Explaining the gaps in your CV
By Danny Chadburn 
There are many reasons why your CV may have certain areas where the dates don’t quite match up. The key to making sure these don’t cause your CV to let you down at the first stage is to make sure these gaps can be explained in a positive manner.
Any employer would be rightfully sceptical about a CV which resembles a block of Swiss cheese. They’re likely to expect the worst so it’s your job to make sure they don’t jump to their own conclusions. Many employers will have experienced time away from work themselves and will understand your situation and appreciate the honesty.
Extended Holidays
We all need a break at some point in our careers and companies now see the benefits these experiences can bring to your career rather then viewing them as ‘wasted time’. Communication and organisation skills are both key skills in any workplace so express how your break helped you to develop in these areas. Any languages you may have picked up will also be a major bonus.
Family Commitments
Whether it’s maternity leave, time-off to look after an ill relative or a break to deal with bereavement, any employer with a heart will understand a quick explanation of this type of gap. There’s no need to go into any real detail as essentially it’s none of their business. If you’re quizzed about this in an interview and believe they are looking at you unfavourably because of it, it’s worth considering whether you want to work for the company at all.
Prison Time
A very tricky subject to cover and one which your local Citizens Advice Bureau will be able to assist you with. At the present time, there are no specific laws regarding discrimination of ex-prisoners. However, employers are likely to be more understanding if you used your time inside to gain a new qualification or learn a new skill that would help your career.
Nothing in the Market
There are certain times when no matter what you do, you just can’t get a job. This is more common than you may think and as long as you put a positive spin on this experience you won’t come across as lazy or unmotivated. By suggesting you were “waiting for the right opportunity to come along”, employers may even get the impression that you were in demand and turned down a few offers before selecting the right role.
As you only usually put in the rough months you were employed, you can often mask up to eight weeks away from work without raising any eyebrows. If you left a role on March 1st and didn’t begin your next job until April 30th, you’re well within your rights to list the dates as ending in ‘March’ and starting in ‘April’.
The one think you should really shy away from is any half-truths or blatant lies when explaining your gaps, and this doesn’t just mean dates of employment which your potential employer can easily verify.
Trying to get the sympathy vote by saying you were volunteering to build an orphanage in Malawi when you’ve never left the comfort of these shores could put you in some serious hot water.
After stripping away the main points of a job description, essentially all employers are looking for is somebody who is reliable and will show commitment to their job. A gap in your CV is only a gap if you don’t mention what you were up to.
