How to Handle The Covid Gap Conversation
March 2, 2021
This past year introduced new challenges that many of us were not prepared for. Whether you were temporarily laid off or lost your job altogether, these unplanned changes caused us all to pause. We thought, “now what,” and “how will I explain the gap in my employment to my next employer?” When you think about your next interview, and YES, there will be one, keep a few things in mind:
Be Prepared To Talk About It
Be Prepared To Talk About It
Having a gap on your resume won’t prevent you from moving through the interview process, but potential employers will expect an explanation. Take time to reflect on why you lost your job, how you feel, and how you looked ahead. Reflecting on the past and speaking on moving forward is a characteristic that a new employer will want to see. Practice talking about the gap so you can project confidence and positivity.
What did you do during your time off?
Adapting to change and figuring out what to do with yourself doesn’t happen overnight. Speak to what you did and how that has benefited you as time moved forward. Did you:
- Work on yourself – mental or physical health
- Take care of family members who needed support during the pandemic
- Take a course to stay engaged and keep up with your industry
- Interact with peers via forums, Linked In, or Zoom meetings
- Take on freelance work, a volunteer or community position
- Take advantage of the unexpected time off to self-reflect about your career and the path ahead
The biggest takeaway is what you had learned when you were unemployed and how it can be applied to your next career move.
Be transparent and confident
One tried, and true thing is confidence speaks volumes. Speak your truth and tell your story. If a future employer cannot understand what happened to our world in the last year and how it may have affected your employment, do you want to work there? Yes, it is uncomfortable speaking about employment gaps, but you are not alone. Being prepared for whatever comes your way. Having confidence in the skills you have attained during your gap will go a long way.
If you are looking for your next great opportunity, check out our Career Opportunities
page and register as a candidate for future consideration – we would love to work with you!
A story about 2 Entrepreneurs seeking to foster a culture of positivity together
The harsh sting of a sudden layoff often leaves folks with unanswered questions & untimely stress