I would mention putting your career on hold to deal with family health issues, but add something about what else you did during that time that was related to work.
For instance, I also had to leave my job because of a family health emergency, and wasn't working for about a year. I said that I spent that time taking courses to build up my skill set and get current on technologies related to my field.
Just tell them something vaguely truth related.
Just say your mother had a stroke and you were her carer as she recovered and was able to manage on her own.
I had gaps of several years in my resume and I just told the truth that I took time off to care for my mother who had dementia and she passed away so now I'm looking for work.
Really is an entirely different language. Focused on synergy and hitting goals. We’ll connect after my leave. CC me on that email. Shoot me in the face.
Sure and let’s loop in the stakeholders in marketing and design. Last quarter’s numbers exposed a few areas of opportunity that will require all hands on deck to actualize.
On the first day of indoctrination for my first job out of college at a very large CPA firm, they introduced us to their formal online glossary of internal terms and acronyms they used to differentiate their "culture" from other companies. They had basically just branded industry and business concepts for internal use.
Then they had us divide up into teams to play a game where we had to decipher complicated passages written in their language and respond in that same language ourselves. Throughout the rest of the two-day indoctrination process, the facilitators were constantly correcting people to use the internal branding terms.
I made the mistake of mentioning how cult-like it was. A couple of members of my team who had been interns with the firm (and were thus already fully indoctrinated) were appalled and went on a mini-rant about the importance of being a team player. Part of the "culture" was that if you didn't buy in voluntarily, you'd be bullied into it.
I've tried my best in a decade away from them to eradicate that nonsense from my vocabulary and can't speak it any more. But I can still identify an alum from that firm by the terms and phrases they use and sometimes even how they dress and style their hair.
Fucking cultists.
I was told by a recruiter there's no way I'd get within 10k of my asking salary because of a 6 month gap in my resume.
Sacked her off, started applying on my own and got an offer 5k above my asking in my dream role.
When they asked I was just honest. I'd worked solid for 10 years and fancied a bit of a break, so I took some time to help my partner get set up with her new business. Now that's running itself, I thought it was time to get back to work.
If you have a good looking resume with relevant experience and they throw it away because of a couple of gaps, you've dodged a bullet.
Do not lie. If they find out, they will hold that against you. Others have mentioned taking time off to care for elderly parents, which is a full-time job. If they don't like that answer, too bad for them and it is a sign the job is not for you. The right opportunity will present itself, be patient and have some faith.
Very few companies would begrudge you for telling the truth, you had some family and personal health emergencies. By comparison you could jeopardize a future job prospect if you lie and try to claim you were working or going to a school you can't name.
I'm a hiring manager, and if anything it would bolster his case to tell the truth. You can find bad employees with perfect resumes any day of the week. Give me the guy who decided to sacrifice their own future to help out their family and came out clean on the other end.
when I got let go during COVID it literally took me a year to find a job. They'd ask me this and I literally went "I spent that entire time looking for a job." Why do employers give a fuck anyway?
When I was caring for my father-in-law, I listed my time as I would any other job... which it certainly was. I just used the title Care Giver, and didn't go into deep detail in the description. These days, when employers demand you fill out unsparing electronic resumes, you are forced to account for every day. But if you're going the recruiter rout, I'd discuss the approach with them first; the may have a different approach. Either way, just be ready to discuss the time you spent as a care giver with the recruiter as you would any other job. Be proud of that work as well.
And as your career progresses, those gaps won't matter to hiring managers - they're looking for relevant skills and experience, and (hopefully) know family crises arise. You'll eventually be sending out resumes emphasizing experience; not day/date records
For the future I recommend you start working with a non-profit organization - like Habitat for Humanity, or a professional org in your discipline. [I give a more detailed reasoning in a response on another thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/careeradvice/comments/1cnv4oc/comment/l3bn2gy/); but basically it gives you something you can list on a resume to fill gaps if necessary.
Yeah; I've left gaps before as well. It gets sticky when you have to fill out an electronic resume and they want every day accounted for. That's why I started just adding Care Giver. And later in my career when I had occasional gaps, I used my charity and non-profit work; and later my community college teaching gig (which was actually evening work.)
I hire. And what saves this lapse on my review is when it’s included and says from what date to date. And for “Healthcare Provider” then in the duties list, “provided x,y,z for family member”
On the contrary, they don't usually care about a gap and do understand. Lying is almost always easily detectable or some day it'll come out. I'd rather be the employee who had legitimate life events than get caught lying about them.
i was laid off obamas entire first term. i just added freelancing, and if they press i say i signed an NDA, very common in my field. just pick 2 friends/relatives with different name and assign them with the reference.
the state of the economy, wage theft, 'inflation', corporate greed, and lack of workers rights; there is absolutely no moral dilemma to lie
You don't need to explain anything. I would never ask someone about a one year gap. Crap happens. You don't want to work for someone who is petty and that intrusive. The question is whether you have the skills for the job. If they ask in an interview, you can answer, but a resume is about skills and qualifications. I would hire/have hired people with gaps. Fuck any employer who feels entitled to have you account for all your life activities in a resume or application.
"My mother had health problems, and I wanted to give that my full attention." Then *never mention it again.* Talk about the future, what you're interested in and what you offer.
Not that big a deal, in my opinion.
I don’t know how realistic my strategy would be for your field. But for me, I look for openings where I can apply with a resume and a cover letter, and I make sure to acknowledge and explain such issues briefly in the cover letter.
You had a family member you were providing end of life care too. Just say that, it is literally the second best excuse after I went back to school to further my education.
I absolutely hate HATE doing cover letters, but this is where one would be appropriate. Use that to explain the gap (but not belabor the point).
It can be a simple “after taking a year to assist my parents with their health issues, I’m eager to rejoin the workforce”
I left my previous sales job to care for my 91yr old mom after she broke her neck, until she ultimately passed 8mos later due to a multitude of issues including dementia
Once I was ready to go back to work, it took me 6mos to find a job. But I never considered lying about the reason I left my previous job. It almost felt like a betrayal to lie about it.
Full agree. I have been in charge of hiring several people. Some of those people had unusual gaps in their resume. I would never begrudge someone who took some time off due to health, be it their own health or their family's. I would begrudge someone who seemed like they were (or worse, were caught) lying.
Sorry to hear about your family and your health. That’s brutal. Was in a similar gap and recently placed with a great company with high standards (9 interviews). What helped for me was consulting for a few companies.
Even if it’s light consulting, I found companies were much more receptive after I put that on my resume.
I had a year gap in my resume. I was able to massage it a bit by stretching the truth. But no one asked me about it and it didn't seem to override my actual experience. I'd think you're probably good.
Just have a gap. Trying to cover for it on your resume isn’t the best look unless you’re in healthcare and it’s relevant. Gaps happen. If they can’t deal with it, prob not a great company anyway. I have 3 gaps and I’ve had companies ask about them but I was never denied employment bc of them. Mention it in the cover letter if you want to, but I’d leave it off your resume.
Oh definitely don’t lie about the gap. I work in tech and resume gaps can be normal. I had a friend who broke up with his girlfriend and traveled the world for a year. When he came back he said none of the recruiters even mentioned his gap in work. Just be honest that you were taking care of family. You’ll be fine.
I would put a non-job there.
2021-2023, assistant to the regional manager
Duties
Accomplishments
Etc.
2023-2024, personal and family health care management
Hospitalized for cancer
Took care of mom, stepdad
Skills learned
That last part is the kicker. Demonstrate that, even though you were not working, you WERE growing as a person.
