Interview Answers: Why is There an Unemployment Gap On Your Resume?

By Jane Gakaria,
‘I’ve been trekking up and down for the past 6 months looking for a job with no luck. Eventually I did get a call for an interview, but am rather curious on how best to answer the employment gap on my CV should they ask?’ asks Cindy, via email.

A lot of people have been in Cindy’s shoes and most still don’t know how to go about answering such a question, especially when it arises in an interview.

We spoke to Ms. Carolyn Nyambura, a HR Officer with Cimbria East Africa Limited who gave us insight on how best to answer this question.

One, be honest. “While a gap in your resume isn’t a definite reason to reject you, being dishonest is. So just tell the truth.” If you were laid off, chose to leave your previous job or have just been unlucky with finding employment, let your potential employer know.

In the event you were fired, it might be difficult to make a strong case in your favour, but none the less, show the employer you have taken the necessary steps to solve the problems that led to your dismissal.

Secondly, account for the gap in your employment. “Tell us what you did while you were unemployed. Did you freelance or consult?Did you ever volunteer? Did you ever attend workshops?” All these experiences count as work and are valid reasons for having gaps. If you took time off to deal with an issue like caring for a sick patient or because you had to complete coursework, and are ready to get back into full time employment, make it clear that the reason for your hiatus has passed.

If on the other hand you’ve just been unlucky in finding a job, unemployment happens and employers are willing to understand.

Thirdly, omit a job or two. “You don’t necessarily need to mention everywhere you have worked, especially if it’s not stated in your CV”. Whether it was due to lack of space on the CV or maybe you had a brief stint at a job you didn’t like, you don’t need to mention everything.

Lastly emphasize the positive. Emphasize the constructive activities you’ve done in the past such as volunteering. Also exude enthusiasm for returning to the job market and make a strong case as to why your target job would be excellent for you and why you’d be the perfect fit.

In conclusion, if you have a gap in your employment history don’t fret about. Simply be honest and have a valid reason for it, and from there everything else should be okay.

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