ISEEK Interactive

How to Describe Gaps in Employment

A gap in employment is a period of months or years in which one was not employed. An employment gap is caused by situations such as the inability to find work, going back to school, or serving a prison sentence. It will appear on your resume when you list your job experience. Employment gaps are red flags for employers. If they see one on your resume, they will most likely ask about it during your interview.

Here are some tips on how to minimize the impact of your employment gap:

• Use a functional resume. This type of resume highlights skills and accomplishments rather than chronology of employment. It will help cover up any employment gaps you may have.

• Get creative when you format your resume. When typing the dates of your past employment, use a smaller font for the dates and do not bold them. Include a summary section or an “other achievements” sections to show what you were doing during your employment gap and to draw attention away from your employment dates.

• Omit a past job on your resume. You do not have to include your entire employment history on your resume, especially if omitting a past job will help hide an employment gap.

• Explain in the cover letter. Doing so will prevent you from being screened out before you receive an interview. Be honest. The employer will probably want you to explain further in an interview.

• Highlight the positive. When explaining your employment gap during an interview, make sure you explain all the positive things you did during that gap. For example, if it applies to you, tell the employer that while you were incarcerated you received you GED or learned a trade.

This article is a part of the STEP AHEAD Workbook (pdf), a collaboration of Goodwill/Easter Seals of Minnesota and ISEEK. STEP AHEAD helps job seekers with felony convictions and other criminal charges know their work options, set goals, get training, and be successful in their job search.

Hiring Difficulties for Information Technology Occupations

The newest survey from Minnesota’s Labor Market Information Office explores hiring difficulties through in-depth interviews with employers about their experience filling (or not filling) recently open positions. The most recent findings track Information Technology (IT) occupations, including software developers and computer support specialists.

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‘Fake’ Online Application Helps Job Seekers Practice

It’s hard to avoid using a computer when applying for most jobs. Many companies require a person either complete an application on the company website, or use an on-site computer kiosk instead of filling out a paper application. Making mistakes when completing an online application could keep you from getting an interview.

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Education Pays

Each year, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) produces a chart showing median weekly earnings and unemployment rates by level of education. The trend is always the same: as your educational level increases your wages are likely to grow and your chances of being unemployed declines. But for college bound students or recent college graduates, does it matter what you study?

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Are Skills Scarce?

If 2012 saw the biggest increase in Minnesota job openings since 2005, not all opportunities led to job creation. Some employers faced difficulties filling vacant positions, while others were still reluctant to commit to hiring and preferred waiting for the ideal job candidate to come along. The apparent contradiction between the availability of jobs and the inability of employers to fill them led some commentators to point to “skills gaps” as a major constraint to employment recovery after the Great Recession.

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Just for Veterans – Networking and Career Events

This Memorial Day week, it’s important to remember the many Minnesota veterans who have bravely and proudly served this county. Networking and career events can help veterans in career transition get back to work.

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