Do you need help addressing a hiatus in your employment history on your resume because you took one? It’s not just you. There are various reasons why someone could want to take a professional sabbatical, such as having children, taking care of a sick family member, traveling, upgrading skills or schooling, pursuing a freelancing job, or being laid off.
Finding the right way to fill in these gaps on your CV might be difficult. Many individuals fear that taking a professional sabbatical would harm their chances of finding employment in the future, but if you know how to use it to your advantage, it may actually be beneficial!
Potential employers will anticipate a justification. Your objective is to demonstrate that you were actively involved, even if you weren’t technically hired.
- Be Honest
Don’t try to fill the vacuum by extending dates or taking on other tasks; instead, be genuine and honest. Explain your career break in an open, direct, and assured manner. - Resume Format
The appearance of gaps in your career history might be reduced with the help of your resume structure. If your professional hiatus was less than six months, you might use years rather than months to describe your prior employment (for example, “2014-2016”).
If your professional gap has been longer, explain why on your resume using the same structure as your former employment, mentioning any skills you have acquired in this time. Avoid rambling and keep your remarks brief.
At the start of your resume, include a description of your professional highlights, emphasizing your accomplishments and talents rather than your role’s responsibilities.
If your professional hiatus was prolonged, include a succinct justification in your cover letter to the prospective employer. - Interview
Plan beforehand. To guarantee that the reason for your professional hiatus is received favorably, have a convincing, straightforward, and confident response. List any new abilities you have acquired and how they may be applied to various facets of your future employment. - Transferrable skills and Benefits of Career Break
Include additional experience and transferrable abilities that you have acquired after taking a professional hiatus. Have you started a blog, written a freelance article, volunteered, written a newsletter for your kids’ school, or obtained a new credential?
After the birth of my third kid, I took a hiatus from my job. I handled a significant refurbishment during this interval, and I mentioned project management as a skill I picked up. - Put a Positive Spin on It
Make sure a favorable impression is given of your career gap. Show that the problem has concluded or is not a factor anymore. Insist on the fact that you are fully prepared to start working immediately and won’t need any more breaks.
I took another work sabbatical to take care of my ailing daughter, who missed a year of school because of her condition. My daughter was unwell, so I had to take a work pause to care for her, but she is now in her second year of university and doing great.
Examples case in Korindo, I needed some time to recuperate from a medical ailment, but I’m now in excellent health and feel ready to take on my next task.
“I normally give my all to what I do, but I realized that at this moment, I couldn’t. I chose to put my job on hold in order to take care of my family. I am prepared to get started right away because my partner and I now split our workload and home duties.
If you were laid off, keep in mind that it was not due to your performance or conduct; rather, it is a typical occurrence. Not you, but your position, was eliminated. As you describe the reasons for the downsize, provide evidence of good performance or newly acquired experience.
6. Stay Up to Date
Maintain contact with your professional networks by using LinkedIn, conferences, webinars, podcasts, industry organizations, and continuing to gain new skills in cutting-edge technologies.
Show that you are up to date on the latest advances in your business. Your potential employer will be on the lookout for proof that you’ll be able to adjust to new situations swiftly.
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A career break, whether it is chosen voluntarily or is the result of being laid off, can have long-term advantages such as bettering one’s health, happiness, and understanding of the need of striking a better work-life balance, all of which contribute to increased productivity over the long run. Don’t settle for less than your absolute best; instead, be sincere and genuine in your explanations.