work gap cover letter

An Example Cover Letter Explaining a Gap in Employment

When you are applying for jobs, hiring managers will always notice gaps in employment. They’ll understandably wonder what happened. Are you at high risk of quitting? Have you experienced performance issues or exhibited irresponsible behavior in the past? 

It’s very important that you don’t ignore or gloss over an employment gap. The best way is to deal with it is honesty. And the best place to do this is in your cover letter. The tips below will explain how to address common scenarios where you may have a gap in your employment, both good and bad. Keep reading, there’s also a sample cover letter explaining a gap in employment.

How Long is Too Long of an Employment Gap?

There’s no “unacceptable” length for an employment gap per se as there are many valid reasons why you have been out of the workforce for a year — continuing education, raising a family, or dealing with an illness. Most HRs will view a 1-5 year gap in employment as a reasonable break. But longer gaps, think 5+ years, will likely warrant a more detailed explanation in your cover letter. 

How Do You Explain a Gap in Employment in a Cover Letter?

A cover letter is meant to complement your resume — highlight your strengths, showcase your motivation, and address some of the shortcomings such as an employment gap. The best place to clarify the gap in employment is the body of your cover letter. Think second or third paragraph. 

Here’s a sample cover letter structure you may want to go for:

• Introduction: Hook the reader with your motivation and key qualifications.  
• Second paragraph: Reiterate the main skill or experience you are bringing to the table.
• Third: Briefly address your employment gap and state why you are eager to get back on track. 
• Conclusion. End on a high note. Mention the value you can bring to the company or speak about your passion for the job at hand. 

Now let’s look at greater depth on how you can turn the above outline into a persuasive cover letter explaining the gaps in employment!

Be Direct When a Gap in Employment is Objectively Positive

Some gaps in employment are positive things. Even so, you still need to address them. Otherwise, a potential employer might make assumptions. Instead, take advantage of the opportunity to share something positive. Address your gap directly if you are a homemaker returning to work , received a fellowship to pursue an academic interest, taken a hiatus to do volunteer work, or worked on an independent project. Not only will this clear up any misunderstandings, but it could also be a positive addition to your application packet.

Some Gaps Can Be Ignored

Before you spend time worrying about an employment gap, ask yourself if you need to address the issue at all. For example, if you have five or more years of steady employment history, there’s no need to bring up a gap in employment before that. Likewise, you don’t need to mention gaps in employment that occurred while you were a college student. You can also ignore any gap that is less than six months. 

Finally, job hopping can be a problem, but it is not the same as having an employment gap. How you handle job-hopping really depends on the industry, and what you were doing at the time. For example, some fields like retail , hospitality, customer service , etc, tend to have a quick turnover, and employment periods tend to be shorter.

Add The Gap in The Closing Paragraph as a Power Move

If you can put a positive spin on a gap in employment, especially a recent one, add it to your closing paragraph. You can use the gap to tell prospective employers that you are now ready to move forward and do great things in your career.

For example, imagine that you are returning to work after studying for a year. You could close your cover letter by writing:

‘I was fortunate enough to spend the past year studying Organizational Psychology at Boston University. I am now ready to take the skills I have acquired and apply them as your new manager of human resources. I would love to meet with you to discuss your needs.’

Never Give Too Much Information

Remember that you are not obligated to share all of the details about a negative gap in employment. Keep in mind that a previous employer is likely to be pretty tight-lipped about a negative relationship with you unless it is something they are legally obligated to disclose. While you shouldn’t lie, you don’t have to go into great detail. 

For example, don’t go into detail about an ongoing personality conflict with a previous employer that culminated in a heated argument, and resulted in damaging your reputation on the local business scene. Instead, simply mention a difference in opinion or conflicting working styles that led to your decision to rethink your career options.

Employment Gap Cover Letter Sample in .docx Format

Download example (Word version)

Example Cover Letter Explaining a Gap in Employment – Text Format

Dear Ms. Wilkerson, 

I am writing this letter to apply for the position of General Manager of your San Diego restaurant division. I have ten years of restaurant management experience, before that, I worked in both fronts of the house and back of house positions in the fine-dining space on the west coast. I believe the experience I have closely mirrors what you need in a GM.

As someone who works in the food-service industry, I have a passion for catering people. That passion extends beyond providing delicious food to the customers who come into my venus. Because of this, I recently took a year-long hiatus to help create nutritional programs for schools in developing nations. In addition to being privileged to help others, I learned quite a bit about reducing food waste and working within a very stringent budget. I know that I can turn those skills into cost savings for any restaurant that I manage.

I am ready to jump back into the game and restart my career as a restaurant manager. I am confident that I am the perfect person to lead your restaurants in the San Diego area. Let’s meet to discuss this further!

