Gaps in employment history

tom717

When asked to explain gaps in your employment history, what do you say? Is it ok to just say you were unemployed or do they want details of how you spent your time?

LadyMissA

tom717 wrote: »

When asked to explain gaps in your employment history, what do you say? Is it ok to just say you were unemployed or do they want details of how you spent your time?

Depends on how many gaps we are talking but the gap I have now is unemployment and I say that.

I have one other gap of 6 weeks but that was when I had left a job and got a new one to start in the new year so I had some time off over Xmas and started the new job on 3rd Jan.

LittleVoice

tom717 wrote: »

When asked to explain gaps in your employment history, what do you say? Is it ok to just say you were unemployed or do they want details of how you spent your time?

If you did something which would enhance you in the eyes of an employer (eg completed a course on A or organised B for a local charity) then mention it.

ditzyat50

Have you got kids? they can be a valuable excuse if you think hard enough. Or maybe say you were temping, or helping out at a friends business. OR take a chance and just be totally honest with the reasons of the gap.

tom717

I have got a 6 month gap (from finishing university). In my last job interview I just told them I was looking for work. They seemed really displeased so I also told them that I have been helping my grandfather who has mobility problems. It wasn't something I had planned to talk about and I think it might have sounded like I made it up, so I thought this could have been why I didn't get the job.

Anyway I have another interview coming up and I'm not sure how to answer the question if I get it again.

tom717

LittleVoice wrote: »

If you did something which would enhance you in the eyes of an employer (eg completed a course on A or organised B for a local charity) then mention it.

I tried to do a course but they were all so expensive (not eligible for funding because I have already been to university) and I tried to do a couple of charity things and eventually started helping at a Scout group, but I still have six month gap with nothing.

ditzyat50

tom717 wrote: »

I have got a 6 month gap (from finishing university). In my last job interview I just told them I was looking for work. They seemed really displeased so I also told them that I have been helping my grandfather who has mobility problems. It wasn't something I had planned to talk about and I think it might have sounded like I made it up, so I thought this could have been why I didn't get the job.

That is a perfectly good reason for a 6month gap and is totally acceptable. Unfortunately in this harsh age, there are some who hear things and reckon hey what a sob story. And if that is the case, then you do not want to work for them so basically you have had a very lucky escape. Personally, I would stick to the truth, just be yourself (god I sound like I am entering a reality contest) and do not take any rejections personal. They no doubt have a mental template of the ideal candidate and 9 out of 10 of us don't fit it. Chin up.

tom717

ditzyat50 wrote: »

That is a perfectly good reason for a 6month gap and is totally acceptable. Unfortunately in this harsh age, there are some who hear things and reckon hey what a sob story. And if that is the case, then you do not want to work for them so basically you have had a very lucky escape. Personally, I would stick to the truth, just be yourself (god I sound like I am entering a reality contest) and do not take any rejections personal. They no doubt have a mental template of the ideal candidate and 9 out of 10 of us don't fit it. Chin up.

The thing is, it isn't the reason why I have been unemployed, I have been looking for work the whole time.

LadyMissA

tom717 wrote: »

The thing is, it isn't the reason why I have been unemployed, I have been looking for work the whole time.

the next idiot who asks me why I don't have a job I will ask them if they have seen the news lately! :mad:

dizzyrascal

Did you start to apply for jobs before you finished university? If so, tell them that you did but were unsuccessful, it then got to the point where you had to concentrate on your finals etc.....
If you only started to look for work after you graduated you might need to explain why you felt this was necessary. They may think you look a bit unprepared if you just say "I thought I would see what was out there" or something like that.
As a graduate they will expect to see someone who is proactive about finding work, not someone who is waiting for it to happen. (I'm not suggesting you are like this btw)
When they ask you about the six month gap you need to make it sound like a positive thing. Talk about all the things you did, how you developed as a person, helping your grandfather is good but you have to say what you have learnt from it. Say you have come to understand and appreciate how difficult life can be for people with mobility problems. How this experience has made you think about disability in general. Perhaps this experience has made you think that you might want to do something like fundraising for a charity (or that kind of thing)
Is there anything else that you could talk about from your gap that you can put a positive spin on? Volunteering, keeping yourself fit, playing team sports, organised something like an event? Anything that shows you in a good light and makes you look like you did not just waste six months.
Most employers know that graduates will have had an enforced break because of the job market but they will expect you to have been productive during that time.
If it helps, think about it from an employers point of view. If you have 2 candidates that are equal in every way, would you pick the one who appeared to have done very little or would you pick the candidate that enthused about their personal development and the opportunities they had embraced?
Well done on getting an interview. You might need to practice your technique to help you improve for the next one. You can most probably use your university's Careers Service for a year or two yet. If that is not an option, get family or friends to hold a mock-interview and give you feedback on how you did.