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How to List Gaps on a Resume (Without Making It a Big Deal)

Learn how to address and explain a gap on your resume with confidence and clarity, whether it's a short-term gap or a 2-year employment hiatus

3 years ago   •   10 min read

Life is full of unexpected twists and turns. Whether you've chosen to take a breather from the work or faced unforeseen circumstances, gaps on your resume can happen to anyone.

If you've taken a few months — or even a few years — off between jobs, either voluntarily or due to external factors, it doesn't have to be a big deal or a looming shadow over your resume. In this guide, you'll learn how to explain these gaps confidently in a professional and convincing manner.

The truth about employment gaps

In the current job market, the rise of remote work and the gig economy are reshaping traditional views on resume gaps. Many workers now juggle flexible roles, short-term contracts, and prioritize work-life balance, leading to irregular career paths. As a result, employers are learning to reevaluate resume gaps as indicators of adaptability and diverse experience rather than shortcomings.

Why some employers are still wary of gaps on your resume

In and of itself, a resume gap isn't an issue. The reason modern employers notice resume gaps is because they raise questions, such as:

• Were you fired?
• Did you quit on a whim or with no warning?
• Did you leave without another job lined up?
• Have you left one or more jobs off your resume?

These all basically boil down to one thing: Is there a gap on your resume because you're trying to hide something?

When a resume gap is not a big deal

Most resume gaps are unlikely to be a problem. In particular:

If it's short Employment gaps of less than six months aren't likely to stand out. Six months is a fairly standard timeframe for a job search, so you may not even need to explain a shorter gap.

If it's a one-time occurrence If you only have a single gap on your resume, it's unlikely to raise red flags the same way a series of gaps might. Like anything else on your resume, context matters.

If there's a good reason What is a good reason for an employment gap? Basically, anything non-work-related. If you've relocated, had a child, or taken time off for a family or health emergency, those are all good reasons that have nothing to do with your work performance. A career change is another good reason, especially if you've used that time to return to school or update your skill set.

If it’s a 2-year gap While short gaps might go unnoticed, a 2-year gap requires an explanation. Mention any activities you participated in during this time that contributed to your personal or professional growth. Even if the activities aren't directly related to the job you're applying for, showcasing that you were proactive, learned new skills, or took on responsibilities can be beneficial.

When do resume gaps become a problem?

Employment gaps only become red flags if your resume shows a pattern of extended, work-related gaps that aren't explained. A brief explanation of the reason for a gap is far more beneficial than an unexplained hole.

Common reasons for resume gaps

Here are some common reasons to have a gap on your resume:

• Personal reasons: Life events like marriages, births, or health issues.
• Layoffs: Resulting from company downsizing or restructuring.
• Returning to school: Pursuing additional education or certifications.
• Travel: Taking time off to explore or for personal development.
• Caregiving: Looking after a family member, elderly parent, or child.
• Sabbatical: Personal or professional breaks to recharge or refocus.
• Extended job search: Extended periods spent seeking the right opportunity.
• Contract end: Completing a temporary or contract position.
• Starting a business: Trying to establish a start-up or personal venture.
• Economic downturns: Factors like recessions or global crises.

Remember, while these gaps may stand out on paper, what's most crucial is how you address them and showcase your growth or productivity during these periods.

How to explain a gap in employment on your resume

If you've taken a break from your career for any reason, you want to present your time off in a positive and professional way. Here are strategies to help you navigate this potentially tricky area.

Address a career break directly

If your employment gap is straightforward, such as taking time off for personal reasons, it's best to address it head-on by mentioning it briefly in your cover letter .

You can also list a career break under your work experience to provide more details about what you were involved in during this period. Appropriate accomplishments to highlight could include freelance projects, online courses, or entrepreneurial endeavors.

Include your gap as part of your work experience

List your employment gap as you would your regular work experience by using quantifiable, action-based bullet points. Make sure to include keywords , too — anything that's relevant to the job you're applying for can help you get through the initial screening step.

Reframe the gap

Every experience, including career breaks, offers learning and growth opportunities, adding to your unique strengths and experiences. Consider the skills you learned during your time off and transform your gap into an asset that will be of value in your next role.