Thanks for your time,

Jeffrey Ninja

How To Address a Gap in Employment? More Examples!

Still not sure how to compose the right narrative? Here are several quick snippets you can use in your cover letter:

Explaining a Gap in Employment Due to Family 

For the past three years, I’ve been serving as a Resident Home Educator, to my two kids, aged 6 and 9. While I’ve been out of my original career lane as a Communications Manager, I still practiced and developed my skills. Homeschooling my children have helped me improve my presentational skills and research skills. I’m now an expert in breaking down complex concepts into engaging short narratives and feel that this ability will help me find success in a new role as an Editorial Strategist with your firm. 

Explaining a Gap in Employment Due to Mental Illness

After successfully completing the $50 million M&A deal at my previous consulting firm, I decided to take a year off to restore my mental health. This time has also helped me reflect on my priorities and re-evaluate my career path, leading me to the idea of transitioning to a non-profit sector. I believe Charity Quest can greatly benefit from my past financial advisory experience to ensure better P&L management and cash flow. 

Explaining a Gap in Employment Due to Covid-19

I greatly enjoyed working at Nightime Lounge, where I served as a chief mixologist for the past 1.5 years and a half. The restaurant manager, James Welsh, can provide further reference on my performance. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, I was furloughed. However, I used my free time to create a YouTube channel and short cocktail mixology course with several signature recipes. You can review both on my website. 

How Do You Explain Gap Year in Cover Letter?

The easiest way to bring up your gap year is by briefly explaining what you did and what skills or experiences you’ve obtained along your journey. Don’t talk about the fun travel you did or lounge time you had. Instead, focus on the vocations, interests, and perhaps extra education that you’ve pursued along the way. 

Here’s a quick example of how to address a gap year in your cover letter:

“After completing my BS degree in Biology at Denver State University, I chose to take a gap year to reflect on my studies and determine which career path may work best for me. During that time, I volunteered with the West Coast Marine Savers and my experience lead me to discover my passion for water conservation. When I noticed an opening at your firm, I was excited to jump at the opportunity for applying.”

How to Explain Gaps in Employment Due to Disability?

Becoming temporary or permanently disabled can have a severe mental toll on you, which is understandable. But don’t let your doubts or negative emotions get into the way of your job search. Instead of treating (and thus speaking about) your disability as a weakness, merely acknowledge it as one of the facts. Then move on to highlighting some of your other strengths. 

Here’s a quick example of how you can address disability in your cover letter:

“ Two years ago, I got into a bad car accident and was left disabled for the following 1.5 months. Today, I have fully recovered mentally, yet still, have some difficulties walking. However, my condition in no way affects my ability to create user-friendly website designs and, specifically, material design applications.”

Final Tip: Keep it Brief, Yet Direct

Don’t make the mistake of drawing more attention to gaps in your employment than you need to. Your cover letter should focus on your skills, passions, and fit for the job. If you spend more than a couple of sentences over-explaining a gap in your work history, that’s going to be problematic. Be brief and matter of fact.

Other Cover Letter Samples

Convincing cover letter for law internship, a confident financial analyst cover letter example, a superb supervisor cover letter example, a detailed paraprofessional cover letter example.

A huge collection of cover letters created by a ninja team of writers and career advisors. Learn how to write, style and file cover letters that employers actually enjoy reading.

© Copyright 2023 Cover Letter Ninjas

• Privacy Policy
• Cookie Policy
• Terms and Conditions
• Disclosure Policy

How to Explain Gaps in Employment (With Examples)

By Biron Clark

Published: November 8, 2023

Interview Preparation | Resume/CV

Biron Clark

Writer & Career Coach

Explaining gaps in employment can be intimidating, but there are a couple of effective methods you can use. In this article, I’m going to show you how to explain employment gaps in your interviews, resume and cover letter … with word-for-word examples and sample explanations.

Let’s get started with the interview first…

Explaining Gaps In Employment In Your Interview

Explaining gaps in employment is really just about knowing what reasons are okay to share, and which ones you should tell a white lie about or not share. And then being upfront and comfortable with your answer.

These are all good sample reasons for having a gap in employment:

• Caring for a sick family member
• Caring for a young child
• Any medical or health issue
• Taking time off to relocate and find a job in a new state/city
• Pursuing further education or going back to school
• Pursuing any other type of professional training
• Taking time off to travel, study, work on a solo project, etc.
• Trying to start a business or freelance career
• You were laid off , your former company downsized, etc… and you had trouble finding a job after
• You were actively searching but had trouble finding a job (NOTE: I’ll cover this in detail later but you need to make it sound like you were being selective in your job search and waiting to find the RIGHT fit. That sounds a *lot* better than saying, “I was looking everywhere but couldn’t find a single company that would consider hiring me!”