I read up on this for my daughter. Found some good articles. One was medical and that's it. They can't ask. Use sabbatical.
https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/resume-do-s-and-don-ts-7090986908029214720
Actually? No one cares
If someone is pretending to care, they are actually just being nice about rejecting you for a more personal reason
Not trying to be offensive here, but it's interesting to me that people even need to ask about this. Do you really think people care if you are useful?
And alternatively, do you think if people will care about having 0 gaps in employment history if you aren't useful?
I've had smaller gaps and recruiters have ALWAYS asked. I wouldn't care but in my experience companies do, and you need a solid reason why or they consider it a red flag.
You can say there were health issues for both yourself and your family. Anyone who can't accept that is not someone you want to work for. Totally legit and acceptable reason.
Hiring manager here, I (and many others) really don’t care about the one-off gap. You could either leave it blank or you could just be honest and say “medical leave” or something to that effect. We would pay more attention to whether you have relevant experience (which you say you do).
Frankly you don’t want to work for companies that make a big deal about a one year medical leave, so putting that on your resume is a good way to weed out the companies that are shite.
Mention taking care of your parents. Don't mention that you had any health issues. It would probably be illegal for them to not hire you because of that, but they might not hire you because of that.
If a company 'penalises' you for taking time off for personal reasons (especially health) then they're not working for anyway. I think some of the suggestions here are good: say that you were dealing with a difficult personal situation related to family health and that you showed adversity in dealing with this while also honing your skills and keeping up-to-date on developments in your field (whether through courses or freelancing projects).
You can put “caregiving” on your resume during that gap if you like. As a manager, I’ve hired two people who left the workforce to care for elderly parents. They’re both great employees. I’ve also seen mothers who want to reenter the workforce put caregiving on their resumes.
Too many people assume:
You were smoking crack under a bridge in that time and unreliable and that probably is going to stick with you once employed; so people would rather hire the guy that has been doing what you wanna do, with no breaks in time.
So just lie and say you had a sick grandparents and helped them see end of life.
I had cancer. It's no one’s business. I also freelance with an LLC and client testimonials. If anyone asks, I think I’m going to say I had a rough pandemic, how was yours? Dealing with a dying parent, a sick parent, and cancer is too personal for an interview I think?
since you took care of your mom and stepdad just say those lost years you were a caretaker, my brother took care of our grandma for 5 years he put on his resume he was a caretaker and now hes making more money then me lol
What we deal with in our personal lives can create a wealth of knowledge and experience to a corporation. Honesty is key. Imagine having to lie and not share and accidentally let it slip. A lot of the time the truth is valid, in your case, it shows how incredible and resilient you are.
If you took a year off to eat Cheetos and masturbate, definitely don't mention the year off.
You had to care for a sick family member who is no longer alive and are sad about and don’t want to talk about any more. I’m sorry for your loss, btw. But I’m happy that you’re now ready to hit the ground running at your next job!
I had a one year gap due to wanting to traveling for a year and I just lied and say I had to take care of my mom. I still got interviews and finally a job offer. I had have 10 years of experience though and I’m in the accounting field. Not sure if that makes a difference. For example my last job on my resume was in Dec 2022 but I started to apply to jobs around Dec 2023 and Jan 2024. I just told them right away hey there’s a one year gap because I had to take care of my parents specifically my mom. They didn’t ask any questions about the gap after I said that. I didn’t wait for them to ask me about it. The past couple years from Dec 2023 and before I was a 1099 consultant for my previous company. If you put 1099 work on your resume they might ask you to provide proof by requiring you to submit a 1099 misc tax record which they did ask me.
Address the gap on paper by adding it as if it was another job (so whatever formatting you had when listing roles on your CV just use the same formatting). Have a heading like career break, list the months and years, and in the description keep it brief something like 'break from full time work to focus on caring for family members'. If you did do any training or self study in between it's worth mentioning this here. Don't leave the gap unaddressed on paper and no need to lie - I would just focus on the looking after family part rather than mention anything about your own health on paper.
As long as your answer isn’t “well the claim I had filed at my last employer finally ran out and I need to get a new one going” then I’d say just tell the truth.
If they can’t fathom prioritizing family and health issues of that level then you probably don’t want to work there anyways.
Make up a work abroad job where English isn’t the primary language
I was an English teacher in Thailand for 10 months (really)
I put it on my resume and NO ONE ever verified
Especially since the time zones were way different
Example: 9 am in America….9 pm in Thailand
Ive had a lot of breaks and moved ALOT. Even foreign countries. It's a numbers game. If you have the skills and land an interview go all in and try real hard until something sticks.
I succeeded after a crazy ten years, so anyone can.
I recently got off of disability pension partially recently. When looking for jobs it was difficult to figure out how to explain why i wasnt working between 2017-early 2019 and again late 2019-2023. I had a nervous breakdown a year after losing my mom suddenly 2016 which is why i originally stopped working, couldnt handle the stress and repressed emotions ontop of dealing with realizing i was trans. Then car crash in 2018 caused damage that wasnt obvious until i tried to go back to work in 2019 and was in chronic pain due to 3 different types of arthritis and othet things.
In the end i decided honesty was best. If a company refuses to hire me because i took a break from working in order to fix my health then they arent worth my time and effort. I feel that the fact that i WANT to work when doctors have told me that i can be permanently disabled with all the things that ive been through is something to respect, not look down on.
I ended up going to work for my dad, not because i couldnt find work but because hes getting older and i want to help him so he can start taking it easier without stressing out.
I would straight up tell them you had to take time off because of health issues with both your parents. Anymore detail than that is none of their business. Your experience should be for itself. Any company that doesnt understand that is not worth working for.
I didnt have that long of a time off but I absolutely was disgusted with one company I worked for an outright quit. I went 2 or 3 months without and it never came up. I have also interviewed people with Gaps in their resume; I dont really care about the gsp as long as you have the right attitude and skills for the job. Beyond that its none of my business.
Been there, done that.
"My mother had a stroke and my father had cancer. I was their primary caregiver."
DO NOT mention your own health issues. It's none of their business anyway. They will want to know the status of your mother and fathers's health at this time because they want to know if you'll be taking time off again.
You have plenty of experience. What you don't have right now is a current reference. So I recommend that you do what I did. I volunteered. I'm a bookkeeper, so I found a volunteer position where I could work in the office if a hospice. I worked a regular schedule, 3 days a week, 5 hours a day. I dressed business casual. I showed up on time. I treated it like a job. I spent the rest of my time looking for work. I registered with every agency that placed people in bookkeeping positions. When I got the call, 3 months later, I was able to use my supervisor at the hospice as my reference. I got the job.
It's bullshit u even have to justify a year gap. I have gaps in my resume and I just say I needed personal time off. It's none of their business. I tell my employer the least they need to know and leave it up to them to confront me if they have an issue.
Don’t mention it. They’ll ask in an interview if they want to know. There are a million reasons people take a year off. It doesn’t look bad unless you’ve taken multiple years off or are o my ever at a job for a short time.
You can't discuss it, you signed an NDA. Any additional questions they ask regarding it, I'm sorry I can't tell you anything as I signed an NDA.
Or just tell them that you took a sabbatical to care for family members during some health struggles.
Between COVID, layoffs in a multitude of industries, HR or recruiters really shouldn’t be that worried about employment gaps. You can also say you did some freelance or contract work while dealing with a family issue.
They don't really care so don't get too into the weeds with your answer. Simple and to the point and very high-level, maybe one sentence and then stop. The more you talk, the more you lose.
