Ready to jump back into the workforce after an employment gap? You’re not alone.
Between 2020 and 2025, 58% of workers had a gap of 6 months or longer on their resumes.
Whether you were caring for young children or a family member or were laid off, the key is to be honest and transparent about your gap.
Confidence can also go a long way, so don’t be embarrassed. Self-assess your strengths and skills so you can highlight them in your resume, cover letter, and interviews.
In my mid-twenties, I spent a year volunteering abroad. Coming home, I was nervous about how this would appear as I started applying for jobs.
Fortunately, I found a remote job a month into my job search. I was able to take the skills and experience I’d gained abroad to demonstrate how they would be transferable to my next opportunity.
Regardless of the reason for your gap, I’ll show you how you can do this, too.
Now, let’s talk about what employment gaps are, how to address them in different situations, and what you can do to enhance your skills and be the best possible candidate.
What Are Employment Gaps?
Employment gaps are extended periods of time when you are not working, or more often, are not engaged in paid work.
This could happen for many common reasons, like:
- Attending school or training for a new career
- Serving as a caregiver for an ailing family member
- Taking care of young children as a stay-at-home parent
- Traveling
- Being laid off
- Taking medical leave
Explaining Employment Gaps in Different Situations
There are three main situations in which you need to explain your gap. This includes your resume, cover letter, and in interviews.
Let’s talk about all of these situations in the hiring process and how to handle them.
How to List Gaps on Your Resume
The first thing to consider is what type of resume to use.
You may have heard that functional resumes are better than chronological resumes for showing employment gaps. In some ways, this is true.
However, there are two problems with this.
First, sometimes recruiters don’t like functional resumes, and second, they don’t always work well with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).
So let’s look at another option.
1. Use a Hybrid Resume Format
A hybrid resume, also called a combination resume, is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a cross between a chronological and functional resume.
With a hybrid resume, you put your skills first, then list your work experience and education.
Here’s an example of a hybrid resume format, from top to bottom:
- Your name and contact information
- Summary (optional)
- Skills
- Work experience
- Education
The hybrid resume is a good option because employers will see your skills first, before your experience.
This should help you breathe a sigh of relief if you’re worried about recruiters seeing your employment dates immediately.
2. Consider Adding a Brief Summary Section
One option is to add a short summary or objective section below your contact info and above your skills section.
This gives you the chance to be direct and share an explanation for your gap. You don’t have to do this, but it’s an option if you’d like to.
It only needs to be 2-3 sentences, so keep it brief. You can include who you are, what you’re looking for, and the reason for your gap.
Example of a summary for a social media-related resume:
Experienced Social Media Manager with 10 years of Digital Marketing experience, seeking a full-time Senior Social Media Manager role, re-entering the field after being a stay-at-home parent for 3 years.
3. How to Write Your Skills Section
The skills section is one of the first things a recruiter will see, so you want to make a strong impression here.
In this section, you’ll list a couple of skills, followed by bullet points for each skill describing your experience with that skill.
Your skills section is the place to get creative. Take the time to really think through what skills you have and consider which of your skills would be most valuable to a future employer.
Example of a skill for social media jobs:
Content Creation
- Used Canva and Adobe Suite to create eye-catching social graphics
- Posted on 2 social channels daily, increasing views by 40%
- Wrote 2 weekly blog posts, resulting in 500 new subscribers
In the above example, this doesn’t need to be a formal job. You can be describing the content creation skills you use for your personal blog or your own social accounts.
4. How to Write Your Work Experience Section
You can start by including a title and a couple of bullet points that describe your gap. Depending on your situation, you could use one of these titles:
- Stay-At-Home-Parent
- Family Caregiver
- Sabbatical
Once you have a title, think of 1-2 bullet points to describe your situation.
Example:
Family Caregiver
- Served as a full-time caregiver for my mother during cancer treatments, scheduling appointments, managing finances, and providing emotional support.
- Earned a PMP certification, enhancing my management, planning, and communication skills.
5. Include Volunteer Experiences
If you’re worried about significant gaps in employment dates, you can include any volunteer experiences or internships you have.
It doesn’t matter whether it’s part-time or full-time; you should still include it, especially if it’s relevant or similar to jobs you are applying for.
There’s no need to state you were a volunteer or intern if you don’t want to. For instance, if you managed the Instagram and Facebook accounts for a local nonprofit, say, “Social Media Manager” rather than “Volunteer.”
6. Follow These Tips to Get Hired Now
In addition to the steps above, learn how to get your resume noticed and what to include to get hired.
If you’re feeling stumped about wording and buzzwords, check out these best and worst resume buzzwords.
Another tip! Instead of providing months, just include years in your work experience section.
How to Explain Gaps When Writing Your Cover Letter
Your cover letter is an excellent place to explain your career gap briefly. Are you dreading this step? Try using a template to simplify the process.
Keep Your Career Gap Explanation Brief
Yes, you want to explain your career gap, but don’t make it the focus of your cover letter. Share the reason for your gap and any courses, training, or projects you did during this time.
Here’s an example:
From 2023 to 2025, I was a stay-at-home parent to my young children. During this time, I completed Google’s Digital Marketing Certificate and started a Substack newsletter, which now has 500 subscribers.
Emphasize Your Enthusiasm for the Company and Role
Skills and experience are critical, but enthusiasm and culture fit are essential, too.