For example, someone who took time off for caregiving might have developed organizational skills, or someone who traveled extensively may have gained insights beneficial for positions in global organizations.

Highlight freelance or contract work

If you've been involved in freelance or contract projects during your break, group these under one heading on your resume. This helps in maintaining clarity while showcasing your relevant achievements during the hiatus.

Here are more tips for how to list short-term or temporary work on your resume .

If you’re not sure if you’ve listed your freelance/contract projects or volunteer work the right way, upload your resume to the tool below . It’s a good way to check if you’ve used your temporary work to address any gaps in your resume.

Showcase volunteering efforts

Not all work experience has to be paid! Volunteering is a great way to fill any gaps in regular employment. Listing volunteer work on your resume can demonstrate your involvement in the community, show a passion for your chosen industry, and generate some genuinely resume-worthy accomplishments.

Emphasize further education

If you took time off for educational purposes, it's not a gap—it's growth! List it prominently in your education section . Even short courses or online classes can be included, especially if they've enhanced your skills in areas relevant to the jobs you're applying for.

If you’re not sure which skills you need to brush up on, use the tool below to get a list of skills relevant to the job you're applying for.

Mention personal reasons clearly

Whether you took time off to care for a family member, have a child, relocate, or recover from illness, it's okay to state these reasons. Ensure you communicate that these situations have been resolved or won't interfere with your work commitment.

If you were caring for a family member, it's best to keep the entry short. The exception is if you demonstrated transferrable skills relevant to your career, like going into a healthcare or administrative role. In that case, you can add more detail about the exact nature of those skills.

If the gap was due to personal injury or illness, the most important thing is to reassure employers that it won't happen again. You can address that with a short sentence stating that the issue is resolved.

Tackling tough reasons for employment gaps

Navigating employment gaps can be challenging, especially when the reasons are less than ideal; here's how to handle tricky employment gaps with tact and professionalism.

If you were laid off

Being laid off (as opposed to fired) isn't an immediate red flag for employers if discussed openly. State clearly why you were laid off, such as workplace restructuring or company downsizing, and use bullet points to highlight significant accomplishments prior to being laid off.

If you were fired

If you were fired, approach the topic with honesty and brevity. Rather than delving into details, state "Position ended" or "Contract concluded." Instead of focusing on the firing, highlight what you learned during the position and how you've grown professionally since then. And avoid speaking negatively about past employers.

Mental health breaks

For periods away from the workforce due to mental health, mentioning the need for a personal break on your resume is acceptable. Avoid excessive detail and emphasize your recovery and readiness to rejoin the workforce, highlighting any self-improvement or courses undertaken during this period.

Example of a resume that has a career break

If you're struggling to write your own resume from scratch, why not check out our ready-made resume templates ? Here's a sample resume you can use as a starting point when addressing a career break:

Resume gaps do’s and don’ts

• Explain the gap . You can do this with a short sentence or two in your cover letter. Simply explain that you took some time off to raise a child/move overseas/care for a relative (or whatever your reason is) and that you’re eager to return to work full-time.
• Mention what you’ve been doing during your career break . If you’ve spent any time volunteering, pursuing further education, or running a side business, employers will want to hear about it. If you can, use this opportunity to include relevant keywords.
• Optimize your resume . Most of the time, employers fixate on so-called red flags when there are other issues with a resume. Running your resume though a free resume review can help identify any areas for improvement and give personalized suggestions.
• Network . If you can forge a personal connection with the hiring manager — whether through shared connections or reaching out directly — gaps on your resume will start to stand out less.
• Use a resume summary to provide a brief overview of your employment history and highlight your top skills and experience. This can help contextualize any job gaps (but steer clear of mentioning them directly in a resume objective or summary).
• Make sure your LinkedIn profile mirrors your resume and cover letter in addressing any gaps. Don’t leave potential employers or connections wondering what happened.
• Be prepared to answer questions . If you get to the interview stage, you may be asked about anything that stands out on your resume, including a gap. Clearly explain your reasons for taking the break and reassure the hiring manager that it’s unlikely to happen again. If you were dealing with a health issue or other potentially ongoing situation, state that it’s now been resolved.
• Don't try to hide the truth . Don’t stretch out the start and end dates of other jobs to try to cover a gap, or list a job you never held. Lying on your resume is never okay, and it will almost always be caught down the line.
• Don't make a big deal out of it . If you have only a single short or recent gap, you don’t need to call attention to it — most people probably won’t even notice. A study from the Society for Human Resource Management even found that employers increasingly support the need for career break .
• Don't pad out your resume with non-work activities . Things like running a household, planning a wedding, or being a stay-at-home parent might feel like a full-time job, but employers won’t see it the same way you do. Listing your job title as “Family CEO” or “Executive Director of the household” is gimmicky and more likely to harm your credibility than help.
• Don't use a functional resume format . These are often sold as being ideal for people with limited or sketchy work experience, but employers know this and will wonder what you’re trying to hide. Functional resumes don’t include dates of employment or a clear job history and make it impossible to evaluate candidates effectively. Most employers see anything other than a standard chronological resume as an instant red flag, so it'll more likely to get you rejected than owning and explaining any gaps.

Should I proactively address employment gaps or just wait for the interview?

It's always better to briefly address significant employment gaps in your cover letter or resume, especially if you can frame them positively. By addressing it proactively, you demonstrate transparency and can control the narrative rather than waiting for an employer to enquire about a gap during an interview.

How do I explain an employment gap of over 2 years?

Be straightforward about the reason, whether it was for further studies, health issues, or caregiving. Emphasize any skills or personal growth during the gap, even if it's not directly related to the job you're applying for.

What if the reason for my employment gap is personal, and I don't want to share?

It's entirely valid to keep personal reasons private. In such cases, state "personal sabbatical" or "personal break" on your resume. During interviews, if questioned, you can emphasize that it was a personal matter that's now resolved and you're eager to rejoin the workforce.

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How to Fill an Employment Gap on Your Resume

• Vadim Revzin
• Sergei Revzin

You don’t need long-term roles to showcase your skills.

How can job candidates — especially those who are unemployed right now — address potential resume gaps and avoid them in the future?

• Try this exercise to get you started: Write down every project you’ve spent time on in between the roles currently listed on your resume or since you’ve been unemployed.
• Now, look at the descriptions of the jobs you’re interested in applying to and see if you can make any connections between your list and what the hiring managers are looking for.
• Ask yourself, “Have I gained any skills that align with the job requirements?”
• Your goal is to reframe your experiences in a way that will help employers draw a connection between the role they are trying to fill and the skills you can offer.

Where your work meets your life. See more from Ascend here .

There was once a time when people were expected to — slowly — climb the corporate ladder, work for one employer that paid for their insurance, and stack up a neat series of consecutive job titles on their resume. This narrative, however, is no longer realistic. A predictable, linear career path is now the exception, not the norm.

• VR Vadim Revzin is a Co-Founder of School16 , an alternative education company that develops skills for non-technical roles in tech. He is also a professor of entrepreneurship and management at New York University and co-host of a podcast called The Mentors featuring stories from successful founders and creators. He’s advised hundreds of entrepreneurs, and has been both a founder and leader across several early and growth stage startups.
• SR Sergei Revzin is a Co-Founder at School16 , an education venture that helps professionals acquire skills to break into non-technical careers in tech. Sergei is also a venture investor at the NYU Innovation Venture Fund where he leads the university’s technology investments and is the co-host of The Mentors podcast with his twin brother Vadim. He has mentored hundreds of entrepreneurs all over the country through his work with Venture for America, and has been an early employee and founder at tech companies in NYC and Boston.

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Employment Gap on a Resume - 13 Simple Ways to Explain It

Employment gaps are not uncommon, yet they’re quite scary. Mainly, that’s because recruiters assume the worst when they see them on a resume. 

In most cases, however, employment gaps are nothing to be scared of. There can be many justifiable reasons why someone has an employment gap, from going back to school and deciding to travel to taking time and caring for their growing children. 