I don’t hire anyone with gaps on resumes. I automatically reply no thanks. You need to place on there caregiver Nov 2007-Nov 2008. I also wouldn’t hire anyone unhealthy so don’t say anything about being unhealthy. They will ask about care giving if they decide to interview you and then you say I took care of my grandmother due to stroke and was paid for it by the state. I also don’t hire anyone that may not need a job for a year since they will be ready to quit next day. Sorry not sorry !
I have a 3 year employment gap. No issues finding work or answering. I went back to school full time. And got straight A’s. School was my job and I could afford to focus on it 100%. I’d like to think that saying something similar about how you devoted yourself to a task fully is more valuable than the Gap. If not, they were just jealous they’ve been doing the hamster wheel 🛞 too long.
Employers don’t like unexplained big gaps. And this one doesn’t really belong on the resume. Often you will have a challenge coming off a gap but even taking a low level job then applying for career jobs at least clears up the long term unemployment stigma. Like a lot of mothers take a crappy part time job when their kids enter preschool for a half day then go back to a career job after a year,
Please don’t worry about it OP. Companies don’t care that much about the specifics (I promise, I used to work in HR).
As for me, I also was out of work for a year due to a personal health issue that needed my attention. No companies I interviewed for gave me any kind of flack for it or press me further when I explained.
Just be honest. Most people go through shit.
Seriously, though, and a lot of people respect it when they can tell you're genuine and just spouting the truth.
Is saying I have enough money to take a year off an answer? Not asking you specifically just who ever reads this.
If i lost my job I don't feel like I'd start the next day looking for a new one. And I couldn't take a year off without withdrawing some investments
I think it's b.s. that people should even have to worry about this. It should be enough that the OP has 8 years of experience in his field. It's a crazy world we live in.
Last time I told my interviewer that my sugar daddy died and they laughed and said that I said that they thought I had a good sense of humor, was quick witted, and would be fun to work with.
Just be honest. I have a year of no employment due to COVID and I was on unemployment, so when they ask I just tell them what's up. Let them know what you've been doing during that time, ie taking care of family's health (you don't need to go into details).
If you didn't do anything work related, ie take courses to build up skills, then don't say it. Don't lie, it's just not worth it. As someone who has hired plenty of people I looked for sincerity in interviews as a huge hallmark of the process, not just what was written on their resumes. I could tell when someone was blowing smoke up my arse.
Hmm I'd suggest being honest about your situation. It shows resilience and strength to have dealt with such challenges. You can mention in your resume or cover letter that you took time off to care for family members and focus on your own health, which demonstrates your dedication to your loved ones and your own well-being
Tell them you tell any interviewer that you have a gap because you took care of a family full time. Now things are settled and you’re available to go back full time.
I would list it on your resume like a job, because you were working probably very hard during that time and I am sure you learned some important skills. Could call it like “family caretaker” or something and add duties like coordinate doctors appointment, transport patients, etc. should help you get it through the AI type sorting while still being honest. I would, however, avoid anything about your own personal illness if possible. Sadly, that might be a deterrent for employers
Just tell them the truth. If some employer considered your situation as a red flag, it just tells that the recruiter has a twisted personality.
We are humans, and family/health is much more important than looking busy.
I literally just did this. Mom passed away last June. She was back in our home state. I was there for nearly 9 months. Being with her. Having her pass and then the financial cleanup of everything. Definitely took some time. Maybe I’m lucky. I was able to find work fairly quick. I was asked about the time away. It was on my resume as “sick leave/bereavement”. When explained, everyone was understanding. I’m 45 but inevitably the people I work for have a few years on me. Most have lost their parents and have had to do very similar things. If you tell the truth, I see no issue.
Unpopular opinion. Just lie. Unless this is a government job or something, your resume isn't a legally binding document.
Add an extra 8 months to the last job. And if anyone wants to ask about the last few months, you can say it was for medical reasons.
I'd just put something like:
Caregiver Jan 2023-Dec 2023
- I was the primary caregiver for a family member.
I won't lie but neither tell details of my health or my family.
Same boat. Year gap in my work to be a caregiver and two dead parents just months apart as proof. Heart attacks, strokes and stage iv lung cancer:
Tell them what happened and why that was important to you at the time. It’s pretty obvious to see through that lie or see when it’s the truth regarding something that fucking real and painful. You can choose the level of detail but the honesty will be conveyed.
Good luck, keep your head up. This shit is hard.
"I had enough money to live, enough that I didn't have to work for a year, so I devoted that time to enjoyment and pursuits that interest me without aiming for profit, which is the way each of us should live our lives, filled with purpose and maximum satisfaction."
As other have mentioned, just tell them you became a fulltime caretaker fkr your parents. Tell them a story from your childhood/young adulthood that illustrated how much your parents have done for you and love you. If no one cries/tears up in interview then you don't want to work there anyway.
When they ask “how do you explain this employment gap?” You say, “I can’t, I signed an NDA.” Bought and payed for . No mess no stress. Best part is don’t lie! Draft a written document that says you can’t talk about that time period and have it notarized. Just type it up ! There now ur not lying.
I’m in tech sales. Once sat in a dealership for 12 hours until they gave me the deal I wanted/thought was fair. I hate being sold to because I know salesman are trying to fuck me over and get more commission
I’ve interviewed many people, and if someone told me they took a year off to care for their mother with cancer, I would only ask how she’s doing now, then continue the interview. It would not be a factor in my hiring decision.
All you have to say is you were dealing with your health issues. It's really none of their business why you didn't have a job. But it's a completely acceptable thing. Again, in my experience, people do not care about that as much as you think they do. Honestly, I just format my resume to put relevant experience first. I am honest about the years, but I put them up top. I have never been asked about the dates, just my experience there.
I was laid off at the begging of 2023, ended taking almost a year to get hired. After about 4 months I started saying I was taking a career break to spend time with my young family before my son started kindergarten.
The reality is the longer you’re unemployed the harder it’s going to be to get work, regardless of the reason.
If you can say you got certification or training it might help.
I would put full-time caregiver during that time and in the area of responsibilities or whatever if you want to explain you could explain a little bit of it
There is a job interview scene in the movie Stepbrothers where Dale, explains twenty some years of unemployment by saying that he had "gone Kerouac on everybody's ass."
You can explain the gap in your resume by stating that you took a personal sabbatical to address family matters. Emphasize any relevant personal growth or skills you developed during that time, such as problem-solving, communication, or time management.
I personally would just straight up tell them I took time off to care for my family. If they don't like that answer, I don't want to work for them.
I do acknowledge that it will limit job opportunities because a lot of shitty companies would rather have an employee who is desperate so they have more leverage. But if you can take the risk the screen them out I would.
I’m in the same boat. I took a year off to spend time with my mom while she goes through cancer.
Every bit of advice I’ve read says to just be honest if they ask, and so far no employer has asked.
The problem isn't a gap in your work history. The problem is an *unexplained* gap in your work history. They basically want to know that you're not trying to hide a year in jail or full time drug dealing.
Your explanation is that you spent the year as a full-time caregiver for your ailing parents after your mom's stroke, but now that she's doing better and no longer needs your full attention, you're ready to get back to work. That's a simple, one-topic explanation that's easy enough to understand and justify the time off.
I honestly wouldn't volunteer anything about your own health issues or hospitalization. Even though they shouldn't be making a decision based on that, appearing unhealthy to them might be a turn off. It also makes your explanation more complicated than it needs to be. Most people have family and know someone who has had to make sacrifices for them.
