I’ve been in two situations where I’ve been unemployed for 2.5 years and 10 months, respectively.
It didn’t hurt me. It is all about Mindset. If I don’t view it as a problem, I don’t give the recruiter a chance to do so either.
Also, I like to call the gap a ‘transition’. There is a study that says words we use hugely impact how we think and feel about ourselves. Gap has a negative connotation, where as transition signifies change, evolution, progress.
Now time for some examples:
address the gap in the cv if you can. I’ve seen people do it in a creative way. For example, in my case, we had moved to a new continent and I called that period ‘Latin America immersion’ and explained it as a transition period to look for my next move.
Another example I saw someone take: “career pause: establishment of a home in several overseas destinations, whilst maintaining a strong family foundation to raise two children”
For a longish maternity break, I’ve seen the following: “brought life into the world. Singlehandedly Oversaw end to end care towards health of a new born”. Anyone with a child will know this is one of the hardest things.
Show how the period was productive and what you learnt. In accounting it could be useful to show you’ve kept up with current affairs in banking and accounting law, for example.
By addressing it in a positive way in the cv, the recruiter doesn’t get a chance to doubt you, and you look like you’ve got nothing to hide. Win win.
If with this attitude, the recruiter still has a problem with your ‘gap’, it’s their loss. They’re not worth your time.
