How Do I Handle an Employment Gap Between Jobs?

[rayna_brown]

How Do I Handle an Employment Gap Between Jobs?

There are times in our careers where we may find ourselves in the position of having lost a job without being able to find another one immediately. This leads to the dreaded “gap in employment,” which can cause us to feel unsure about how to handle inquires surrounding this period. It may also suggest a yellow flag to prospective employers. I am often asked how to handle this gap on our resumes, in interviews, and how to maximize the time itself.

Your Resume

I am a big fan of*resumes that list employment dates by year alone, versus month and year. I like this for two reasons: Visually it reduces the clutter of your resume,*making it easier for the hiring manager to read. The visual layout of a resume if absolutely mission critical. People with the most visually appealing and streamlined resumes have a greater chance of getting the interview. In addition, using years only has the sidebar benefit of making your employment history appear contiguous. Of course, that doesn’t prevent you from getting asked why you left your last job during the interview. If you do, you must always be truthful, but frequently, the subject won’t even come up.*

What If I’m Asked To Explain This Gap

During an interview, I would NOT volunteer information related to your departure from your last job, but if asked, obviously you will want to be honest, and keep the tone positive. You should respond in a neutral, fact-based way, as best applies to your situation. Stating that there wasn’t a good match between you and the company is a good start. For example, you can say that you and the company didn’t share the same philosophy when it came to [pick one]: a] customer service matters, b] product integrity c] employee or team support, d] career growth e] manpower resources, etc …and leave it at that. If you are asked to elaborate, you can use it as a great opportunity to focus on YOUR philosophy, not the company’s. Explain how you believe in the 'customer first,' or whatever the relevant issue may be.

If the interviewer presses you further for the ‘woes’ of the company, you can simply say that you continue to respect the company and its people, and would prefer to keep it that way. The interviewer will conclude you are very gracious.

How Do I manage the Time Itself?

Obviously, you will want to devote yourself to your job search, and a job search well done is a full time job. But sometimes there are factors that slow us down. Sometimes, we have been looking for an extended period of time unsuccessfully, or the market is dry in our particular field, or the wheels just move slowly in our chosen profession, like the government. So for those of you who have a longer gap between jobs,*the perfect question really is: "What else can I do to advance my skills between jobs?" In fact, my answer is: Advance your skills! Here are some ideas:

Volunteering

Whatever your field, there are always ample opportunities to volunteer somewhere in a capacity that*furthers your skill set. Let's say you are a network administrator, for example. How about*volunteering at the VA's Homeless Shelter in Menlo Park for a few hours a week to help them improve their computer systems {from my own volunteer work there, I happen to know they really need the help.}**Of course, there are hundreds of volunteer organizations. Pick one that strikes your fancy. All will welcome a call from a volunteer with a few hours to offer a week. Generally they are open to your suggestions as to how you want to spend your time. So I would ask them to give you a better sense of their services, and then propose a volunteer initiative that has the double benefit of helping them while advancing your skills concurrently. Volunteer work, especially in your relevant field, will truly sound very positive to any prospective employer, and supports the notion that you are a productive and community-minded person.

Volunteering to Work

If you want to volunteer and double your chances of finding a job, find a company or start-up*that you're interested in working for and offer to*volunteer for them. This isn’t as hard as it may seem. Take your proposal to the HR Director, if there is one in the company, or to the Manager in charge of your functional area. You will want to have a clear discussion up front limiting the hours and scope of your responsibilities, so that you can still be available for your job search. This path has the added benefit of giving the company a*"try before you buy" view of you and your work.*Who knows - an offer could spring from it!*

Pursuing Educational Goals

Obviously, you will also want to consider pursuing any educational paths necessary to augment your skills, such as taking a certification course in your field or signing up for an*evening semester course. Now is the perfect time to polish those skills you have needed for advancement and growth.

The Entrepreneurial Pursuit

A time-out between jobs is also a great opportunity to consider pursuing that small business venture you were always longing for but never had the time to pursue. First, it is a very acceptable path to prospective employers to know that you took a time out for an "entrepreneurial pursuit". They understand it, and very often, they respect this kind of industry - even if it wasn't ultimately successful.*More importantly, you just may find yourself on an entirely new path, one that you feel passionate about and which changes your life for the better.

During the dotcom bubble, I was in the most unpleasant role of having to oversee multiple waves of downsizings. Many people were struck particularly hard during that time, especially because there just wasn’t a vibrant employment market. Months passed and despite their most valiant efforts, they weren’t able to find new jobs. This was a period you could describe as mass gaps in employment for so many people. During that time I was often reminded of the phrase: “hope springs eternal,’ because so many of these folk decided to try their hands at the path they had always dreamed of taking, but until now, never had the courage to try. One woman from sales opened up a music retail store, a dream she always had. She is still running it today and has never looked back.

I have endless stories like this and to the degree that I could follow them, these people landed in roles that they were happier in than before. So I encourage you to try you hand at the entrepreneurial route, if that has been a burning desire on your mind.

MORE QUESTIONS? Write to me at: askrayna@yahoo.com