So what we’re getting to here is this: employment gaps are not a big deal, as long as you know how to explain them well on your resume

To learn how to explain an employment gap on a resume, we’ve put together this guide for you. Here’s what we’ll cover:

13 Best Ways to Explain Employment Gaps

• Good Reasons for an Employment Gap

Sample Resume with Employment Gap

And more! So let’s dive right in! 

During your job hunt , you’ll have three separate chances to explain an employment gap:

• On your resume
• On your cover letter
• During your interview

To best convey the employment gap (and reasons behind it), you’ll need to touch on it in all 3. So below, we’ll explain the best way to explain an employment gap on your resume, cover letter, and during an interview:

6 Ways to Explain an Employment Gap on Your Resume

#1. be honest .

Your resume is the first thing that recruiters check, so it’s crucial that you’re honest! 

After all, you don’t want to omit a two-year-long employment gap from your resume, for example, only to have it be revealed during your interview. 

As such, it’s super important that you’re honest about your employment history - or lack thereof - right there on your resume. 

What’s important here is to understand that potential employers will find out about your employment gap - especially if it was a lengthy or recent one. As such, trying to hide it will only damage your application and give recruiters even more reason to believe you have something to hide. 

And, if you’re feeling anxious about it, remember that recruiters are also humans and will probably be understanding if you are straightforward about your employment gap - and about what caused it! 

#2. Remove the Employment Gap (If It’s Outdated)

Here’s some good news: if your employment gap is old, you can safely omit it from your resume entirely.

Say, for example, your employment gap is from 10 years ago. Chances are - especially if you’re a seasoned professional - that you won’t even be including jobs from 10 years ago on your resume. After all, you want your resume to be as relevant as possible (and stay within the recommended 1-page resume length). 

As such, it’s totally OK to omit employment gaps that stretch long before your recent employment history (or that are quite short, like 6-month-old employment gaps while you were between jobs). 

#3. Explain the Gap

When it comes to resumes, simply writing down the dates of your employment gap won’t cut it - it would only leave things open to recruiters’ interpretation. 

Take the following example:

Work Experience

Digital Marketer  Airfield Baumax  02/2012 - 04/2015

Marketing Assistant  Walmart 05/2007 - 07/2009 

The only thing that this candidate makes clear to recruiters is that he was not working for a 3-year period. Apart from that, recruiters have no way of knowing whether the employment gap was due to a valid reason or because the candidate decided to be a couch potato for some years.

This is why it’s better to actually write out the exact reason for the employment gap in-between your work experience entries.

Here’s an example that does it right:

07/2009 - 01/2012

From September 2009 to January 2012, I backpacked through Europe and East Asia. This had long been a goal of mine to achieve before turning 30.

#4. Take Advantage of a Different Resume Layout

If your employment gap is longer than just a few short months, you could benefit from using a different resume layout altogether. 

For example, the functional resume format and the combination format put more emphasis on your skills and competencies rather than on your work experience, which is a great way to shift focus from your employment gap. 

That said, taking advantage of a different resume layout does not mean you should omit the employment gap from your resume altogether . Lying is never the right way to go here, and will always end badly for you (even if you manage to get the job).

#5. Use Your Time Away Effectively 

If you’re suddenly in between jobs and are worried about how this will reflect on your future job applications, get proactive! 

Instead of simply explaining your future employment gap as a “career break” or “job searching,” start a personal project and create something more valuable to put on your resume. 

For instance, you can join one or more online courses related to your profession while you’re on a break from work, or start that project you always wanted to work on but never had the chance to! 

That way, you’ll have much more to talk about than simply stating you were looking for jobs or taking a self-discovery break and you’ll be effectively showing recruiters that you’re constantly growing - even outside the office!

#6.  Show That You Never Stopped Learning 

Highlighting your skills and acquired knowledge is also a great way to cover past employment gaps. Sure, you might’ve not been working, but you could’ve still been working on developing yourself as a professional or individual.

You could, for example, mention something like this on your resume to address your employment gap:

06/2012 - 09/2013

Took a year off my career to focus on personal and professional development. Over the duration of the year, I managed to:

• Start my own marketing blog.
• Read 20+ books about digital marketing.
• Attended 5+ networking events.