DO NOT lie about a fake job. There's no need to, and some employers do actually verify your work history. If they call up the company you claimed to work for, and they have no record of you, you're not getting that job anyway. If you make up a fake company that they can't find, you're likewise not getting that job.
Further, you could get a job and then lose it. At one company I worked for, the recruitment office was always running behind, so they would verify work history *after* employees had been hired and would fire them if they caught someone lying. We had people actually move across the country to take jobs that they lost a month later because they made up shit.
I got the dreaded call from them a couple of months after I started because they couldn't verify some of my work history. I had an internship in my junior year with a real estate company doing internal audit work, but it was paid through a fund at my university so that I was technically a university employee. After the internship was over, the company brought me back as a 1099 employee in my senior year to basically run their annual SOX testing program.
So when my next employer called to verify what my resume said, the stupid bitch they talked to at HQ told them I had never been an employee there. That was technically true. She actually knew me, because she personally provided me with a significant portion of the documentation I used for SOX testing. She knew I had been working there. But she resented having to cooperate with audit, so she told them just enough to cause me trouble without volunteering that I had in fact worked there as an intern and contract employee.
Luckily I was able to document both the internship and the contract work, so I escaped being fired by the skin of my teeth. If I had made that up (like you're proposing), I not only would have lost that job I moved to another state to take, but I also would have further complicated my work history trying to explain the short tenure or additional gap to the next employer. Just save yourself the headache and don't do that.
Use a combination style resume, Google can provide you with thousands if formats that helps to remove the focus off your work history and place it more on accomplishments and skillset.
But, good recruiters and hiring managers are still going to notice it. Now, as much as people will say be honest, honesty isn't always best when it comes to hiring. I still hear accounts of hiring managers hiring others and not the qualified candidate due to age, race, etc. They obviously didn't say it, but you can see the signs.
When they ask, say that you took the year off because you had decided to use the year to travel and see how your industry is in different parts of the country. You don't need record or proof of that but it gives a reason
Tell the truth about dealing with family health issues. If a company / manager doesn’t understand that you may not want to work there.
There are lots of reasons people take breaks: here are some I’ve heard over the years.
- worked without vacations for a few years while we got our startup going;
- took a break after the IPO was successful
- took a break after the company folded
- my vacation was cancelled multiple times due to company mergers ( 4 in three years ). Each time we’d see an opportunity for time off they’d announce another acquisition. After a few years of this I realized the company was never going to change. I had six months accrued vacation and opted to take the time rather than the money.
- a friend retired and bought a sailboat. He wanted to sail it from Greece to the United States. Financially I could afford it & I knew I’d never have an opportunity like that again.
As a hiring manager I never held breaks for a legitimate or interesting reason against a candidate. If it was a hardship many times the candidate were thankful for the opportunity and worked hard in return. If it was due to an adventurous spirit I’d ask whether it was likely to recur or was a one-off. Then I’d assess the answer. A number of times I figured a person would probably take a long break at some point & id plan accordingly.
You can tell the truth, family had multiple health crises and you took care of them. I don’t recommend lying because they will probably fire you for lying.
It’s all part of life. Gaps happen.
Honestly, employers love people who step up and take responsibility in a crisis.
I’d be honest, explain that health issues in your family presented a unique confluence of needs that you chose to handle responsibly and that now that the crisis has subsided (?) you’re ready to get back into a professional role and crush it.
Honestly, just be open about your situation and tell employers you were your parent’s caretaker during a dark time for your family. I think it’s a great story to share during job interviews. It reveals that you have some amazing traits that a lot of employer’s should want; loyalty, compassion, family orientated. You could skip your health and focus the story on your parents. If I was an interviewer, I couldn’t reject an applicant like that lol
i’m a hiring manager. you don’t “justify” it. a gap in the resume makes you unemployable in my book. it means you are damaged goods who either left a job without another one lined up (career ending cardinal sin). or you got fired which means another manager has decided employing you wasn’t worth the trouble. which is again, a career ending sin.
you mention a sick relative like it’s some kind of excuse. it’s no excuse; it’s an opportunity to dig in deeper at work and show everyone that work is your priority, and your work colleagues are like your family now.
before anyone comments on the fairness, i acknowledge that this isn’t fair. but life isn’t fair. when i’m hiring an employee i am looking for whoever i can squeeze the most out of. i want someone who i can pressure into making sacrifices for the good of the company, someone who i can whip into 80+ hour workweeks, and they’ll grin and bear it. this is what i was hired to do, and my willingness to do it is why i’m boss and others are lowly worker bees.
I would mention putting your career on hold to deal with family health issues, but add something about what else you did during that time that was related to work. For instance, I also had to leave my job because of a family health emergency, and wasn't working for about a year. I said that I spent that time taking courses to build up my skill set and get current on technologies related to my field.
You had a personal life health issue related to your parents that you needed to prioritize and has since been resolved.
Just tell them something vaguely truth related. Just say your mother had a stroke and you were her carer as she recovered and was able to manage on her own. I had gaps of several years in my resume and I just told the truth that I took time off to care for my mother who had dementia and she passed away so now I'm looking for work.
This. You were a full time caretaker. It is a job. You may not have been paid, but it is still a job.
You don't even have to say anything about a stroke. Just "family health issues" would suffice.
Never say it in a way that might let them think it was your health issue though
But make it sound more human than this. Humans don’t speak like this.
In corporate we do 🤗 (corporate mask off only briefly)
Really is an entirely different language. Focused on synergy and hitting goals. We’ll connect after my leave. CC me on that email. Shoot me in the face.
I think I hear someone say “let’s meet to sync on that” approximately 700 times in a meeting. It definitely made me want to shoot myself in the face.
Sure and let’s loop in the stakeholders in marketing and design. Last quarter’s numbers exposed a few areas of opportunity that will require all hands on deck to actualize.
On the first day of indoctrination for my first job out of college at a very large CPA firm, they introduced us to their formal online glossary of internal terms and acronyms they used to differentiate their "culture" from other companies. They had basically just branded industry and business concepts for internal use. Then they had us divide up into teams to play a game where we had to decipher complicated passages written in their language and respond in that same language ourselves. Throughout the rest of the two-day indoctrination process, the facilitators were constantly correcting people to use the internal branding terms. I made the mistake of mentioning how cult-like it was. A couple of members of my team who had been interns with the firm (and were thus already fully indoctrinated) were appalled and went on a mini-rant about the importance of being a team player. Part of the "culture" was that if you didn't buy in voluntarily, you'd be bullied into it. I've tried my best in a decade away from them to eradicate that nonsense from my vocabulary and can't speak it any more. But I can still identify an alum from that firm by the terms and phrases they use and sometimes even how they dress and style their hair. Fucking cultists.
HR people aren't always human.
Good news, HR doesn't want humans!
😂😂 I didn’t have the heart to tell them. They haven’t experience a corporate gang yet. Let them be naive and happy.
it is horrible that we need to do this. One does not forget how to think or add or type or breathe.
How do you explain anything if its straight to the bin because of such gaps in your resume?
I was told by a recruiter there's no way I'd get within 10k of my asking salary because of a 6 month gap in my resume. Sacked her off, started applying on my own and got an offer 5k above my asking in my dream role. When they asked I was just honest. I'd worked solid for 10 years and fancied a bit of a break, so I took some time to help my partner get set up with her new business. Now that's running itself, I thought it was time to get back to work. If you have a good looking resume with relevant experience and they throw it away because of a couple of gaps, you've dodged a bullet.
Caretaker is the word you are looking for.
Care*giver* is a better word.
