When you have a resume with obvious gaps in your workplace experience, you might feel panicked at the thought of going into an interview. The truth is that people have resume gaps for a wide variety of reasons, ranging from taking care of a family to going back to school. Preparing for the job interview is crucial. Not sure how to explain those resume gaps? This guide will give you some tips to get you started on this difficult conversation.

1. Don't Trash Talk Former Employers

Have you been fired or laid off in the past? Avoid negatively talking about your former employers, even if you split in a way that did not benefit you. If possible, speak positively about your experiences there. Turn the conversation toward the things you learned in that position instead.

2. Turn Travel into a Beneficial Resource

Do you have a resume gap because you took a year off to travel through Asia? Did you take a volunteer opportunity somewhere in Europe? No matter where you went, turn your travel experience into an expression of your professional skills. How did travel make you a better fit for the position you are interviewing for? Focus on this rather than on the fun aspects of travel.

3. Focus on Relevancy

As a successful candidate for a position, you should be able to spin any type of resume gap so that it is completely relevant to a future position. Discuss how the gap will expand your options and why you are ready to return to work. Do not leave the interviewer in doubt of your desire to come back to work.

4. Discuss Overcoming Struggles

Not everybody has a resume gap because they were traveling, going back to school, or something else with a positive connotation. You might have had to take time off for health or caregiving reasons. If this is the case for you, prepare an answer you feel comfortable with. Frame your answer in terms of your ability to overcome a difficult challenge in your life and how doing so has changed you for the better. You should also discuss your desire to prioritize your career at this point in your life.

When you have a significant gap in work history on your resume, you do not need to panic. With a bit of preparation, you may very well find yourself on staff at a job you love in the near future.

For more information contact companies like Staffing Solutions, LLC.

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