Once you have your reason prepared… Here are the general steps to follow when explaining gaps in employment in the interview: 

• Explain the situation clearly but briefly. They don’t need a ton of personal details. Just give them the core facts.
• Show that the situation has ended or is no longer a factor, so they won’t be worried you’ll have to take another break from working. If they hire you, they want to know you’re 100% ready to work for them.
• Reiterate your interest in their position and bring the focus back onto this job interview and this position.

Examples Of How To Explain Employment Gaps In An Interview:

Sample explanation 1:

I had to resign from my previous position to care for an aging family member. I did this for the past year. Since then, my siblings and I have hired a full-time caregiver so I no longer need to be present, and am fully available to work now and in the future. So I’ve begun job searching and I’m focused on finding a sales supervisor or manager position that will help me advance my career further now.

Sample explanation 2:

I was laid off nine months ago. I started my job search immediately after, and I’m looking for sales supervisor or sales manager positions now to continue advancing my career. I’ve had a number of interviews but haven’t found the right fit yet. One thing I’m looking for is a chance to mentor and train team members, and manage a team directly. I saw that mentioned on the job description for this position… can you tell me more about that?

Two Things To Remember When Answering:

1. You need to sound like an in-demand job candidate…

If you’re explaining a current gap in employment, you need to sound like you’re being selective and that you’re focused on making sure you find the best fit for the long term, rather than just accepting the first job you come across. That’ll make a 6 month gap (or longer) sound a bit better. If you’ve been job hunting during your employment gap, you don’t want it to sound like you haven’t had a single interview in the last few months. That’s never a good idea. If your gap in employment is related to health, travel, a family member’s health, etc…. then it’s fine to say you haven’t had any interviews.

2. Be upfront and honest…

Gaps in employment happen, and good hiring managers will realize this. If you’ve made it into the interview, there’s obviously something they liked on your resume . So when it comes to explaining gaps in employment it’s best to be honest and upfront.

You probably won’t lose out on the job by explaining the situation. You will definitely lose out on the job by lying or seeming like you’re trying to cover something up.

Explaining Gaps In Employment On Your Resume

Okay, maybe you’re still writing your resume or having trouble getting interviews. How do you explain gaps in your employment on your resume so you can GET interviews in the first place?

Here are a few ways you can explain (or hide) gaps in employment:

• List years instead of months for previous positions. (e.g. “2014-2016”). I’ve used this method in the past when I had a couple of small gaps between jobs (by a small gap, I mean 2-3 months maximum). This won’t work if you have too many gaps though, or gaps longer than one year.
• If your gaps are longer or more frequent, consider providing a brief note on the resume listing your reason for the gap in employment. Just list it like any other job. Put your previous positions with the dates you held them. And for your gap, you’d have dates there too, and a one-line explanation (“I took a hiatus from work in order to care for an elderly family member in need”).

If you use these strategies, consider going onto LinkedIn and making the same changes there too. If these options don’t work for you, write a cover letter ! This is a good idea no matter what. In your cover letter, explain what happened in detail and draw their attention to the gap so that you can tell them the full story instead of allowing them to make assumptions (you’re usually better off attacking controversial topics head-on).

That’s how I’d explain gaps in employment on a resume. Also, nobody can tell you with 100% certainty what will work in your industry, with the specific circumstances of your gap in employment (dates, length, reason for the gap, etc.)

So TEST things out. Send out 10 resumes one way, and if nobody’s responding, change something up. If it’s not working, you can’t just keep doing the same things on auto-pilot. That’s how you end up not finding a job .

It’s usually better to be upfront than hide employment gaps

I always give the same resume advice to candidates with gaps in their work history: Be straightforward rather than trying to hide dates or other pieces of information. Hiring managers are usually going to be able to tell if you’re hiding something. Your resume should feature a chronological work history on the first page that includes job titles, company names, key responsibilities for each role, and yes… dates of employment.

No matter what you do, there are some employers out there who won’t like the fact that you have a gap in your employment. That’s okay… Companies like that aren’t worth your time. We’re human. Things happen. And there’s more to life than working nonstop for 40 years. So don’t get discouraged if a few companies say they’re not interested, or just don’t respond. I guarantee those are the same companies you do NOT want to work for anyway because they’re going to have horrible vacation policies, bosses who question you every time you take a sick day, etc.

Note: These Tips and Sample Explanations Will Also Work on Job Applications

Sometimes a job application will say, “please explain any gaps in employment.” The advice resume advice above also work for job applications. Follow the same “rules”, be clear and upfront, and you’ll be fine when applying for jobs.

The one adjustment I’d recommend making on job applications (and cover letters): Be clear and direct, but don’t give too much information. The only goal of your job application is to get you into the interview. If they’re concerned about employment gaps, they can ask more in the interview. And that’s where you should be very honest/open and explain things further. That’s where you can gauge their reactions, decide how much to share based on their responses, etc. You can’t do this in a written explanation.

