Human Resources

The pandemic rages on. Life has even seemed to get back to normal in a few areas around the country. However, despite the unemployment rate lowering, there are still many people who have been without a job since the beginning of the shutdown and others who have lost their jobs in the recent months because of their companies downsizing due to prolonged shutdowns. We know everyone has looming questions outside of “How do I find a job?” I have been unemployed for several months. How do I address the gap in my resume? If I get an interview, what do I tell them I have been doing during my unemployment? Let’s first discuss the resume gap. While it might feel odd having nothing filling in your resume for the last several months, do not sweat it. You are not alone. Employers and HR professionals alike are having to overlook this for the foreseeable future. This leads to the next question regarding how to discuss that gap during an interview. If asked what you have been doing, it is perfectly acceptable to answer that you have been sheltering in place and spending time with your family. You are not required to give more information than that. In this challenging time in our history, the silver lining is that many of us are getting more time with our family. However, it will always look good if you have been bettering yourself in some way. Whether you worked on your at-home baking skills, took online yoga classes, or one of any number of free online education courses available, something showing that you have been bettering yourself is always a good look.  If you have been spending time, protecting yourself and your family during the shutdown, that is a perfectly legitimate answer, but if you have the time and ability to pick up a new skill, it can only help you.

The pandemic rages on. Life has even seemed to get back to normal in a few areas around the country. However, despite the unemployment rate lowering, there are still many people who have been without a job since the beginning of the shutdown and others who have lost their jobs in the recent months because of their companies downsizing due to prolonged shutdowns. We know everyone has looming questions outside of “How do I find a job?” I have been unemployed for several months. How do I address the gap in my resume? If I get an interview, what do I tell them I have been doing during my unemployment? Let’s first discuss the resume gap. While it might feel odd having nothing filling in your resume for the last several months, do not sweat it. You are not alone. Employers and HR professionals alike are having to overlook this for the foreseeable future. This leads to the next question regarding how to discuss that gap during an interview. If asked what you have been doing, it is perfectly acceptable to answer that you have been sheltering in place and spending time with your family. You are not required to give more information than that. In this challenging time in our history, the silver lining is that many of us are getting more time with our family. However, it will always look good if you have been bettering yourself in some way. Whether you worked on your at-home baking skills, took online yoga classes, or one of any number of free online education courses available, something showing that you have been bettering yourself is always a good look.  If you have been spending time, protecting yourself and your family during the shutdown, that is a perfectly legitimate answer, but if you have the time and ability to pick up a new skill, it can only help you.

The pandemic rages on. Life has even seemed to get back to normal in a few areas around the country. However, despite the unemployment rate lowering, there are still many people who have been without a job since the beginning of the shutdown and others who have lost their jobs in the recent months because of their companies downsizing due to prolonged shutdowns. We know everyone has looming questions outside of “How do I find a job?” I have been unemployed for several months. How do I address the gap in my resume? If I get an interview, what do I tell them I have been doing during my unemployment? Let’s first discuss the resume gap. While it might feel odd having nothing filling in your resume for the last several months, do not sweat it. You are not alone. Employers and HR professionals alike are having to overlook this for the foreseeable future. This leads to the next question regarding how to discuss that gap during an interview. If asked what you have been doing, it is perfectly acceptable to answer that you have been sheltering in place and spending time with your family. You are not required to give more information than that. In this challenging time in our history, the silver lining is that many of us are getting more time with our family. However, it will always look good if you have been bettering yourself in some way. Whether you worked on your at-home baking skills, took online yoga classes, or one of any number of free online education courses available, something showing that you have been bettering yourself is always a good look.  If you have been spending time, protecting yourself and your family during the shutdown, that is a perfectly legitimate answer, but if you have the time and ability to pick up a new skill, it can only help you.