on employment gaps in your About Me section. Highlight continuous improvement, personal and professional projects, and side hustles.

Cover letters:

• Acknowledge it: Briefly mention the resume gap without dancing around the subject. Be honest, acknowledge the career gap, and move on to more important things like work experience and achievements.
• Highlight the positives: Discuss the skills you gained and the opportunities you seized. Showcase certifications, projects, and competencies.

Turn an employment gap into a strength: Tips and tricks

Resume gaps can be an opportunity and a strength, depending on how you frame them. Here are a few tips on how to focus on the positives and show employers you’re ready for new challenges.

Be honest

While many job seekers are afraid of discussing gaps, they’re common, and it’s always best to be upfront and honest. Lying on resumes isn’t professional and can leave a poor impression on employers. You don’t need to provide in-depth information, but it’s important to briefly address them.

Focus on learning and growth

Reframe work gaps as an opportunity for learning, work ethic, and resilience. Highlight the ways you grew and the things you learned, as well as how you maintained the skills you already had.

Even if you didn’t take courses during your absence, describe how other experiences affected you. For example, taking care of children helps you hone time management, problem-solving, and empathy.

Build a polished resume

A well-written resume impresses recruiters, even if it has a few gaps. Learn resume best practices, like creating quantified achievements and writing concise statements, to build a polished resume that highlights you as a top candidate.

Review our realistic resume samples for examples of how to structure a flawless resume, providing just enough information to leave an impact without overwhelming hiring managers.

Be proud of your history and explain resume gaps

Employment gaps may be intimidating, but the right strategies allow you to confidently address them, impress hiring managers, and continue to build your professional future. They aren’t anything to be ashamed of – gaps are an opportunity to learn, so describe your growth opportunities and improvement to put a proactive, positive spin on your history.

It’s vital to have a well-formatted, professional resume during your job hunt. A good-looking application shows recruiters that your employment gap isn’t a big deal and that you’re a serious, skilled worker. 

Try CVwizard’s resume maker and easily create a beautiful, ATS-friendly application that wows employers. Fill in the blanks, choose a template, and download your new resume in minutes.