Express your excitement about the opportunity and demonstrate that you understand the culture and would fit in seamlessly.
How to Talk About Gaps When You’re in a Job Interview
Your employment gap will inevitably come up in the interview process, so take some time to consider how you will answer this question.
Practice Explaining Your Gap
Be able to briefly tell the interviewer why you took a gap and then share some details about any courses, certifications, or volunteer opportunities you did to stay up to date with your field.
Use the interview as an opportunity to let your personality and communication skills shine.
Continue to reiterate the skills you bring, the knowledge you have, and your interest in the company.
Keep Your Gap Explanation Honest and Brief
You want to be transparent in your response, but you don’t need to provide lots of details.
Keep your answer short and transition the discussion back to your skills, experience, and the new opportunity.
When the interviewer asks you to explain your gap, you could say something like this. Just change the example to fit your situation.
For the past year, I was a full-time caregiver for my parents after my mother received a cancer diagnosis. During this time, I coordinated all doctors’ appointments and treatments, managed the household finances, and spent valuable time with my parents.
I also used this time to earn my PMP (Project Management Professional) certificate. Now that my mother is in remission, I’m excited to continue working full-time.
I’ve been using your services for over 5 years and have the training and skills to excel in this role. Plus, as a current user, I am passionate about the company and understand the customer perspective.
Prepare Natural Responses to Common Questions
I know that you’re focused on explaining your gap, but don’t forget that most of the interview will be about other topics.
Research how to answer difficult questions and look up how to ace an interview.
It’s equally important to have your own list of questions. The interviewer will likely ask what questions you have. Always have at least five questions top of mind about the company, role, culture, etc.
Reframe Your Mindset
Maybe you’ve been hearing how horrible the job market is right now, and you feel like your employment gap has put you at a considerable disadvantage.
You may even be so discouraged that you’re scared to even apply for jobs.
Don’t give up on yourself before you’ve even started.
Remember a few things:
- Many people find jobs through networking, so make this a priority.
- Focus on getting interviews.
- Take the time to research each company and prepare for the interview.
Lastly, whether you realize it or not, your gap has given you valuable skills. These could include scheduling, communicating, managing, organizing, budgeting, etc.
Reflect on what you’ve learned during your gap and practice weaving those skills into your interview responses and materials.
Enhance Your Skills During Your Career Gap
One of the best things you can do for your future self is to plan. Even if you aren’t planning to re-enter the workforce for months or even years, start preparing now.
A great way to prepare is to keep your skills fresh by continuing to take courses, earning certifications, or volunteering.
This is especially true if you hope to transition to a new field or role or if you work in an industry that is constantly changing.
Start a Blog, Freelance, or Build a Portfolio
In addition to building on your skills, you can also start a blog, create a website with a portfolio of your work, freelance, start a Substack newsletter, or work on independent projects.
These are all things you can include on your resume and that you can talk about in interviews.
Think about what type of job or company you want to work for. What type of personal projects would be most helpful to enhance your skills?
Do Informational Interviews With Others Who Have Career Gaps
Take a minute and think through your personal and professional contacts. Can you think of anyone who has re-entered the workforce after an employment break?
This could be former colleagues, parents from your kids’ school, friends from a book club or church, etc. Even if it’s just a brief acquaintance or a friend of a friend, that’s ok.
Do an informational interview. Ask them if you could buy them a coffee or chat with them for 15 minutes on the phone.
Have a few questions prepared, for example:
- What kind of employment break did you have?
- What was your experience like re-entering the workforce?
- Do you have any tips or suggestions?
Make Networking and Connecting a Priority
I’m sure you’ve heard this before, but I’ll repeat it. Networking is one of the best ways to get a job. If you are not making connections and utilizing them, you’re missing a key piece of the puzzle.
Networking can be painful and might make you feel sick to your stomach. I get it — I’m an introvert.
However, it works. You never know when a loose acquaintance will know of an opening.
Don’t be afraid to reach out to former employers or coworkers to see if they’ll serve as references or to find out if they have any upcoming leads.
If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, create one with these tips and start connecting and posting regularly.
Go the Extra Mile
When you’re applying for jobs, most people will do the bare minimum.
By taking a few extra steps, you can set yourself apart, show that you’re very interested in the company, and demonstrate that you’re a hard worker.
Here are a few ways to go the extra mile:
- Send a note or email thanking the interviewer
- Follow up to check on your status
- Research the company ahead of the interview
- Prepare thoughtful questions to ask in the interview
- Tailor your application materials for each position you apply for
- Read carefully and follow all instructions precisely
To summarize, this really comes down to showing your future employer that you listen and follow instructions, communicate well, are a kind and thoughtful team player, and are eager to learn.
How to Explain Employment Gaps: Wrap-up
Looking for a new job after an employment gap can be scary, but remind yourself that you have so much to offer potential employers.
Employment gaps are very normal, so don’t let this discourage you.
Make the most of your career breaks by using personal projects or volunteer work to keep your skills fresh, learn something new, or transition to a new field.
Employers or recruiters want to see that you learned something from your career break. Take the time to self-reflect and think about the experiences, skills, or perspectives you’ve gained that you can bring with you to your next job.
To make things even easier, check out our resume template bundle, with templates for your resume, cover letter, and reference list that you can edit to create the perfect application materials.
