How to Talk About Employment Gaps With Confidence

If you’re taking the next step in your career this year and you’re already aware of a glaring gap in your employment history, don’t panic. You’re not alone, and you’re probably not at as much of a disadvantage as you’d think. Realistically, career timeline breaks are very common.

Around 62% of employees say they’ve had a gap at some point in their career. Sometimes they result from personal circumstances, health issues, or deciding to dive back into your education. Other times, they’re a side-effect of something you can’t control, like the pandemic or a company restructure.

It’s natural to feel nervous about explaining these gaps to a potential employer, especially in a competitive job market. These days, more employers notice them and want to understand the reason behind them. But with the right preparation, discussing an employment gap doesn’t have to feel like revealing a secret. In fact, your story might make you more appealing.

Here’s how to approach career gaps with clarity and confidence.

The Job Market Reality: Gaps Are Commonplace

The traditional linear career path is becoming outdated. Most people don’t move neatly from one role to the next anymore. Career pauses, pivots, and changes are normal.

Breaks in employment are now often the result of shifting priorities, unexpected life events, or the need to reset. The good news is that many employers understand this. They’re increasingly open to hearing honest and purposeful explanations.

That said, some employers may still expect a more detailed conversation, especially in industries with long hiring cycles. What matters most is how you tell your story – with confidence, honesty, and growth in mind.

Types of Employment Gaps and How to Talk About Them

Employment gaps happen for lots of different reasons. The key to addressing them is knowing how to explain the break clearly, based on your situation.

Family-Related Gaps (e.g. Parental Leave or Caregiving)

You might worry that an employer will question your availability, but don’t underestimate the life skills you gained. Maybe you learned how to stay organised under pressure or strengthened your empathy and patience – all valuable in the workplace.

These experiences often build emotional strength, resilience, and a deeper understanding of people – all qualities that many employers truly value.

Health-Related Gaps (For Yourself or a Family Member)

It’s okay to keep personal details private. Focus on the fact that you’re ready to re-engage and bring resilience, self-awareness, and motivation back to your role.

Time spent supporting your own or someone else’s wellbeing can shape your perspective, emotional intelligence, and maturity – strengths that are often overlooked but highly transferable.

Education or Retraining Gaps

Upskilling is one of the easiest breaks to explain. It shows initiative. Just make sure you link what you learned to the role you’re pursuing. If you’ve changed direction, explain how you stepped back to reassess and prepare for what’s next.

Voluntary Breaks

Taking time out for yourself doesn’t make you less committed. It can recharge your energy and perspective. Talk about what you gained – whether that was life experience, focus, or renewed clarity – not just what you stepped away from.

Layoffs and Economic Downturns

These are very common now. What matters is what you did during that time. Did you take a course, do consulting work, volunteer, or network? Show that you stayed proactive despite the setback.

Pre-Interview: How to Tackle Gaps on Your Resume

You don’t have to wait until an interview to explain a gap. Your resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile all play a part in telling your story.

Update Your Resume and Cover Letter

If you’ve had multiple breaks, consider a skills-based or functional resume format. It focuses more on what you can do than when you did it.

If you stick with a chronological format, reduce date emphasis and highlight how you stayed productive. Mention volunteering, certifications, part-time freelancing, or anything relevant.

Use your cover letter to briefly acknowledge the gap, share what you gained, and show your enthusiasm for the new opportunity.

Optimise Your Online Brand

Most employers will check your LinkedIn profile, so make sure it reflects your resume. LinkedIn now lets you list career breaks – such as “Parental Leave” or “Professional Development” – with a short explanation.

Consistency is key. If your story is clear across platforms, employers are more likely to trust it.

Watch Out for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)

Many companies use ATS software to screen resumes before a human ever sees them. Unexplained gaps can trigger red flags, so make sure to:

• Use keywords from the job ad
• Include any relevant activity during gap periods (learning, consulting, volunteering)
• Avoid long blanks with no explanation

A strong resume helps you make it through screening and sets the stage for a better conversation.

How to Talk About Gaps During an Interview

Interviews can be nerve-wracking, but being prepared makes all the difference.

Get Clear on Your Story

Reflect on your gap in advance. What happened? What did you learn? How did you grow?

There’s no need to get defensive – just be honest and structured. Try using the PAR method:

• Problem: Briefly state the reason
• Action: What you did, learned, or achieved
• Result: How you’re better prepared today

Emphasise Transferable Skills and Value

Career breaks often build soft skills that matter. You might’ve become more emotionally intelligent, resilient, or organised. Link those to the job you’re targeting and pivot back to what you’re ready to offer now.

Tackle Concerns Upfront

If you’ve been out of the industry for a while, some employers may worry your knowledge is outdated. Address this proactively. Talk about online courses, events, or professional reading you’ve done.

You could even come armed with insights about current trends – this shows that you’re proactive and ready to contribute.

Turning a Career Gap Into a Strength

Stop thinking of your employment gap as a flaw. It’s part of your story and may have shaped you in valuable ways. Reframe it by showing how you’ve grown.

• Highlight new skills – whether technical or soft
• Show proactivity – courses, volunteering, networking, projects
• Connect it to company values – especially if you’ve done community work or personal growth
• Demonstrate clarity – if your break helped confirm your career direction
• Reaffirm commitment to growth – share what you’re doing now to keep learning

A confident explanation turns gaps into an advantage.

Own Your Complete Career Story

It’s completely normal to feel nervous about gaps on your resume. These days, more employers notice them and want to understand the reason behind them.

They’re not necessarily looking for a flawless work history – they want to understand what happened and why you’re now ready for the next step.

Your career story, including pauses, reflects adaptability and resilience. Own it with confidence, and you’ll be in a stronger position to land your next role.