So, by writing too much info on a job application, you might do more harm than good. It’s better to discuss this type of thing in person, so  limit your explanation to 1-2 sentences for each gap in employment on your job applications, cover letters, etc. 

Final Advice on How to Explain Gaps in Employment:

Don’t be apologetic about your work history. Taking time off is not something to be ashamed of. Not every company will want to interview you, but some will. Stand by your decisions and choices, present your skills with a straightforward (chronological) resume format , and be ready to answer questions and explain yourself further in the job interview.

Related reading:

• What to do when you can’t find a job in your field
• How to answer “Why did you leave your last job?”

About the Author

Read more articles by Biron Clark

20 thoughts on “How to Explain Gaps in Employment (With Examples)”

Monster’s report The Future of Work 2021 has shown that the employment gap is no longer considered a red flag by almost half of employers in the US. That’s a piece of good news because it indicates that the marketplace is becoming more tolerant of deviance in the workforce.

However, it doesn’t mean that the black holes on your career record will be overlooked. Rather, they will be carefully examined and objectively evaluated so that the right candidates are not going to slip through the cracks just because of an obsolete prejudice.

I’m in the same situation, was an IT contractor for a number of years, then jobs fell away after year 2000 work had finished, and employers would no longer consider me for permanent jobs due to the fact i’d been a contractor, I guess they assumed I’d just leave when the market picked up!

Long story short, mortgage to pay, no income, had to sell my house and downsize to a flat, and then used that to go into property development with friends which has now finished, and now trying to go back to my original career of software development, seems like an uphill impossible task at the moment, but glad to read your advice even if my “career break” is 18 years!

I’ve done a lot of similar temporary jobs, but had several months gap in the middle of them nearly everytime. I’ve had dozens of interviews everytime, always get them easily. Struggle with the interviews though because I have Aspergers’. When I have been successful with that before as soon as I’ve mentioned my Epilepsy I have very mildly too, several places have changed their minds then, stopped me. I keep getting asked more + more now why I’ve got so many long employment gaps, how am I supposed to answer that in a positive way?

I thought it was interesting that you didn’t list caring for young children as a valid reason for a gap in employment. Your tips were still helpful to me, though.

Good point. That’s also a valid reason (and a common one).

Thank you for posting this, I have a ton of different jobs and gaps because being a ex pipe welder I went where the work was, most of the world does not get it. Life is a roller coaster companies will be booming for a couple years then dead as a door nail. This write up really has helped me not to make my crazy work history look so crazy.

Why don´t you just say Sabbatical ? Regardless how long the gap was it provides a plausible explanation and each one fill out with their own reasons…

i have gap of 9 month due to my previous company boss is horrible ,its very much difficulty to survive, so i had reign and taken break of six month ,from last 3 month i have given interview but its not happening so what i suppose to give reason for gap. can you explain can you explain.

Thanks for the nice article. But I am looking for more the answers of where to write this gaps explanations in our cv. My current CV sections are sunsequently like, Experiences, Educations, Technical skills and language skills, Certifications. So I have currently two 6 months gap in my CV. First one was before I started to my current job. I learned german, So I was in intensive german course. Other 6 months is after my last job. And I was preparing for the some certification exams through self study and online courses. So the question, to which section should I write this gap explanations. Thanks a lot for the answers

If you’re explaining a gap in employment, you should write it in your employment history. You should have a section with your chronological work history. I know other people recommend a “Functional” resume and all sorts of other stuff to hide gaps but in my experience, it doesn’t work. You should be listing each previous role and job duties in chronological order, with the dates. (You can choose to show months and years, or just years). And then you can put something to explain gaps of employment right in that section of your resume.

Thanks Biron Clark for the answer. As I understood you right you adviced me to write my gap explanations directly to work experiences section even though they are not work experience actually. Correct me if I understood wrong. But what about writing them to directly their own section. For example I have a section in the second page of my CV which is “language skills” So I have here just written english (business fluent), german (business fluent). Can I put that times combining near it. like below English (business fluent) German (business fluent), MM/YYYY – MM/YYYY German Course…..

or are you still offering me to write in employment history? Thanks for the ideas