3 Ways to Explain Employment Gaps in Cover Letters

Want to go more in-depth into your employment gap? Your cover letter is your chance to do so. 

Unlike your resume, which barely leaves you 2-3 sentences worth of space to explain yourself, you can be way more comprehensive in your cover letter . 

Specifically, you can use the body of your cover letter to give more details about your employment gap.

Here are the best ways to do it:

• Give a valid explanation. The whole point of mentioning your employment gap on your cover letter is to justify it the best way you can. For example, if you had an accident, writing “took 1 year off work because of injury” won’t be as convincing as writing “took 1 year off work after a car accident that required me to do intense physiotherapy sessions to fully recover.” 
• Highlight new skills . Additionally, it’s super important to highlight any new skills acquired during your time off. The good thing about the cover letter is that you have a better chance of explaining the skills and what motivated you to acquire them (e.g. “due to organizational changes, I was laid off from my previous job. However, I used the time it took me to find a new job to catch up on industry-related trends and readings, get online certifications, and network with professionals in the field.”) 
• Don’t overshare. Last but not least, it’s important to know that just because you have more space on your cover letter it doesn’t mean you should overshare the details of your employment gap. If, for instance, you took a one-year break to deal with burnout , you don’t have to give too many details about how that went. So, instead of writing, “took a year off to recuperate from burnout, during which time I consulted 3 different therapists and several support groups,” you can just write “took one year off work to deal with work-related burnout and re-asses my professional goals.” If you think it’s important to share more information, talk about how you grew professionally not about what you went through personally. 

4 Ways to Explain Employment Gaps in Interviews 

If your resume and cover letter make a good impression, chances are you’ll be called for an interview. And, even if you have already explained your employment gap, there’s nothing keeping recruiters from asking you again about it. 

Here’s what you can do to address an employment gap during your interview effectively:

• Rehearse in advance. Your best bet is assuming that you will be asked about your employment gap. That way, you can take the time to prep your answer in advance and won’t be taken back if recruiters actually ask the questions during the interview . 
• DON’T badmouth your former employer. If your employment gap is due to getting fired, bashing your former employer won’t help you get a new position - if anything, it might make you look immature. Instead, try to highlight all the steps you took to bounce back from getting fired and show recruiters why you’re the ideal candidate for this position.
• Focus on what you did right. Now, if you lost your job unjustly (or due to reasons outside of your control), the way to make a great impression is to focus on how you were a stellar employee before the employment gap! That way, you can shift recruiters’ attention to your strengths, instead of simply telling them you lost your job and there wasn’t much you could do about it.
• Be confident. Sometimes, how you say things is just as important as what you say. If recruiters ask that you elaborate on your employment gap and you suddenly get super nervous about it, you’ll probably raise some serious red flags. So, make sure to polish your communication skills in advance and start your interview with a show of confidence. 

Here is an example of how you can address your employment gap during an interview:

Unfortunately, I lost my job due to cuts within the company. During the time I was looking for jobs, I took online courses to hone my skills, stayed updated with all industry trends and developments, and focused on my mental wellbeing. I am now in perfect shape to put all I learned into practice throughout my new endeavors. 

7 Good Reasons For an Employment Gap

There can be countless reasons behind an employment gap and, as long as it’s not related to something like, say, jail time, it shouldn’t hinder your chances of getting employed.

That said, here are some great examples of good reasons for an employment gap:

