How to explain gaps in your work experience on your CV

Whether your job was made redundant, you had to care for an ailing parent, chose to raise your family, or you took time off for furthering your education or simply travelling, never lie about gaps in your work experience on your CV. If a potential employer is going to pay you for working at their company, the least you can do is be completely honest about why there are employment gaps on your CV.

Here are some of the ways to explain employment gaps while still maintaining your integrity:

1. A gap after being made redundant
Losing your job because of redundancy or because your employment was terminated may raise the eyebrows of your interviewer or prospective employer. However, this kind of employment gap needn't be a negative one. If your job was made redundant, don't sit at home and mope on the couch, but rather use your time constructively by taking an online course, upskilling for your current industry, or doing volunteer work. Give your potential employer something to focus on other than the employment gap.

If your job was terminated, don't lie about it or cover it up with a thin excuse like, "It wasn't meant to be." Rather, give your account of why you weren't a good fit for your previous employer, take responsibility for your position and explain what you've learnt from the experience. This proactive reasoning can take on a more positive light to show that you've truly grown from a potentially negative experience and allow your interviewer to focus on your mature approach rather than the apparent employment gap.

2. A gap due to travel or studying
If you started a career and subsequently learned that it really wasn't what you wanted to do, then decided to study something different or take a few months off to travel, this is perfectly acceptable. Again, don't simply waste away your time while you're not formally employed, but be proactive and do something constructive with your time. Even part-time work while studying or doing freelance work while travelling will demonstrate to your prospective employer that you're a passionate self-starter and an independent worker.

3. A gap due to caring for family
If you've taken time off from employment because you needed to care for someone in your family, this doesn't need a lengthy explanation. A simply worded sentence or two should suffice, such as: "An illness in my family required my presence at home. Since I knew I wouldn't be able to give my job the attention it deserved, I resigned, but I am ready to return to the workforce full-time."

4. A gap for raising a family
If you were a stay-at-home parent, sacrificing full-time work for raising your children, don't hide it. Also, don't embellish your role as a parent to make it sound like a corporate position, such as "Household Manager" or "Domestic CEO". This will only come across as patronizing. Explain to your potential employer that you chose to raise your family, but are ready to re-enter the workforce. Show how you've re-qualified for your position or upskilled to ensure your knowledge is on par with the industry at present, or if you've maintained a freelance career while raising your kids, mention how this has helped you to stay in touch with the working world. If the tone of the interview allows for it, you could mention how raising a family has given you expert time management, task delegation, and negotiation skills.

5. Tips:

• Be prepared to explain your employment gap and practise what you're going to say. This will ensure that you don't end up stumbling over your explanation, which could make it sound like an excuse.
• Be confident while explaining the gap in your CV – your prospective employer isn't trying to catch you out, they just want a reasonable explanation for your absence from formal employment.
• Be honest. We're reiterating this again because the employment market is connected in so many ways. The truth will eventually come out – so it's best that you tell it first.

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