I haven’t yet found the situation that applies to me, for good reason – I had taken a leave of absence to pursue a master’s degree. My mother had been ill with cancer, and was in remission, and I had the opportunity, so I went. Before I was able to complete my thesis, the cancer returned, and she died. I was devastated, and needed to take time away from teaching, because I couldn’t give students what they needed. So, though I had found another job teaching, I wasn’t able to do it, and they released me from my contract. I had only taught for a couple of weeks. After a year, I decided that I needed a longer break, and I obtained my real estate broker’s license. Since that time, I have sold real estate, although I have also been a substitute teacher – one year, I subbed the entire year with another teacher. We split the position. It saved the district money, since they didn’t have to pay benefits with two half-time teachers. The year after, I taught half days for several weeks for a teacher with a bad back problem, and I’ve subbed occasionally since then. Now, I want to go back to teaching. I’m ready now. My grief over the death of my mother is complicated, and it really devasted me. I needed the time away from teaching, because it requires everything you have to give, and I needed time to heal. I have 19 years’ experience as a teacher, and I’ve accomplished some things I’m very proud of. I am now applying for teaching positions, and I need a way to explain the past 5.5 years away from teaching full-time without sounding maudlin, or whiny.

This was really handy, thank you.

Hello! I have been unemployed for 9 months. I left my company where i had worked for 4 years to take another offer. Unfortunatey, I did leave this new position afte over 1 month. The main reason is that it doesn’t fit with me as I had thought of it. I don’t know how to explain my employmen gap for the past 9 months positively. I feel very uncomfortable and hopeless.

“You were laid off, your former company downsized, etc… and you had trouble finding a job after”

That’s pretty much why I’m not employed for now. And yet no one wants to even interview me.

I have periods of “good” jobs I would be happy to include on my resume followed by low-level jobs that would get my resume tossed. These cycles correlate to how well I have been able to deal with my depression. I have been leaving those lower-level jobs off my resume and trying to explain away the gaps instead without referring to depression as an issue that has surfaced more than once. I feel fine at the moment, but this is a big problem moving forward.

I would really like advice on how to deal with this situation without lying or oversharing!

Hello, I totally agree with Kero. Indeed, there is more to life than working nonstop for 40 years. I appreciate for your article, now I feel more confident.

Hi !! I just want to say thank you for providing this article and share it with all of us . Im out of job for almost 2 years already despite had a good career background but after continue searching there is no luck so far . Im really touched by the last part of this “So don’t get discouraged if a few companies say they’re not interested, or just don’t respond. I guarantee those are the same companies you do NOT want to work for anyway because they’re going to have horrible vacation policies, bosses who question you every time you take a sick day, etc.” …The moment I read that I burst into tear. So thank you again to at least cheer me up and have hope again .

Thanks for taking the time to write this. I’m really happy to hear this helped you.

Comments are closed.

Employment Gap on a Resume - 13 Simple Ways to Explain It

Employment gaps are not uncommon, yet they’re quite scary. Mainly, that’s because recruiters assume the worst when they see them on a resume. 

In most cases, however, employment gaps are nothing to be scared of. There can be many justifiable reasons why someone has an employment gap, from going back to school and deciding to travel to taking time and caring for their growing children. 

So what we’re getting to here is this: employment gaps are not a big deal, as long as you know how to explain them well on your resume

To learn how to explain an employment gap on a resume, we’ve put together this guide for you. Here’s what we’ll cover:

13 Best Ways to Explain Employment Gaps

• Good Reasons for an Employment Gap

Sample Resume with Employment Gap

And more! So let’s dive right in! 

During your job hunt , you’ll have three separate chances to explain an employment gap:

• On your resume
• On your cover letter
• During your interview

To best convey the employment gap (and reasons behind it), you’ll need to touch on it in all 3. So below, we’ll explain the best way to explain an employment gap on your resume, cover letter, and during an interview:

6 Ways to Explain an Employment Gap on Your Resume

#1. be honest .

Your resume is the first thing that recruiters check, so it’s crucial that you’re honest! 

After all, you don’t want to omit a two-year-long employment gap from your resume, for example, only to have it be revealed during your interview. 

As such, it’s super important that you’re honest about your employment history - or lack thereof - right there on your resume. 

What’s important here is to understand that potential employers will find out about your employment gap - especially if it was a lengthy or recent one. As such, trying to hide it will only damage your application and give recruiters even more reason to believe you have something to hide. 

And, if you’re feeling anxious about it, remember that recruiters are also humans and will probably be understanding if you are straightforward about your employment gap - and about what caused it! 

#2. Remove the Employment Gap (If It’s Outdated)

Here’s some good news: if your employment gap is old, you can safely omit it from your resume entirely.

Say, for example, your employment gap is from 10 years ago. Chances are - especially if you’re a seasoned professional - that you won’t even be including jobs from 10 years ago on your resume. After all, you want your resume to be as relevant as possible (and stay within the recommended 1-page resume length). 

As such, it’s totally OK to omit employment gaps that stretch long before your recent employment history (or that are quite short, like 6-month-old employment gaps while you were between jobs). 