• Family reasons. Family is super important and most recruiters are guaranteed to be understanding if your employment gap is due to family-related issues. What’s important here is to show that whatever family reason you had for taking time off work, it’s over now (e.g. if you took time off to raise your kids, make a point explaining they’re all grown up and off to school now).
• Self-discovery. Did you take some time off work to redefine your life path and career choices? That’s totally OK - as long as you can convince recruiters that you now have your answers and won’t be leaving this job again after a year or two.
• Illness. Any illness you may have suffered that’s hindered you from working is a totally legitimate reason to explain your employment gap. Just make sure to mention you’re recovered and fully able to work.
• Injury. Just like with illnesses, injuries that render you incapable of work are perfectly fine reasons to explain an employment gap, so mention them without hesitation.
• Failed business or initiative. You may be hesitant to mention a failed startup or business initiative as the reason behind your employment gap, but there’s no reason to! If anything, it shows you have initiative and aren’t scared to act on it. So, as long as you show recruiters how you bounced back, you shouldn’t hide this valid reason.
• Burnout. The World Health Organization defines burnout as an occupational phenomenon that can take a serious toll on someone’s physical and mental health. As such, don’t hesitate to tell recruiters that you took some time off to improve your well-being after experiencing burnout in the workplace .
• Education. No one minds an employee who’s always looking to expand their knowledge, so if you took a break from work to get another degree, go ahead and mention that on your resume.

7 Other Resume Resources

Building a strong resume is hard enough without having to explain an employment gap. Struggling with other aspects of building a resume? Check out some of our top resources: 

• How to Write a Resume . The ULTIMATE beginner’s guide on how to make a resume in 2024. Includes tops of tips, resume examples, and more.
• Free Resume Templates . Want to avoid the hassle of formatting your resume from scratch? Just pick one of our 8 free resume templates and get started with your resume within minutes.
• Career Change Resume . Is your employment gap due to a career change? Learn how to write an awesome career change resume with these 9+ examples.
• What to Put on a Resume . Here are the most important sections to put on your resume and win the job.
• Resume Tips and Tricks . This article covers every single practical resume tip you’ll ever need to create a compelling CV.
• Essential Resume Skills . Want to stand out from other applicants? You’ll need to include the right skills on your resume. This article covers the most in-demand skills in 2024.
• Resume Examples . Struggling to write a resume for your field? This article covers resume examples for almost all popular roles in 2024, including jobs in IT, marketing, healthcare, and more.

FAQ on Employment Gaps 

Do you still have some questions on everything employment gap-related? Find your answers below!

#1. How long is too long of an employment gap?

Any employment gap on your resume that you can’t explain to recruiters can cast a shadow on your job application. 

That said, shorter periods of employment gaps (e.g. time between jobs, illness or injury recovery, etc.) are much more acceptable than, say, 3-year-long gaps in your recent work history. 

So, while there is no specific time limit for a super long employment gap, the longer it is, the harder it will be for recruiters to ignore it.

#2. Is an employment gap bad?

That entirely depends on the reason behind your employment gap. 

If your employment gap is due to illness, failed business, family emergency, and the like, then an employment gap is definitely not bad! All you need to do is be honest with the recruiters and prove that you’re a trustworthy employee. 

That said if your employment gap comes from less socially acceptable reasons, like serving time for a crime or being away in rehab, your employment gap will be more difficult to explain - and, in turn, can be more harmful to your job application.

#3. How do you explain a gap in employment due to being a stay-at-home parent?

Taking time off work to be a stay-at-home parent falls under family-related reasons for an employment gap. 

The best way to explain such an employment gap is to write down the exact period you were off, titling it as a “planned career break.” Underneath, you can include one or two sentences on why you took it (e.g. took three years off work to care for my growing children, who are now in elementary school). 

On top of that, you can also mention any personal projects or other work-related experiences you had over that period. For example, if you took some online classes or started a personal project, that’s a great way to inform recruiters that you weren’t completely idle during your employment gap.

#4. How do you explain a gap in employment due to COVID-19?

The COVID-19 pandemic cost 114 million people to lose their jobs over 2020. So, if you were infected and quarantined due to COVID-19 (or if you were unlucky and had more severe health issues due to the virus), then note that on your resume as an “illness-related employment gap” or simply due to COVID-19.  

In one or two sentences, you can explain you had to take a break from work due to COVID-19 and that you’re now fully recovered and ready to work again.

Similarly, if you were working for a business that got impacted due to COVID-19 (such as an airline company) you can, in one sentence, mention you were laid off due to the impact of the pandemic and mention what you did in the meanwhile to find a job or hone your skills. 

#5. Why do employers not like gaps in employment?