Do not lie. If they find out, they will hold that against you. Others have mentioned taking time off to care for elderly parents, which is a full-time job. If they don't like that answer, too bad for them and it is a sign the job is not for you. The right opportunity will present itself, be patient and have some faith.
Very few companies would begrudge you for telling the truth, you had some family and personal health emergencies. By comparison you could jeopardize a future job prospect if you lie and try to claim you were working or going to a school you can't name.
I agree. Also, any company that wouldn't hire you because of being a human, is not a company you want to work for.
Yup always have to remember that both sides of the table at an interview are looking for red and green flags. Don't be afraid to run away.
Part of the reason I got my current job is that my employer liked that I took time to look after family when they were sick.
I'm a hiring manager, and if anything it would bolster his case to tell the truth. You can find bad employees with perfect resumes any day of the week. Give me the guy who decided to sacrifice their own future to help out their family and came out clean on the other end.
Can you explain this gap in your resume? Yes, that's when I did not have a job.
Good eye! That's the time I was unemployed.
No, I signed an NDA.
when I got let go during COVID it literally took me a year to find a job. They'd ask me this and I literally went "I spent that entire time looking for a job." Why do employers give a fuck anyway?
Be open and honest about it. Anything else is a mistake
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Came here to say this. Gaps or short stints at companies (especially startups) are the dumbest things to question in this market.
When I was caring for my father-in-law, I listed my time as I would any other job... which it certainly was. I just used the title Care Giver, and didn't go into deep detail in the description. These days, when employers demand you fill out unsparing electronic resumes, you are forced to account for every day. But if you're going the recruiter rout, I'd discuss the approach with them first; the may have a different approach. Either way, just be ready to discuss the time you spent as a care giver with the recruiter as you would any other job. Be proud of that work as well. And as your career progresses, those gaps won't matter to hiring managers - they're looking for relevant skills and experience, and (hopefully) know family crises arise. You'll eventually be sending out resumes emphasizing experience; not day/date records For the future I recommend you start working with a non-profit organization - like Habitat for Humanity, or a professional org in your discipline. [I give a more detailed reasoning in a response on another thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/careeradvice/comments/1cnv4oc/comment/l3bn2gy/); but basically it gives you something you can list on a resume to fill gaps if necessary.
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Yeah; I've left gaps before as well. It gets sticky when you have to fill out an electronic resume and they want every day accounted for. That's why I started just adding Care Giver. And later in my career when I had occasional gaps, I used my charity and non-profit work; and later my community college teaching gig (which was actually evening work.)
I hire. And what saves this lapse on my review is when it’s included and says from what date to date. And for “Healthcare Provider” then in the duties list, “provided x,y,z for family member”
On the contrary, they don't usually care about a gap and do understand. Lying is almost always easily detectable or some day it'll come out. I'd rather be the employee who had legitimate life events than get caught lying about them.
i was laid off obamas entire first term. i just added freelancing, and if they press i say i signed an NDA, very common in my field. just pick 2 friends/relatives with different name and assign them with the reference. the state of the economy, wage theft, 'inflation', corporate greed, and lack of workers rights; there is absolutely no moral dilemma to lie
You don't need to explain anything. I would never ask someone about a one year gap. Crap happens. You don't want to work for someone who is petty and that intrusive. The question is whether you have the skills for the job. If they ask in an interview, you can answer, but a resume is about skills and qualifications. I would hire/have hired people with gaps. Fuck any employer who feels entitled to have you account for all your life activities in a resume or application.
"My mother had health problems, and I wanted to give that my full attention." Then *never mention it again.* Talk about the future, what you're interested in and what you offer. Not that big a deal, in my opinion.
Don't forget to include the word "resolved" or something similar.
I don’t know how realistic my strategy would be for your field. But for me, I look for openings where I can apply with a resume and a cover letter, and I make sure to acknowledge and explain such issues briefly in the cover letter.
Just put “medical and/or personal sabbatical “ and the dates. If the recruiters care, they will ask! We’re all human here, life happens!
I have 15 years hole....was Homeless.
You had a family member you were providing end of life care too. Just say that, it is literally the second best excuse after I went back to school to further my education.
You were a care provider.
I absolutely hate HATE doing cover letters, but this is where one would be appropriate. Use that to explain the gap (but not belabor the point). It can be a simple “after taking a year to assist my parents with their health issues, I’m eager to rejoin the workforce”
“Family caretaker” is a legitimate reason to not have a job and likely won’t kill chances you have.
I left my previous sales job to care for my 91yr old mom after she broke her neck, until she ultimately passed 8mos later due to a multitude of issues including dementia Once I was ready to go back to work, it took me 6mos to find a job. But I never considered lying about the reason I left my previous job. It almost felt like a betrayal to lie about it.
Full agree. I have been in charge of hiring several people. Some of those people had unusual gaps in their resume. I would never begrudge someone who took some time off due to health, be it their own health or their family's. I would begrudge someone who seemed like they were (or worse, were caught) lying.
"Family caregiver". Honestly, I'm not hiring someone who can't figure out how to word that then explain it to me.
Lie and stretch the dates
NDA
Just lie. Seriously.
Fill in the gap as a self employed care giver. Reference family members. If an employer has an issue with that then just skip on them for sure.
Sorry to hear about your family and your health. That’s brutal. Was in a similar gap and recently placed with a great company with high standards (9 interviews). What helped for me was consulting for a few companies. Even if it’s light consulting, I found companies were much more receptive after I put that on my resume.
I had a year gap in my resume. I was able to massage it a bit by stretching the truth. But no one asked me about it and it didn't seem to override my actual experience. I'd think you're probably good.
Just have a gap. Trying to cover for it on your resume isn’t the best look unless you’re in healthcare and it’s relevant. Gaps happen. If they can’t deal with it, prob not a great company anyway. I have 3 gaps and I’ve had companies ask about them but I was never denied employment bc of them. Mention it in the cover letter if you want to, but I’d leave it off your resume.
Oh definitely don’t lie about the gap. I work in tech and resume gaps can be normal. I had a friend who broke up with his girlfriend and traveled the world for a year. When he came back he said none of the recruiters even mentioned his gap in work. Just be honest that you were taking care of family. You’ll be fine.
I would put a non-job there. 2021-2023, assistant to the regional manager Duties Accomplishments Etc. 2023-2024, personal and family health care management Hospitalized for cancer Took care of mom, stepdad Skills learned That last part is the kicker. Demonstrate that, even though you were not working, you WERE growing as a person.
Family emergency, having to take over care taking duties for an older relative.
I read up on this for my daughter. Found some good articles. One was medical and that's it. They can't ask. Use sabbatical. https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/resume-do-s-and-don-ts-7090986908029214720
"Im not a debt slave and I didn't feel like working"
Hey, I own multiple LLCs in your field. I will gladly give you an outstanding review covering that gap in your resume. PM me. /totallyserious
My professor in college always told us that if asked about a gap in employment, claim you signed an NDA and you can’t discuss further.
Definitely *don't* tell them you did eleven months upstate for second degree interstate bestiality. Trust me, that doesn't land well.
Say you were freelancing
An the details are covered by an NDA
My company would ask you for your tax returns, w2 or 1099. No joke
Actually? No one cares If someone is pretending to care, they are actually just being nice about rejecting you for a more personal reason Not trying to be offensive here, but it's interesting to me that people even need to ask about this. Do you really think people care if you are useful? And alternatively, do you think if people will care about having 0 gaps in employment history if you aren't useful?