#3. Explain the Gap

When it comes to resumes, simply writing down the dates of your employment gap won’t cut it - it would only leave things open to recruiters’ interpretation. 

Take the following example:

Work Experience

Digital Marketer  Airfield Baumax  02/2012 - 04/2015

Marketing Assistant  Walmart 05/2007 - 07/2009 

The only thing that this candidate makes clear to recruiters is that he was not working for a 3-year period. Apart from that, recruiters have no way of knowing whether the employment gap was due to a valid reason or because the candidate decided to be a couch potato for some years.

This is why it’s better to actually write out the exact reason for the employment gap in-between your work experience entries.

Here’s an example that does it right:

07/2009 - 01/2012

From September 2009 to January 2012, I backpacked through Europe and East Asia. This had long been a goal of mine to achieve before turning 30.

#4. Take Advantage of a Different Resume Layout

If your employment gap is longer than just a few short months, you could benefit from using a different resume layout altogether. 

For example, the functional resume format and the combination format put more emphasis on your skills and competencies rather than on your work experience, which is a great way to shift focus from your employment gap. 

That said, taking advantage of a different resume layout does not mean you should omit the employment gap from your resume altogether . Lying is never the right way to go here, and will always end badly for you (even if you manage to get the job).

#5. Use Your Time Away Effectively 

If you’re suddenly in between jobs and are worried about how this will reflect on your future job applications, get proactive! 

Instead of simply explaining your future employment gap as a “career break” or “job searching,” start a personal project and create something more valuable to put on your resume. 

For instance, you can join one or more online courses related to your profession while you’re on a break from work, or start that project you always wanted to work on but never had the chance to! 

That way, you’ll have much more to talk about than simply stating you were looking for jobs or taking a self-discovery break and you’ll be effectively showing recruiters that you’re constantly growing - even outside the office!

#6.  Show That You Never Stopped Learning 

Highlighting your skills and acquired knowledge is also a great way to cover past employment gaps. Sure, you might’ve not been working, but you could’ve still been working on developing yourself as a professional or individual.

You could, for example, mention something like this on your resume to address your employment gap:

06/2012 - 09/2013

Took a year off my career to focus on personal and professional development. Over the duration of the year, I managed to:

• Start my own marketing blog.
• Read 20+ books about digital marketing.
• Attended 5+ networking events.

3 Ways to Explain Employment Gaps in Cover Letters

Want to go more in-depth into your employment gap? Your cover letter is your chance to do so. 

Unlike your resume, which barely leaves you 2-3 sentences worth of space to explain yourself, you can be way more comprehensive in your cover letter . 

Specifically, you can use the body of your cover letter to give more details about your employment gap.

Here are the best ways to do it:

• Give a valid explanation. The whole point of mentioning your employment gap on your cover letter is to justify it the best way you can. For example, if you had an accident, writing “took 1 year off work because of injury” won’t be as convincing as writing “took 1 year off work after a car accident that required me to do intense physiotherapy sessions to fully recover.” 
• Highlight new skills . Additionally, it’s super important to highlight any new skills acquired during your time off. The good thing about the cover letter is that you have a better chance of explaining the skills and what motivated you to acquire them (e.g. “due to organizational changes, I was laid off from my previous job. However, I used the time it took me to find a new job to catch up on industry-related trends and readings, get online certifications, and network with professionals in the field.”) 
• Don’t overshare. Last but not least, it’s important to know that just because you have more space on your cover letter it doesn’t mean you should overshare the details of your employment gap. If, for instance, you took a one-year break to deal with burnout , you don’t have to give too many details about how that went. So, instead of writing, “took a year off to recuperate from burnout, during which time I consulted 3 different therapists and several support groups,” you can just write “took one year off work to deal with work-related burnout and re-asses my professional goals.” If you think it’s important to share more information, talk about how you grew professionally not about what you went through personally. 

4 Ways to Explain Employment Gaps in Interviews 

If your resume and cover letter make a good impression, chances are you’ll be called for an interview. And, even if you have already explained your employment gap, there’s nothing keeping recruiters from asking you again about it. 

Here’s what you can do to address an employment gap during your interview effectively:

• Rehearse in advance. Your best bet is assuming that you will be asked about your employment gap. That way, you can take the time to prep your answer in advance and won’t be taken back if recruiters actually ask the questions during the interview . 
• DON’T badmouth your former employer. If your employment gap is due to getting fired, bashing your former employer won’t help you get a new position - if anything, it might make you look immature. Instead, try to highlight all the steps you took to bounce back from getting fired and show recruiters why you’re the ideal candidate for this position.
• Focus on what you did right. Now, if you lost your job unjustly (or due to reasons outside of your control), the way to make a great impression is to focus on how you were a stellar employee before the employment gap! That way, you can shift recruiters’ attention to your strengths, instead of simply telling them you lost your job and there wasn’t much you could do about it.
• Be confident. Sometimes, how you say things is just as important as what you say. If recruiters ask that you elaborate on your employment gap and you suddenly get super nervous about it, you’ll probably raise some serious red flags. So, make sure to polish your communication skills in advance and start your interview with a show of confidence. 