Employers don’t like gaps in employment when said gaps are due to criminality, abuse or addiction, or simple laziness. In such a case, employers assume you’re not a reliable employee and that you may demonstrate the same patterns of behavior while working for them.

On the other hand, if there is a reasonable explanation for your employment gap, employers won’t think twice about hiring you, as long as you’re a good fit for the job.

Key Takeaways 

And that’s a wrap! By now, you should know everything about employment gaps and how to tackle them so they don’t hurt your job application.

Before you go, here are the main points covered in this article:

• There are three places where you can explain an employment gap: on your resume, cover letter, and during your job interview. 
• To explain an employment gap on a resume, be honest, elaborate on the gap, show that you never stop learning, or use a different resume layout to remove the gap altogether. 
• Explain an employment gap on your cover letter by highlighting new skills and offering a valid explanation as to why you took it. 
• If you have to explain your employment gap during your interview, rehearse in advance, show confidence, and don’t badmouth your former employer. 
• Some valid reasons for an employment gap are family reasons, illnesses, and injuries, taking time to discover yourself or pursue your education, and even a failed business.

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How to Add Employment Gaps on a Resume (with Examples)

8 min read · Updated on January 11, 2024

Smooth out a bumpy employment history with these tried-and-true resume tips

Not everyone is blessed with a picture-perfect employment history that matches their career goals. With a less-than-stellar economy over the past decade, many professionals find themselves with substantial employment gaps or a string of short-term or unrelated gigs dominating their resume. Others are battling gaps because they took time off to raise their families, care for an ailing relative, or overcome a health condition of their own.

If any of these situations apply to you, keep reading. Below are some ways you can pump up your professional resume and supplement your work experience to make a better case for your candidacy.

Honesty is the best policy

At some point, almost everyone – even the hiring manager – has had a gap in their employment. If you take the time to explain what was going on, they're highly likely to understand and not hold it against you. However, if you try to skirt around the issue to downplay it, you put across that you have something to hide. 

You should try to frame the explanation for your gap in a way that highlights your skills, so the person interviewing you knows what you have to offer to their company and team. After all, that's all hiring managers care about. So, focus on skills, achievements, and experiences when you write your resume. 

Highlight unpaid employment 

If you volunteered for a role or took on an unpaid internship that allowed you to build relevant skills or gain industry experience, then these positions deserve a place in your resume employment history. Treat each opportunity as you would a paid job, by describing your role and highlighting your major contributions and accomplishments.

If you stayed at home to raise your children, don't discount the valuable experience you gained while managing the household and caring for your family. Here's a great article about getting back into the workforce after staying home to raise children .

If you're looking for opportunities to help fill your current employment gap, check out resources like Catchafire and HandsOn Connect for volunteer work and FlexJobs for flexible and telecommuting internships.

Group freelance work together

If you did any freelance work for different clients over a period of time, consider grouping these experiences together under one position and then combining the dates. When breaking down the position, use the role description section to describe your expertise (i.e. the services you offered). Then, focus each bullet to highlight the work you did for a particular client and the results you achieved. This will give your resume a cleaner look and make you appear less like a job hopper and more like a committed consultant.

Here's an example of what freelance work can look like on your resume:

Freelance Job Title | City, ST        

PROJECT TITLE (CLIENT) |  yyyy - present

Write two to three sentences that briefly explain your role. DO NOT copy and paste your job description. Talk about what you did on a daily basis and at least 1 major thing you accomplished.

Write out three to five bullets (max) that show your achievements with this client

Anytime you can use numbers, it's best to do so

PROJECT TITLE | yyyy - yyyy

Do the exact same thing you did for the first project you listed – describe the things you did on a daily basis in two to three sentences. 

Then, list up to five bullet points that show how you benefited your clients

Keep using numbers to show achievements 

If you held a series of temporary jobs that were similar in nature, you can apply this same technique to make your resume look less cluttered.

Remove a position

In some instances, it may be best to omit full-time gigs with incredibly short tenures from your resume altogether. The general rule of thumb is to remove full-time jobs from your resume employment history if they lasted less than three months. This is especially true if the short-term position isn't relevant to the job you're trying to obtain. 

