How to Explain Gaps in Your Employment Without Oversharing

How to Explain Gaps in Your Employment Without Oversharing 6 Simple Tips to Master Your Employment Gap ExplanationWhen it comes to explaining an employment gap, we often say too much or too little heres how to provide just the right amount of details.You took some time away from your career, and thats OK. Maybe you tended to a sick family member, catered to your kids, pursued another degree, or traveled the world. Whatever it might have been, youre now ready to jump back into the workforce.Not so fast.If yourresume reveals any gaps in employment, expect hiring managers to inquire.Of course, what seems like a simple question will be paired with a simple answer right? You know why you took that time away from your career. But can you clearly explain your decision and how it worked to your advantage? After all, youre vying for a job against candidates who might boast more recent experience.Instead of getting caught in a bind of stress and fumbling your words (weve all been there), ent er your interview prepared to master your employment gap explanation.Here are six tips to help you overcome the inevitable What have you been up to? interview question.1. Dont overshareIf not properly prepared, a moment of panic could lead to you to divulging way too much information.Does someone whos been sitting behind a desk for 10 years straight, want to hear every detail of your six-month adventure through Asia? Does he or she need to know how you afforded it? Or that a brutal breakup sparked it? Probably not.Nor does the hiring manager want to know the nitty-gritty details of the diapers youve changed or how awful little Tim is before bedtime.If youve faced challenges and were forced to take a gap in employment due to tragedy or hardship, be careful here too.Sometimes people especially mere strangers dont know how to respond when it comes to grief, so spare them.And you certainly dont want to break down in tears during your interview. Try to keep those details to yourself o r between you and your therapist.2. Offer an explanationYou definitely dont want toovershare,but dont cloak yourself in mystery, either.Instead, find the right balance. Explain you took time off to spend with your kids, needed to decompress after several high-presaya years in your field, or that you faced little choice and owed it to your mom to help her out. Theres no shame in that.By explaining why you elected to call it quits for a while (without oversharing), a hiring manager will likely feel more comfortable knowing what happened and that you didnt just run away.Important note Remember theres a difference between explaining and justifying. Dont get deckenfries feeling like you have to justify why you stepped away from your career. Youre not out to prove anything.3. Highlight new skillsUnfortunately, changing a diaper in under a minute doesnt count as a new skill set (though that is a commendable feat).Be sure to mention any volunteer work, classes, certifications, or even conf erences you attended during your employment gap. If none of those options are relevant, know you probably picked up a new soft skill.Generalsoft skillsinclude communication, adaptability, problem solving, and critical observation. Remember toshow, not tell. Offer concrete examples and situations that show how you learned to better communicate or how you became more comfortable adapting to unexpected situations.Being able to show youve grown during your employment gap is respectable, so dont forget to highlight it.RelatedTop Transferable Job Skills Employers Look for in Candidates4. Emphasize why nows the timeIf you stepped away from your career without a concise timeline tied to your reasoning, explain why youre choosing to re-enter the workforce now instead of, say, a year from now.Again, be concise and dont feel like you have to justify your decision. Simply let the hiring manager know that youve done what you needed to do during your time off and now youre ready and raring to get back to work.5. Be confidentYou need to be 100 percent confident in yourself and your employment gap explanation. If you show uncertainty in your decision, the hiring manager might feel a little unsure, too.Dont downplay what youve been up to, either. Youonlycared for your sick mother? Thats a heavy task. Youonlytook care of your two kids? Thats no easy feat. Youonlywent back to school for your masters degree? Thats a big deal. Own your decision and explain it clearly and confidently.6. Move onAt this point, youre probably wondering how long this explanation is going to last.Theres no reason to dwell on your employment gap. Sure, its right there on your resume, so prepare to address it, but dont feel as though you need to acknowledge it for more than a minute or two. Again, offer an explanation, highlight the positive outcomes of your decision, and explain why youre ready to strike up your career again. Dont overshare and dont spend time trying to justify your decision.Chances are, the timespan of your employment gap is a lot shorter than the amount of experience you actually have, so theres no need to let this brief moment of time define you or what youre capable of bringing to a company. Go ahead and move onto your previous experience and all those awesome accomplishments youve already banked.Now that you know how to explain gaps in employment during the interview process, make sure youre presenting it effectively on your resume withthese six tips.Click on the following link for moreinterview advice.Want help acing your next interview? Learn more about our sister site,TopInterview.Recommended ReadingHow to Handle Gaps in Your Employment History5 Steps for Successfully Re-Entering the Workplace5 Tips to Address Caregiving on Your ResumeRelated Articles