Here is an example of how you can address your employment gap during an interview:

Unfortunately, I lost my job due to cuts within the company. During the time I was looking for jobs, I took online courses to hone my skills, stayed updated with all industry trends and developments, and focused on my mental wellbeing. I am now in perfect shape to put all I learned into practice throughout my new endeavors. 

7 Good Reasons For an Employment Gap

There can be countless reasons behind an employment gap and, as long as it’s not related to something like, say, jail time, it shouldn’t hinder your chances of getting employed.

That said, here are some great examples of good reasons for an employment gap:

• Family reasons. Family is super important and most recruiters are guaranteed to be understanding if your employment gap is due to family-related issues. What’s important here is to show that whatever family reason you had for taking time off work, it’s over now (e.g. if you took time off to raise your kids, make a point explaining they’re all grown up and off to school now).
• Self-discovery. Did you take some time off work to redefine your life path and career choices? That’s totally OK - as long as you can convince recruiters that you now have your answers and won’t be leaving this job again after a year or two.
• Illness. Any illness you may have suffered that’s hindered you from working is a totally legitimate reason to explain your employment gap. Just make sure to mention you’re recovered and fully able to work.
• Injury. Just like with illnesses, injuries that render you incapable of work are perfectly fine reasons to explain an employment gap, so mention them without hesitation.
• Failed business or initiative. You may be hesitant to mention a failed startup or business initiative as the reason behind your employment gap, but there’s no reason to! If anything, it shows you have initiative and aren’t scared to act on it. So, as long as you show recruiters how you bounced back, you shouldn’t hide this valid reason.
• Burnout. The World Health Organization defines burnout as an occupational phenomenon that can take a serious toll on someone’s physical and mental health. As such, don’t hesitate to tell recruiters that you took some time off to improve your well-being after experiencing burnout in the workplace .
• Education. No one minds an employee who’s always looking to expand their knowledge, so if you took a break from work to get another degree, go ahead and mention that on your resume.

7 Other Resume Resources

Building a strong resume is hard enough without having to explain an employment gap. Struggling with other aspects of building a resume? Check out some of our top resources: 

• How to Write a Resume . The ULTIMATE beginner’s guide on how to make a resume in 2024. Includes tops of tips, resume examples, and more.
• Free Resume Templates . Want to avoid the hassle of formatting your resume from scratch? Just pick one of our 8 free resume templates and get started with your resume within minutes.
• Career Change Resume . Is your employment gap due to a career change? Learn how to write an awesome career change resume with these 9+ examples.
• What to Put on a Resume . Here are the most important sections to put on your resume and win the job.
• Resume Tips and Tricks . This article covers every single practical resume tip you’ll ever need to create a compelling CV.
• Essential Resume Skills . Want to stand out from other applicants? You’ll need to include the right skills on your resume. This article covers the most in-demand skills in 2024.
• Resume Examples . Struggling to write a resume for your field? This article covers resume examples for almost all popular roles in 2024, including jobs in IT, marketing, healthcare, and more.

FAQ on Employment Gaps 

Do you still have some questions on everything employment gap-related? Find your answers below!

#1. How long is too long of an employment gap?

Any employment gap on your resume that you can’t explain to recruiters can cast a shadow on your job application. 

That said, shorter periods of employment gaps (e.g. time between jobs, illness or injury recovery, etc.) are much more acceptable than, say, 3-year-long gaps in your recent work history. 

So, while there is no specific time limit for a super long employment gap, the longer it is, the harder it will be for recruiters to ignore it.

#2. Is an employment gap bad?

That entirely depends on the reason behind your employment gap. 

If your employment gap is due to illness, failed business, family emergency, and the like, then an employment gap is definitely not bad! All you need to do is be honest with the recruiters and prove that you’re a trustworthy employee. 

That said if your employment gap comes from less socially acceptable reasons, like serving time for a crime or being away in rehab, your employment gap will be more difficult to explain - and, in turn, can be more harmful to your job application.

#3. How do you explain a gap in employment due to being a stay-at-home parent?

Taking time off work to be a stay-at-home parent falls under family-related reasons for an employment gap. 

The best way to explain such an employment gap is to write down the exact period you were off, titling it as a “planned career break.” Underneath, you can include one or two sentences on why you took it (e.g. took three years off work to care for my growing children, who are now in elementary school). 

On top of that, you can also mention any personal projects or other work-related experiences you had over that period. For example, if you took some online classes or started a personal project, that’s a great way to inform recruiters that you weren’t completely idle during your employment gap.

