Don’t mind the gap: navigating career breaks as a job seeker

A lot of my clients are in a moment of transition – some are taking a breather after flirting with burnout; others were impacted by layoffs that have eliminated over 200,000 tech jobs since the start of 2023. 

All of my clients on career breaks are plagued by a consuming fear: “what will recruiters and hiring managers think of my career gap?” 

I 100% get it. We’ve been taught to be suspicious of resume gaps, and to believe that they indicate unreliability or lack of drive. With those messages ringing in our heads, who wouldn’t be wary of how their career break is being perceived?

I spoke with a few folks in the talent acquisition community to ask how they’re currently thinking about resume gaps, and what job seekers can do to put their best foot forward during a career break. Here are my takeaways from those conversations. 

Takeaway #1: Hiring managers get it

A lot of qualified job seekers are in between jobs. It’s not shocking, and it’s not scandalous. Hiring managers understand the myriad factors that can converge to lead to a want or a need for a career break, and in some cases, they themselves have faced similar hurdles. While the major economic upheavals that Covid caused, including the Great Resignation, are old news, the cultural shift that they created can still be felt. 

Put simply, a gap in employment does not automatically disqualify a candidate. As Allison Satterlee, Director of Talent Acquisition at Netflix told me, “Career gaps don't phase me. Some of the most talented people I’ve interviewed have taken extended breaks, whether voluntary or not. The market is tough – recruiters and managers are aware of this dynamic and know that a resume gap isn't indicative of talent level.”

Takeaway #2: Career stage matters

Tips for positioning a gap to prospective employers isn’t one size fits all. Where you are in your career will inform how your gap is perceived.  

Early stage professionals – think 1-6 years of work experience – need to demonstrate hustle during a career break. As Greta Schindler, Senior Recruiter at Klaviyo says, “Hirers simply have less data to draw from when a candidate is earlier in their career; a gap represents a higher percentage of the overall work experience.”

How do you demonstrate hustle? Show that you can continue to be productive, professionally and personally, during a transitionary period:

• Collect a new certification in your field 

• Take a course to gain a new skill

• Take on part time work, even if it’s in an industry that doesn’t directly to relate to jobs that you’re applying for

• Use your free time to volunteer in your community
  

You’ll want to paint your career gap as a time of growth and development.

If you're a more seasoned professional (7+ years of work experience), you have less to prove, and can speak to the value of a true break. It’s important to show hirers how your gap was additive for you, and more importantly, how nurturing non-professional areas of your life has better prepared you to re-enter the workforce with vigor.

How you talk about this time depends heavily on what’s going on in your life. Maybe you’ve been:

• Traveling 

• Caretaking for loved ones

• Planning a wedding

• Parenting full time

• Building new skills  

• Evaluating what you want next from your career 
  

All of these are worthwhile ways to spend a career break, and it’s ok to embrace personal fulfillment when you’re between jobs. 

Takeaway #3: A positive tone is critical

Leave bitterness at the door. Career gaps can be frustrating; although it may be tempting to air grievances about your situation, it’s almost always more effective to focus on future-centric positive outcomes. Confidence and transparency can negate potential alarm bells.

Allison shared her perspective on tone for folks who’ve been impacted by layoffs with me, saying, “Layoff gaps are common these days. Red flags are raised when a candidate is resentful of their previous company. Green flags are raised when they discuss the incredible impact they had while they were employed there.”

Here are some ways that you can position your gap in a positive way:

• Show enthusiasm about taking on a new career challenge 

• Discuss the cool skills you picked up, the much-needed rest you enjoyed, or the fresh perspectives you gained 

• Express your eagerness to dive back into the workforce
  

Takeaway #4: Own it, but don’t linger

This is your narrative. You don’t want your career gap to be the thesis of your interviews. It may feel good to get ahead of it by being the first to bring it up, and shifting the conversation to areas of your background that you want to highlight.

I love this anecdote, which Allison shared with me during our chat: 

“I once hired someone who had been laid off and hadn't secured a new role in over a year. During the interview, we talked briefly about how they had been spending their time (reflecting, growing personally, and spending time with family), but most of our conversation centered around their prior work experience, and they clearly demonstrated to me that their skills were as sharp and applicable as ever. If anything, they had a refreshingly grounded perspective, and I appreciated that they were focused on finding a role that genuinely matched their interests and skill level.”

TL;DR: positioning your gap doesn’t have to be complicated; let it make evident your clarity of direction and the fire in your belly.

If you’re in a career break of your own (planned or unplanned!) and want to explore where you might head next and how to strengthen your job search strategy, let’s chat. I’m here for you. :)