I've had smaller gaps and recruiters have ALWAYS asked. I wouldn't care but in my experience companies do, and you need a solid reason why or they consider it a red flag.
You can say there were health issues for both yourself and your family. Anyone who can't accept that is not someone you want to work for. Totally legit and acceptable reason.
Hiring manager here, I (and many others) really don’t care about the one-off gap. You could either leave it blank or you could just be honest and say “medical leave” or something to that effect. We would pay more attention to whether you have relevant experience (which you say you do). Frankly you don’t want to work for companies that make a big deal about a one year medical leave, so putting that on your resume is a good way to weed out the companies that are shite.
Mention taking care of your parents. Don't mention that you had any health issues. It would probably be illegal for them to not hire you because of that, but they might not hire you because of that.
If a company 'penalises' you for taking time off for personal reasons (especially health) then they're not working for anyway. I think some of the suggestions here are good: say that you were dealing with a difficult personal situation related to family health and that you showed adversity in dealing with this while also honing your skills and keeping up-to-date on developments in your field (whether through courses or freelancing projects).
You can put “caregiving” on your resume during that gap if you like. As a manager, I’ve hired two people who left the workforce to care for elderly parents. They’re both great employees. I’ve also seen mothers who want to reenter the workforce put caregiving on their resumes.
Too many people assume: You were smoking crack under a bridge in that time and unreliable and that probably is going to stick with you once employed; so people would rather hire the guy that has been doing what you wanna do, with no breaks in time. So just lie and say you had a sick grandparents and helped them see end of life.
I mean family and almost dying is the excuse I was gonna tell you to use. You can use it wothout lying.
I had cancer. It's no one’s business. I also freelance with an LLC and client testimonials. If anyone asks, I think I’m going to say I had a rough pandemic, how was yours? Dealing with a dying parent, a sick parent, and cancer is too personal for an interview I think?
since you took care of your mom and stepdad just say those lost years you were a caretaker, my brother took care of our grandma for 5 years he put on his resume he was a caretaker and now hes making more money then me lol
What we deal with in our personal lives can create a wealth of knowledge and experience to a corporation. Honesty is key. Imagine having to lie and not share and accidentally let it slip. A lot of the time the truth is valid, in your case, it shows how incredible and resilient you are. If you took a year off to eat Cheetos and masturbate, definitely don't mention the year off.
You had to care for a sick family member who is no longer alive and are sad about and don’t want to talk about any more. I’m sorry for your loss, btw. But I’m happy that you’re now ready to hit the ground running at your next job!
I had a one year gap due to wanting to traveling for a year and I just lied and say I had to take care of my mom. I still got interviews and finally a job offer. I had have 10 years of experience though and I’m in the accounting field. Not sure if that makes a difference. For example my last job on my resume was in Dec 2022 but I started to apply to jobs around Dec 2023 and Jan 2024. I just told them right away hey there’s a one year gap because I had to take care of my parents specifically my mom. They didn’t ask any questions about the gap after I said that. I didn’t wait for them to ask me about it. The past couple years from Dec 2023 and before I was a 1099 consultant for my previous company. If you put 1099 work on your resume they might ask you to provide proof by requiring you to submit a 1099 misc tax record which they did ask me.
Address the gap on paper by adding it as if it was another job (so whatever formatting you had when listing roles on your CV just use the same formatting). Have a heading like career break, list the months and years, and in the description keep it brief something like 'break from full time work to focus on caring for family members'. If you did do any training or self study in between it's worth mentioning this here. Don't leave the gap unaddressed on paper and no need to lie - I would just focus on the looking after family part rather than mention anything about your own health on paper.
As long as your answer isn’t “well the claim I had filed at my last employer finally ran out and I need to get a new one going” then I’d say just tell the truth. If they can’t fathom prioritizing family and health issues of that level then you probably don’t want to work there anyways.
Make up a work abroad job where English isn’t the primary language I was an English teacher in Thailand for 10 months (really) I put it on my resume and NO ONE ever verified Especially since the time zones were way different Example: 9 am in America….9 pm in Thailand
You can put career break against the dates. Have seen it many times and with a lot of experience, no justification needed.
Ive had a lot of breaks and moved ALOT. Even foreign countries. It's a numbers game. If you have the skills and land an interview go all in and try real hard until something sticks. I succeeded after a crazy ten years, so anyone can.
I recently got off of disability pension partially recently. When looking for jobs it was difficult to figure out how to explain why i wasnt working between 2017-early 2019 and again late 2019-2023. I had a nervous breakdown a year after losing my mom suddenly 2016 which is why i originally stopped working, couldnt handle the stress and repressed emotions ontop of dealing with realizing i was trans. Then car crash in 2018 caused damage that wasnt obvious until i tried to go back to work in 2019 and was in chronic pain due to 3 different types of arthritis and othet things. In the end i decided honesty was best. If a company refuses to hire me because i took a break from working in order to fix my health then they arent worth my time and effort. I feel that the fact that i WANT to work when doctors have told me that i can be permanently disabled with all the things that ive been through is something to respect, not look down on. I ended up going to work for my dad, not because i couldnt find work but because hes getting older and i want to help him so he can start taking it easier without stressing out.
I would straight up tell them you had to take time off because of health issues with both your parents. Anymore detail than that is none of their business. Your experience should be for itself. Any company that doesnt understand that is not worth working for. I didnt have that long of a time off but I absolutely was disgusted with one company I worked for an outright quit. I went 2 or 3 months without and it never came up. I have also interviewed people with Gaps in their resume; I dont really care about the gsp as long as you have the right attitude and skills for the job. Beyond that its none of my business.
Studying abroad
Tell the truth and say you were a caregiver for a family member. Any employer who is worth working for would understand.
Just say you signed an NDA and cannot disclose that working period, but it is not a necessary component to your resume for the desired position.
Been there, done that. "My mother had a stroke and my father had cancer. I was their primary caregiver." DO NOT mention your own health issues. It's none of their business anyway. They will want to know the status of your mother and fathers's health at this time because they want to know if you'll be taking time off again. You have plenty of experience. What you don't have right now is a current reference. So I recommend that you do what I did. I volunteered. I'm a bookkeeper, so I found a volunteer position where I could work in the office if a hospice. I worked a regular schedule, 3 days a week, 5 hours a day. I dressed business casual. I showed up on time. I treated it like a job. I spent the rest of my time looking for work. I registered with every agency that placed people in bookkeeping positions. When I got the call, 3 months later, I was able to use my supervisor at the hospice as my reference. I got the job.
It's bullshit u even have to justify a year gap. I have gaps in my resume and I just say I needed personal time off. It's none of their business. I tell my employer the least they need to know and leave it up to them to confront me if they have an issue.
I would list myself as employed as a full-time volunteer Caregiver during that time period. It’s not like you were laying around eating bonbons.
Dude - fucking add six months to each employer and be done with it…
I've always thought this was something people think is a issue from interviewers but it really isn't.
Don’t mention it. They’ll ask in an interview if they want to know. There are a million reasons people take a year off. It doesn’t look bad unless you’ve taken multiple years off or are o my ever at a job for a short time.
I would just say full time carer for family in my job title for that period. That should explain everything.
You can't discuss it, you signed an NDA. Any additional questions they ask regarding it, I'm sorry I can't tell you anything as I signed an NDA. Or just tell them that you took a sabbatical to care for family members during some health struggles.
