4 min read
Employment gaps, honestly
A gap is only a problem when it looks unexplained. One line usually settles it.
Name it in one line
"Career break, 2023–2024 — family care." Then move on. No apology, no paragraph.
Unexplained gaps make recruiters imagine the worst; a named gap makes them imagine nothing.
Fill it with something true
Freelance work, a course, a certificate, volunteering, a side project. Even part-time counts.
Don't claim what you didn't do to fill a hole. It gets caught in the interview.
Years, not months
List experience as 2021–2023 rather than March 2021 to February 2023. It removes false precision and shrinks visible gaps.
Keep exact dates ready for the interview and any reference check.
Download-ready checklist
- Gap has a one-line label
- Something true fills the time
- Years instead of months
- No apologising language
- Ready to explain in 20 seconds