Let’s face it nobody’s life runs smoothly or simply revolves only around their careers.
Having gaps in your CV isn’t something that you should be ashamed of, even though it can be daunting for some. Whether it is because you have taken a career break to raise your family, go travelling or due to a health issue; unrelated career breaks can make candidates feel like they don’t have much of a chance against other job seekers when applying for roles.
1. Preparation
Take a moment to sit down and go through your career and your experience to date. Take into account any career break you may have taken and list any skills you may have gained during this time that might be applicable to the role you are applying for.
2. Honesty
Be honest, don’t try and cover up gaps with lies. If you took a break include it in your CV and state why and how long it was for. You don’t have to go into every single detail. Acknowledging and explaining a gap won’t harm your chances of employment. Lying about a gap will.
3. Showcase your skills
Being out of the workforce for a long time can be difficult. Trying to get your actual skills across on paper can be hard. Why not build a Digital CV that can actually help you showcase any projects you may have done, blogs you have written, languages you can speak and more. This is a great way to give yourself a competitive edge and bring the emphasis back to why you are the best candidate for the job.
4. Upskill
If the gap in your career has been a long one and you feel nervous about going back to work, why not volunteer for a few weeks? This is a great way to gain some experience, skills and to add some updated experience to your CV. It is also very useful to have a reference and to use the STAR method in your interview.