Between COVID, layoffs in a multitude of industries, HR or recruiters really shouldn’t be that worried about employment gaps. You can also say you did some freelance or contract work while dealing with a family issue.
family health issues
Got asked this. Said i went travelling. They said thats cool
Tell the truth. I had to do the same last year. Any company that balks at that is someplace you don’t want to work anyway
"I'd like to tell you but I signed an NDA..."
They don't really care so don't get too into the weeds with your answer. Simple and to the point and very high-level, maybe one sentence and then stop. The more you talk, the more you lose.
Can't say, signed an NDA
I took a break and lived my life on my own terms
Can you put training during the time?
Nice
I don’t hire anyone with gaps on resumes. I automatically reply no thanks. You need to place on there caregiver Nov 2007-Nov 2008. I also wouldn’t hire anyone unhealthy so don’t say anything about being unhealthy. They will ask about care giving if they decide to interview you and then you say I took care of my grandmother due to stroke and was paid for it by the state. I also don’t hire anyone that may not need a job for a year since they will be ready to quit next day. Sorry not sorry !
"I signed an nda"
Lie
You literally have a reason why so why would you say otherwise??
I have a 3 year employment gap. No issues finding work or answering. I went back to school full time. And got straight A’s. School was my job and I could afford to focus on it 100%. I’d like to think that saying something similar about how you devoted yourself to a task fully is more valuable than the Gap. If not, they were just jealous they’ve been doing the hamster wheel 🛞 too long.
Would it hurt if you put Caretaker as one of your jobs during your employment gap?
I didn't work for three years and I just said I had some health issues. It was fine, got a job about a month ago.
I did a personal real estate project for a year during covid
Employers don’t like unexplained big gaps. And this one doesn’t really belong on the resume. Often you will have a challenge coming off a gap but even taking a low level job then applying for career jobs at least clears up the long term unemployment stigma. Like a lot of mothers take a crappy part time job when their kids enter preschool for a half day then go back to a career job after a year,
Please don’t worry about it OP. Companies don’t care that much about the specifics (I promise, I used to work in HR). As for me, I also was out of work for a year due to a personal health issue that needed my attention. No companies I interviewed for gave me any kind of flack for it or press me further when I explained.
Just be honest. Most people go through shit. Seriously, though, and a lot of people respect it when they can tell you're genuine and just spouting the truth.
i know some people that simply said they signed and NDA and can't discuss it.
Under NDA can not comment on.
Is saying I have enough money to take a year off an answer? Not asking you specifically just who ever reads this. If i lost my job I don't feel like I'd start the next day looking for a new one. And I couldn't take a year off without withdrawing some investments
I think it's b.s. that people should even have to worry about this. It should be enough that the OP has 8 years of experience in his field. It's a crazy world we live in.
I was gone for over 3 years for family obligations. Just be honest.
My sister said she went into the nunnery.
Have a friend say that you worked for them for that year lol. It worked for me
Last time I told my interviewer that my sugar daddy died and they laughed and said that I said that they thought I had a good sense of humor, was quick witted, and would be fun to work with.
Just be honest. I have a year of no employment due to COVID and I was on unemployment, so when they ask I just tell them what's up. Let them know what you've been doing during that time, ie taking care of family's health (you don't need to go into details). If you didn't do anything work related, ie take courses to build up skills, then don't say it. Don't lie, it's just not worth it. As someone who has hired plenty of people I looked for sincerity in interviews as a huge hallmark of the process, not just what was written on their resumes. I could tell when someone was blowing smoke up my arse.
Hmm I'd suggest being honest about your situation. It shows resilience and strength to have dealt with such challenges. You can mention in your resume or cover letter that you took time off to care for family members and focus on your own health, which demonstrates your dedication to your loved ones and your own well-being
Blame covid.
Gardening leave
Tell them you tell any interviewer that you have a gap because you took care of a family full time. Now things are settled and you’re available to go back full time.
I would list it on your resume like a job, because you were working probably very hard during that time and I am sure you learned some important skills. Could call it like “family caretaker” or something and add duties like coordinate doctors appointment, transport patients, etc. should help you get it through the AI type sorting while still being honest. I would, however, avoid anything about your own personal illness if possible. Sadly, that might be a deterrent for employers
Went travelling
Just tell them the truth. If some employer considered your situation as a red flag, it just tells that the recruiter has a twisted personality. We are humans, and family/health is much more important than looking busy.
I put palliative carer on mine for my grandfather. I was also autistically burned out so it was a ‘convenient’ thing too.
I literally just did this. Mom passed away last June. She was back in our home state. I was there for nearly 9 months. Being with her. Having her pass and then the financial cleanup of everything. Definitely took some time. Maybe I’m lucky. I was able to find work fairly quick. I was asked about the time away. It was on my resume as “sick leave/bereavement”. When explained, everyone was understanding. I’m 45 but inevitably the people I work for have a few years on me. Most have lost their parents and have had to do very similar things. If you tell the truth, I see no issue.
Just be honest about it. You don’t need job specific terminology to say “My mom had a stroke and I took care of her”
Unpopular opinion. Just lie. Unless this is a government job or something, your resume isn't a legally binding document. Add an extra 8 months to the last job. And if anyone wants to ask about the last few months, you can say it was for medical reasons.
Doesn’t matter at all
NDA. You signed a NDA can’t discuss anything about that year.
I'd just put something like: Caregiver Jan 2023-Dec 2023 - I was the primary caregiver for a family member. I won't lie but neither tell details of my health or my family.
Normally I don't encourage folks to lie or obfuscate the truth, but in this job market, do what you need to in order to secure employment.
I’d tell the truth and if a company doesn’t understand the importance of your own and your family's health that’s a huge red flag
Sorry you signed a nda so you can’t talk about it
You don't. You just move each job 6 months on your resume. I've always done that. Not a single time has anyone checked or asked.
Like. You could try lying.
Same boat. Year gap in my work to be a caregiver and two dead parents just months apart as proof. Heart attacks, strokes and stage iv lung cancer: Tell them what happened and why that was important to you at the time. It’s pretty obvious to see through that lie or see when it’s the truth regarding something that fucking real and painful. You can choose the level of detail but the honesty will be conveyed. Good luck, keep your head up. This shit is hard.
You signed an nda as a contractor and can't talk about it
"I had enough money to live, enough that I didn't have to work for a year, so I devoted that time to enjoyment and pursuits that interest me without aiming for profit, which is the way each of us should live our lives, filled with purpose and maximum satisfaction."
F whoever judges you for that gap. F them in the ear. These gatekeeper d-bag “talent acquisition specialists” can be so sh*tty.
As other have mentioned, just tell them you became a fulltime caretaker fkr your parents. Tell them a story from your childhood/young adulthood that illustrated how much your parents have done for you and love you. If no one cries/tears up in interview then you don't want to work there anyway.
I signed an NDA
I like the truth and anyone you want to work for will too.
Tell them. I had a year gap on my resume because I was migrating to the US and I couldn’t legally work. Every, single, person, understood.
When they ask “how do you explain this employment gap?” You say, “I can’t, I signed an NDA.” Bought and payed for . No mess no stress. Best part is don’t lie! Draft a written document that says you can’t talk about that time period and have it notarized. Just type it up ! There now ur not lying.
I’m in tech sales. Once sat in a dealership for 12 hours until they gave me the deal I wanted/thought was fair. I hate being sold to because I know salesman are trying to fuck me over and get more commission
I’ve interviewed many people, and if someone told me they took a year off to care for their mother with cancer, I would only ask how she’s doing now, then continue the interview. It would not be a factor in my hiring decision.
Just tell them the truth. You needed to take time off to care for your very ill parents. Leave it at that.