#4. How do you explain a gap in employment due to COVID-19?

The COVID-19 pandemic cost 114 million people to lose their jobs over 2020. So, if you were infected and quarantined due to COVID-19 (or if you were unlucky and had more severe health issues due to the virus), then note that on your resume as an “illness-related employment gap” or simply due to COVID-19.  

In one or two sentences, you can explain you had to take a break from work due to COVID-19 and that you’re now fully recovered and ready to work again.

Similarly, if you were working for a business that got impacted due to COVID-19 (such as an airline company) you can, in one sentence, mention you were laid off due to the impact of the pandemic and mention what you did in the meanwhile to find a job or hone your skills. 

#5. Why do employers not like gaps in employment?

Employers don’t like gaps in employment when said gaps are due to criminality, abuse or addiction, or simple laziness. In such a case, employers assume you’re not a reliable employee and that you may demonstrate the same patterns of behavior while working for them.

On the other hand, if there is a reasonable explanation for your employment gap, employers won’t think twice about hiring you, as long as you’re a good fit for the job.

Key Takeaways 

And that’s a wrap! By now, you should know everything about employment gaps and how to tackle them so they don’t hurt your job application.

Before you go, here are the main points covered in this article:

• There are three places where you can explain an employment gap: on your resume, cover letter, and during your job interview. 
• To explain an employment gap on a resume, be honest, elaborate on the gap, show that you never stop learning, or use a different resume layout to remove the gap altogether. 
• Explain an employment gap on your cover letter by highlighting new skills and offering a valid explanation as to why you took it. 
• If you have to explain your employment gap during your interview, rehearse in advance, show confidence, and don’t badmouth your former employer. 
• Some valid reasons for an employment gap are family reasons, illnesses, and injuries, taking time to discover yourself or pursue your education, and even a failed business.

To provide a safer experience, the best content and great communication, we use cookies. Learn how we use them for non-authenticated users.

Please enter the email address for your account and then press the reset button.

This password does not match. Please try again.

Please check your inbox and follow the instructions in the email.

We transform work lives

How to Address Employment Gaps in Your Cover Letter

By: Sean Fitzpatrick

Use your cover letter to explain the employment gaps in your work history and allay any concerns your potential employers may have about your readiness for the job.

If you’ve been in the workforce for a while, chances are you’ve probably experienced at least one employment gap in your work history. Legitimate events may have kept you out of the workforce for some time. You may have been laid off, experienced an illness, taken care of a family member, traveled, or changed careers.

If you have gaps in your employment history, your potential employers might have some questions about these gaps. Their skepticism is reasonable. Most employers would rather avoid candidates who seem to be “job hoppers” or who have a history of job loss due to poor performance. If you’ve spent some time on the sidelines, they’ll want to know why.

Use your cover letter to address the employment gaps that may show up in your resume. Here’s how.

Express your employment dates in years.

In your “work experience” section of your resume, list the start and end years only, not the months or days. This will spark fewer concerns that you’ll need to explain away.

Mention non-family-related gaps directly.

In your cover letter, directly address that gaps that you’re comfortable discussing. For example, if you left your job to start a business, but it never got off the ground, share this proudly. A bold move like this showcases your willingness to take risks and try new things. The same applies to overseas volunteering, artistic endeavors, and other career side-trips that might showcase your strengths as an employee.

Keep family-related gaps to yourself.

While you may openly address your professional gaps in employment, it’s best to keep your personal gaps to yourself. For example, if you left the workforce to raise your children, you don’t have to share this with anyone. In fact, the law protects you from employers who ask during an interview. In cases such as these, keep the conversation focused on your qualifications and skill sets.

Highlight your mid-life career shifts.

If your employment gaps took place when you decided to switch career paths, build your cover letter around this narrative. Explain the reasons behind your decision. Outline the details of your journey from one field to the next. If your new career involved any kind of study or training that took the place of full-time work, state this clearly. Again, be proud of the risks you’ve taken and the accomplishments you achieved by leaving the workplace for a while.

If you really were fired, be careful.

If you did leave the workforce for a while due to performance or unreliability, tread carefully. In this case, it’s best to refrain from mentioning your employment gap in your letter (and in your interview) until you’re directly asked about it. When that happens, be ready to shed a positive, diplomatic light on the incident and explain what you learned during the process.

For more on how to explain your work history to potential employers, rely on the tools and guidelines from LiveCareer .

By Randall S. Hansen

We embrace technology, think beyond the norm, fearlessly try new things, and live and breathe to make a difference in others’ lives.

Fortune favors the BOLD.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING

“great opportunity for go-getter”, “great place to work”, “i love working at bold”, let’s get social.