If you're concerned about deleting the work experience entirely, you have the option to briefly mention this position in a Career Note at the end of your work history section. Click on the following link to learn more about using career notes on your professional resume .

If you are removing month-long employment that is professionally relevant to your target career and want to include a career note, here's what that would look like:

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Company Name | yyyy - present

Title of role

Company Name | yyyy - yyyy

Career Note: Additional experience includes [Title of Role] at [Company Name], mm/yyyy-mm/yyyy

You would not add bullet points to the career note. The idea is that the employer can see you worked at a place and can ask you questions about it during the interview if needed. 

Invest in professional development

If your recent work experience has little to do with your current job goals, look for opportunities to bolster the skill sets your target employers care about. If you're unsure which of your skills need an extra boost, search your network for individuals who work in the field you're pursuing and ask them. It's amazing how many insights and resume tips you can gain over a lunch or coffee date.

There are many free and low-cost training opportunities available online and in person. Take a look at SkillShare, edX, Coursera, Lynda.com, and CourseHorse, to name a few. Also, use sites like 10times.com to find conferences related to your target field. In addition to being networking goldmines, these types of events often offer certification programs on site. If you're considering a major career change, you may need to go back to school for more extensive training.

You'd insert any professional development or continuing education courses into the Education section of your resume. Here's how:

Bachelor of Science in Computer Science | State University

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Coding Boot Camp, Artificial Intelligence for Dummies, Python Programming

As you can see, the extra courses you take are simply listed beneath any degree you have. When you use these courses to fill in employment gaps on your resume, then you'd want to include the dates you took the classes. 

Include “Sabbatical” on your resume

Sometimes you take time off from work and do nothing in that downtime. That's 100% okay! When you have an employment gap on your resume and nothing to fill in that time, then you can simply put that you were on a break from work. Add it into the Professional Experience section in reverse chronological order. 

This is an example of what it looks like to have an employment gap on your resume show up as just time off:

Company name | mm/yyyy - present

Sabbatical [or Planned Career Break] | mm/yyyy - mm/yyyy

Intentionally left the workforce to raise children who no longer need full-time support, now excited to return to work

You technically do not have to include bullets for this listing, but expect it to come up during an interview and be prepared to talk about it then

Company name | mm/yyyy - mm/yyyy

This option works well whether your employment gap is for being laid off during COVID-19, you stayed home to raise a family, or you have a 10-year gap in employment. Again, the key is to be honest.

Consider using a different resume format

If it's impossible for you to make your skills and experience shine with the standard resume format, you do have the option to use a functional resume. A functional resume is a different approach which focuses more on skills than professional experience, which can be helpful for someone who has employment gaps on their resume.

Proceed with caution, though: this type of resume should only be used as a last resort. Recruiters and hiring managers generally dislike the functional resume because of the way it strays from the traditional layout. It can also give the impression that you're attempting to hide something. Perhaps most importantly, the ATS may not read this type of resume accurately, taking you out of the running for many jobs before you've even had your chance. 

Keep your employment history consistent

A word to the wise: however you decide to modify your resume, don't forget to edit your LinkedIn profile to match. 93% of employers will review your social media profiles before contacting you for a job interview. Make sure the person they see online matches the one they read about on your resume.

You should also consider including details about the gap in employment on your cover letter. 

Employment gaps aren't the end of the world

You can get back to work even when you have a gap in employment on your resume. The most critical thing you can do is to be honest about it and talk about things you learned or did while off work to augment your skills. Remember to focus on what you bring to the table for the new employer and you'll be able to win the day.

How are you handling employment gaps on your resume? Get a free resume review to find out.

This article was originally written by Amanda Augustine and has been updated by Marsha Hebert. 

Recommended reading:

Ask Amanda: How Do I List Self-Employment on a Resume?

Make a Great Resume With No Work Experience

Resume Tips for Freelancers

Related Articles:

Do Hiring Managers Actually Read Cover Letters?

There's Nothing Wrong With Having a Gap Between Jobs

How to Create a Resume With No Education

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