Explaining employment gaps on your CV

Seeing a gap on your CV can feel like a glaring red flag. Many candidates worry that a period of unemployment—whether it was for six months or two years—will automatically send their application to the "no" pile.

The good news is that employment gaps are far more common and far less stigmatised than they used to be. The modern career path is rarely a straight, uninterrupted line. Employers understand that life happens. Redundancies, family commitments, health issues, or a simple desire to travel are all valid reasons for taking a break.

The key is not to hide the gap, but to own the narrative. Here is how to explain career breaks with confidence.

Be honest and proactive

The worst thing you can do is try to disguise a gap with clever formatting or vague dates. Recruiters will spot it, and it will raise questions about your honesty.

Instead, address it head-on. On your CV, you can include a simple, one-line entry to account for the time. For example: "Planned Career Break for Travel (Jan 2024 – Dec 2024)" or "Family Sabbatical (June 2023 – Present)". This shows you have nothing to hide and controls the story right from the start.

Frame the time positively

A gap in employment does not have to mean a gap in personal growth. The most effective way to explain a break is to focus on what you gained from the experience, rather than the fact that you weren't working.

• If you were travelling: Highlight the soft skills you developed, such as adaptability, budgeting, planning, and cultural awareness.

• If you were caring for a family member: Emphasise the organisational skills, resilience, and time management required to handle those responsibilities.

• If you were made redundant: Focus on the proactive steps you took afterwards. Did you take an online course, attend industry webinars, or do some freelance consulting? Show that you used the time to re-evaluate your career goals and upskill.

You don't need to write an essay, but a bullet point or two showcasing the value of that time can turn a potential negative into a positive.

Focus on your readiness to return

When discussing the gap in an interview, keep your explanation brief and positive, and pivot quickly to the future. Your goal is to reassure the employer that the reason for the break is in the past and you are now fully recharged and ready for a new challenge.

For example, you might say: "I took some time out to manage a personal health matter, which is now fully resolved. I used that time to complete a certification in [relevant skill], and I am now energized and excited to return to a full-time role like this one."

Ultimately, confidence is key. If you are apologetic or defensive about a career break, an interviewer will sense it. But if you own your story and can articulate the value of your experiences outside of the workplace, you will demonstrate a maturity and self-awareness that is highly attractive to employers.