Yes, I've Had Gaps In My Employment
History--What Can I Do About It?
1. Honestly, there is not a single person
who has not had SOME gaps in their
work history. Anyone who says differently
is someone who might not always tell the
truth.
2. So, you, job seeker have had some
employment gaps in your career/work life.
What to do? What to do?
3. Sit down and write out what you did
during your time of unemployment. Most
people who are out of work do NOT spend
all of their not working time in front of a TV!
What you did is a measure of what your
values and interests are. If you loafed,
where did you do your loafing? Reading,
baking, driving, hanging out? WHAT DID
YOU DO AND WHY DID YOU DO IT?
4. Condense these periods of unemployment
to look for a pattern. If you were "laid off"
a few times, what jobs were you doing and why
were you "laid off"? Look for skills that you
used with employment gaps. There is
always a pattern of some sort when Mr. or
Ms Job Seeker is not looking.
5. By making sense of these gaps to and for
potential new employers, you can capitalize
on them to present yourself in a new light.
Example: If you started a home based
business while you were unemployed, but
it failed, you can still be known as someone
willing to take risks; someone
who can see failure as something to not
be ashamed of. How many employers
could sympathize with you? Many, I would
guess. Failing and learning from it, is a
SKILL.
6. Put those unemployment gaps together
Mr. or Ms Job Seeker as if you had found
gold on a scrap heap. The gaps still
represent you, put them in your resume
and use them in an interview.
7. You might want to do these differently on
your next "not working gig." Put yourself to
work on yourself, the next time around!
Marilyn J. Tellez, M.A.
Certified Job & Career Transition Coach
Phone: (509) 469-3514
Email: doitnow@nwinfo.net
Web: http://www.doitnowcareers.info
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