Resume gaps are never pleasant to disclose – they highlight the weakest points in your professional career and don’t offer any explanation as to why they occurred. Hiring managers are aware that most people have these gaps between different occupations due to variety of reasons, and during an interview, candidates can easily justify their side of the story in a reasonable way – but this is not a luxury one gets to enjoy while submitting a resume that only speaks for itself.

We clearly know the downsides of not being honest on a resume, and we also know that without a justification in their minds, hiring managers would most likely count resume gaps as an unfavorable factor while conducting a hiring process.

So how would one go about justifying this void in professional activity when asked about it during an interview? We have come up with a few of the most effective ways to deal with such a situation.

Emphasize on Why You Left Your Last Job

Every gap has a beginning and an end – employers are always curious about what initiated the issue, starting with what lead to you leaving an organization without any preplanning. It is best to tell your story as it happened, while focusing on the factors which caused your predicament. You do not have to fabricate events – hiring managers are more inclined to be pleased with the bitter truth rather than listening to a make-belief version of events. Don’t forget, these people have heard it all during their time, and it is their job to identify whether or not your story checks out or not.

Highlight How You Enhanced Your Professional Standing During the Gap

Be sure to highlight any activities that contributed towards your professional growth during the time – seminars, training workshop, online courses and freelancing are always going to come to your rescue. It is beneficial for you to work on developing your talents even if you happen to be in between jobs and it allows hiring managers to understand that you did not rust-out during the time you did not hold up any job.

Be Positive About Why You Left Your Last Job

We understand that parting with previous employers can not always be smooth sailing. Even if there was unpleasantness surrounding the nature of your departure, don’t bring it up during an interview at another organization. The idea is to start fresh while maintaining professional integrity – while it may feel good to vent out your side of the story in front of a competitor company, the whole sentiment can be taken in poor taste by listeners, and for good reason. Being able to move on from a troublesome relationship with a previous organization may take time, but it is in your best interest to deal with such situations maturely and professionally.

Remember, always be honest!

Also Read: Things You Should Never Bring Up During an Interview!