When actively seeking for employment, your CV is the most vital tool to market yourself to potential employers. After all, it is the first impression that you make, and it ought to stand out if you’re to attract the attention of recruiters. But it could be the last if you have an employment gap in your resume.
While there are numerous reasons behind a work history gap like taking a gap year, it should never give you fear while seeking employment or during an interview. Now more than ever, you can minimize the damage these gaps cause to your resume without going through a lot. That’s especially when you already know why take a gap year.
Having said that, below are some of the ways to make employment gaps less obvious on a resume.
Highlight New Experiences in Your Resume
Finding yourself in between jobs does not mean the end of the road or your career. Regardless of the reason behind this, be sure to use your time productively to avoid falling down the pecking order when searching for a new employment opportunity. That way, you will remain focused and give HR managers something to talk about when applying for a job position.
To pull this off successfully, be sure to take courses, partake in freelancing work, or volunteer. You can then highlight these experiences on your CV to stand out from the crowd. Remember to include the experiences you would do with any other job position you land.
Use a Combination CV
While it’s quite tempting to use a chronological CV to fill employment gaps, you’re better off using a combination resume. Thanks to this type of CV, you can list all your skills and achievements before the experience using actual dates. To hook HR managers and recruiters into your resume, be sure to use memorable words when writing a profile section.
Don’t allow lack of understanding of why take a gap year be the underlying reason behind an inexperienced CV. Be sure to factor in the above and other tips to fix this issue once and for all.