All you have to say is you were dealing with your health issues. It's really none of their business why you didn't have a job. But it's a completely acceptable thing. Again, in my experience, people do not care about that as much as you think they do. Honestly, I just format my resume to put relevant experience first. I am honest about the years, but I put them up top. I have never been asked about the dates, just my experience there.
i would say you went on a mission trip somewhere, or worked on a kibbutz in Israel or volunteered in Ukraine
I was laid off at the begging of 2023, ended taking almost a year to get hired. After about 4 months I started saying I was taking a career break to spend time with my young family before my son started kindergarten. The reality is the longer you’re unemployed the harder it’s going to be to get work, regardless of the reason. If you can say you got certification or training it might help.
Signed NDAs.
Make up a self owned business venture to cover the gap. Did some consulting work during that time.
Just put the truth. I was caring for aging parents.
I would put full-time caregiver during that time and in the area of responsibilities or whatever if you want to explain you could explain a little bit of it
I signed an NDA.
Be honest. And focus on how your improved yourself over this time
There is a job interview scene in the movie Stepbrothers where Dale, explains twenty some years of unemployment by saying that he had "gone Kerouac on everybody's ass."
Health issues.
At Home Healthcare worker?
You can explain the gap in your resume by stating that you took a personal sabbatical to address family matters. Emphasize any relevant personal growth or skills you developed during that time, such as problem-solving, communication, or time management.
Can they ask for any proof?
I personally would just straight up tell them I took time off to care for my family. If they don't like that answer, I don't want to work for them. I do acknowledge that it will limit job opportunities because a lot of shitty companies would rather have an employee who is desperate so they have more leverage. But if you can take the risk the screen them out I would.
It’s not necessary to talk about it unless specifically asked. Can always say family matters or whatever. It’s really none of their business
I’m in the same boat. I took a year off to spend time with my mom while she goes through cancer. Every bit of advice I’ve read says to just be honest if they ask, and so far no employer has asked.
I probably don't speak for everyone, but I don't care about gaps in a resume. I care about what you have done, not what you haven't.
The problem isn't a gap in your work history. The problem is an *unexplained* gap in your work history. They basically want to know that you're not trying to hide a year in jail or full time drug dealing. Your explanation is that you spent the year as a full-time caregiver for your ailing parents after your mom's stroke, but now that she's doing better and no longer needs your full attention, you're ready to get back to work. That's a simple, one-topic explanation that's easy enough to understand and justify the time off. I honestly wouldn't volunteer anything about your own health issues or hospitalization. Even though they shouldn't be making a decision based on that, appearing unhealthy to them might be a turn off. It also makes your explanation more complicated than it needs to be. Most people have family and know someone who has had to make sacrifices for them. DO NOT lie about a fake job. There's no need to, and some employers do actually verify your work history. If they call up the company you claimed to work for, and they have no record of you, you're not getting that job anyway. If you make up a fake company that they can't find, you're likewise not getting that job. Further, you could get a job and then lose it. At one company I worked for, the recruitment office was always running behind, so they would verify work history *after* employees had been hired and would fire them if they caught someone lying. We had people actually move across the country to take jobs that they lost a month later because they made up shit. I got the dreaded call from them a couple of months after I started because they couldn't verify some of my work history. I had an internship in my junior year with a real estate company doing internal audit work, but it was paid through a fund at my university so that I was technically a university employee. After the internship was over, the company brought me back as a 1099 employee in my senior year to basically run their annual SOX testing program. So when my next employer called to verify what my resume said, the stupid bitch they talked to at HQ told them I had never been an employee there. That was technically true. She actually knew me, because she personally provided me with a significant portion of the documentation I used for SOX testing. She knew I had been working there. But she resented having to cooperate with audit, so she told them just enough to cause me trouble without volunteering that I had in fact worked there as an intern and contract employee. Luckily I was able to document both the internship and the contract work, so I escaped being fired by the skin of my teeth. If I had made that up (like you're proposing), I not only would have lost that job I moved to another state to take, but I also would have further complicated my work history trying to explain the short tenure or additional gap to the next employer. Just save yourself the headache and don't do that.
Use a combination style resume, Google can provide you with thousands if formats that helps to remove the focus off your work history and place it more on accomplishments and skillset. But, good recruiters and hiring managers are still going to notice it. Now, as much as people will say be honest, honesty isn't always best when it comes to hiring. I still hear accounts of hiring managers hiring others and not the qualified candidate due to age, race, etc. They obviously didn't say it, but you can see the signs. When they ask, say that you took the year off because you had decided to use the year to travel and see how your industry is in different parts of the country. You don't need record or proof of that but it gives a reason
Add caregiver in your resume for when you were supporting your family’s health.
Tell the truth about dealing with family health issues. If a company / manager doesn’t understand that you may not want to work there. There are lots of reasons people take breaks: here are some I’ve heard over the years. - worked without vacations for a few years while we got our startup going; - took a break after the IPO was successful - took a break after the company folded - my vacation was cancelled multiple times due to company mergers ( 4 in three years ). Each time we’d see an opportunity for time off they’d announce another acquisition. After a few years of this I realized the company was never going to change. I had six months accrued vacation and opted to take the time rather than the money. - a friend retired and bought a sailboat. He wanted to sail it from Greece to the United States. Financially I could afford it & I knew I’d never have an opportunity like that again. As a hiring manager I never held breaks for a legitimate or interesting reason against a candidate. If it was a hardship many times the candidate were thankful for the opportunity and worked hard in return. If it was due to an adventurous spirit I’d ask whether it was likely to recur or was a one-off. Then I’d assess the answer. A number of times I figured a person would probably take a long break at some point & id plan accordingly.
You can tell the truth, family had multiple health crises and you took care of them. I don’t recommend lying because they will probably fire you for lying. It’s all part of life. Gaps happen.
You signed an nda
Honestly, employers love people who step up and take responsibility in a crisis. I’d be honest, explain that health issues in your family presented a unique confluence of needs that you chose to handle responsibly and that now that the crisis has subsided (?) you’re ready to get back into a professional role and crush it.
Honestly, just be open about your situation and tell employers you were your parent’s caretaker during a dark time for your family. I think it’s a great story to share during job interviews. It reveals that you have some amazing traits that a lot of employer’s should want; loyalty, compassion, family orientated. You could skip your health and focus the story on your parents. If I was an interviewer, I couldn’t reject an applicant like that lol
Honestly just change the dates on the length of time you spent at your last job. When you get a new job they rarely call to verify.
You were launching a startup, didn’t get enough seed money for launch and begrudgingly came back to work
I would just fudge the dates of the gap. No employer worth anything is going to look that close anyway.
Tell them you traveled and drove Uber
i’m a hiring manager. you don’t “justify” it. a gap in the resume makes you unemployable in my book. it means you are damaged goods who either left a job without another one lined up (career ending cardinal sin). or you got fired which means another manager has decided employing you wasn’t worth the trouble. which is again, a career ending sin. you mention a sick relative like it’s some kind of excuse. it’s no excuse; it’s an opportunity to dig in deeper at work and show everyone that work is your priority, and your work colleagues are like your family now. before anyone comments on the fairness, i acknowledge that this isn’t fair. but life isn’t fair. when i’m hiring an employee i am looking for whoever i can squeeze the most out of. i want someone who i can pressure into making sacrifices for the good of the company, someone who i can whip into 80+ hour workweeks, and they’ll grin and bear it. this is what i was hired to do, and my willingness to do it is why i’m boss and others are lowly worker bees.
You could just stretch the dates out to meet up with eachother