#CareerAdvice #JobSearch #ResumeTips #CoverLetter #InterviewTips
Hey there, fellow redditors! 🌟 Have you ever wondered if a prolonged absence from the workforce could make you less employable? Well, that’s the situation I find myself in as I try to re-enter the job market after a five-year hiatus due to a serious workplace assault.
Here are a few questions that are running through my mind, and I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences:
🤔 How do I tackle updating my resume with such a significant gap in employment history, especially when aiming for director-level positions?
🤔 Should I address the absence upfront in my cover letter, or let it come up naturally in the interview process?
🤔 How can I effectively discuss this gap in a job interview without it becoming a major red flag for potential employers?
As I navigate this challenging situation, I believe one possible solution could be to focus on highlighting the skills, experiences, and achievements from your past roles that are still relevant and valuable in the present job market. By showcasing your expertise and staying up-to-date with industry trends, you can demonstrate your continued relevance and employability despite the time away.
What do you think? Any other tips or suggestions for someone in my shoes? Your insights could truly make a difference as I strive to make a successful comeback in my career. Thanks for reading and sharing your wisdom! 🚀🌟
This isn’t really an HR question (more of a Talent Acquisition/Recruiting team question), but I’ve worked in both spaces and have had a 6 year gap on my own resume, so I’ll give you my 2c fwiw.
Yes, the gap will hurt, but it’s not insurmountable and there’s nothing you can do about it. You do have one great thing in your favor, and that’s the length of employment you had with your prior 2 companies. That’s impressive and becoming rare these days.
I would not recommend mentioning this explicitly in a cover letter. also, don’t waste time on cover letters, I’m sure there are some employers out there who read them, but 99% don’t care about those these days, even if they have a spot to add them. I have never once filled one out, and have hired many people who didn’t have one. Applications these days are a numbers game. Absolutely tailor your resume to each job you apply to, but don’t waste valuable time on a cover letter.
So yeah, long and short – imo it may hurt you but not severely, and nothing you can do about it anyways. Apply to lots of jobs and tailor your resume to the ones you’re really interested in. And when I say lots, I mean *lots*. Without a personal connection referral, it’s really just a numbers game these days. Best of luck, I’m sure you’ll be fine
Have you considered reaching out to anyone in your prior network? You didn’t say what industry/type of work, but have you kept up with anyone from your previous two positions that could provide a reference?
I was out of the workforce for 7 years (SAHM) but was able to find a job through my prior network.
“Not working due to a personal issue that has since been solved. Willing to provide more information as needed” IF you feel like you need to put anything down. My concern is that if you put NOTHING they think you are possibly just not writing down your last employer for some nefarious reason.
I threw this to CHATGPT and got the following language
My prompt was “on a resume how to address being out of work for 5 years due to a personal issue that is solved.”
This is just one part but there were other good suggestions there too (including a functional resume format)…
4. Address the Gap Positively:
Briefly mention that you took a career break to attend to personal matters that are now resolved. For example:
“Took a career break to address personal matters which are now resolved, and I am eager to re-enter the workforce.”
“Took time off to focus on personal development and family matters, and am now fully committed to returning to my career.”