How To Explain A Gap In Employment On Your IT CV

Around 90,000 UK workers each year experience a gap in employment for a variety of reasons. Whilst many professionals feel reluctant to discuss a career gap on their CV, it is very common and is becoming less of a concern for employers provided the reason for the CV gap is explained well.

If you are worried about a gap in employment on your IT CV affecting your chances of securing a new role, read my tips below on how to approach the topic on your CV and during the recruitment process.

What is the meaning of a gap in employment?

A gap in employment refers to a period of unemployment between work placements. Whilst a small career gap of 1-2 months in the past 5 years is unlikely to cause a concern, if you have a larger gap of 3-6 months, you will need to be ready to explain your employment gap.

There are many reasons why someone may take voluntary or involuntary time out of employment. Many individuals leave the workforce for a period of time due to:

• Struggling to find a new role
• Redundancy
• Termination of contract
• Ill health
• Caring for older family members or children
• Pursuing further education or professional training
• Travelling
• Relocating
• Starting their own business

Over the past 3 years, the tech sector has faced significant redundancies and reduced job opportunities. This has often meant that for every job, there are hundreds of candidates. Therefore, many great tech professionals have found themselves out of work for a longer period of time.

This has meant that, in general, hiring managers are often more accepting of career gaps than they once were, with statistics showing that 95% of hiring managers are more understanding of a gap in employment.

Additionally, as the sector transforms in line with AI and automation developments, we will likely see further disruptions. Whatever the reasons for your career gap, understanding how to address it in a CV and at an interview will help you secure better job opportunities more efficiently.

How to prepare for returning to work during your gap in employment

If you are currently out of work and are looking to return to the workforce in the next few months, consider the following tips to increase your chances of success. Of course, depending on the reasons for your employment gap, these may or may not be realistic, but any action you do take could benefit your future applications:

• Identify which of your skills may need updating and explore options to upskill through training, online courses, gaining certifications, and more
• Evaluate and list the ways you have been working on your professional development whilst out of work
• Update and optimise your CV and LinkedIn to reflect all your recent work experience and include keywords relevant to your career and skills
• Reconnect with former colleagues and managers on LinkedIn
• Assess what you want from your next job opportunity – think about what you liked and disliked about your previous role and employer
• Consider volunteering to keep your hard and soft skills active where possible
• Ensure your portfolio (where relevant) and references are up to date

Showcasing your proactivity, determination, and drive to continue your professional development, even while out of work, can help increase your chances when looking for a new job.

Tips for explaining your gap in employment

Regardless of the size of your CV gap, you should be prepared to answer a question about it just in case. Talking about your time out of work may feel daunting, especially if it was a difficult time in your life, however, honesty is always the best policy.

Don’t try to hide the career gap

We have experienced candidates editing their employment dates either to remove or reduce the length of a career gap – both on CVs and LinkedIn profiles. These are often discovered during background checks, and while you may believe it will improve employability, lying on your CV will not go down well with a potential employer.

Address the gap in your CV

If your employment gap was particularly large or recent, writing a short sentence in your CV to reference it can help alleviate concerns immediately when a hiring manager is reviewing it.

Often, you will only need a short reference, such as “I took a gap in employment between (date)-(date) due to my previous company downsizing and reducing headcount. I used the time to develop my skills in XXX and identify roles that aligned with my career goals.” Alternatively, “I took a gap of employment between (date)-(date) in order to go travelling, experience new cultures and develop my soft skills in XXX…”.

It doesn’t have to be a long explanation. By pre-empting the question of why you have a CV gap, you will hopefully answer the employer’s concern directly and remove any assumptions they may have had about your time out of work.

Highlight what you have achieved during your time away from work

One concern hiring managers often have when considering a candidate returning from a significant period out of the workforce is whether they have kept up with the skills they cultivated in their previous roles. This is particularly important in the tech industry, which can be fast-moving.

When explaining your employment gap, consider discussing what you have done to keep up with the latest developments in the market and how you have progressed your skillset further. Actions might include:

• Taking an online training course
• Listening to tech podcasts
• Attending tech meet-ups and networking events
• Developing soft skills that are important to your career
• Working on personal projects
• Undertaking freelance work

Don’t underestimate what you have learned during your gap in employment. and how such actions have impacted your personal and professional development. When explaining your employment gap, make sure you highlight these personal developments during your next interview.

Don’t focus on the negatives

When explaining your gap in employment to potential employers, it is important to not be overly negative about your previous workplace. If the reason for the gap in your CV is due to a bad working experience with your last employer that included redundancy, resignation or termination, avoid badmouthing them at interviews. This does not come across well to potential employers.

Instead, practise a neutral statement of facts answer to questions about your career gap. This will make you sound more professional and level-headed.

Focus on the skills you can bring to a company

Whilst it is important to address and reference your career gap within applications and interviews, try not to spend too much time discussing it or overexplaining yourself. In applications, concentrate on the skills and experience you do have and what expertise you can bring to the company.

This is especially true for people with a shorter career gap of under 6 months. Your employment gap may be something you are conscious of, but it’s not a reflection of your skills and experience.

Examples of explaining career gap in employment on your IT CV

When addressing a gap in employment on your CV, you should make sure that you are clear and concise in your description and focus on the positive value you gained during this time. Below are some examples of how to explain different types of career gaps:

Redundancy or job market challenges

“I took a career break between XXXX and XXXX following a redundancy due to company-wide downsizing. During this time, I focused on developing my skills in XXXX, completing certifications in XXXX, and actively applied for roles that aligned with my long-term career goals.”

Upskilling and professional development

“I took a planned break from employment between XXXX and XXXX to focus on professional development and training. During this time, I completed training in XXXX, gaining certifications in XXXX.”

Caring responsibilities

“I took a break from employment between XXXX and XXXX to care for a family member. I am now in a position to return to full-time work and have kept up to date with industry developments during this time.”

Health absences

“I took a short break from employment for health reasons, which have now been fully resolved. I am ready to return to work and have remained engaged with industry trends and learning during this period.”

What to avoid when explaining your career gap?

As you explain your gap in employment on your CV, you need to be aware of how it might look and be perceived by employers. The following are some common mistakes to avoid:

• Being too vague or not addressing the gap – not providing a reason or not addressing a career gap can raise more concerns for the employer than the presence of the gap itself. You don’t have to include deeper personal reasons, just a simple, honest answer.
• Trying to hide or change dates – lies on your CV are often picked up through background checks. Lying about a gap is much more concerning to employers as it can make you seem suspicious. Your career gap will likely be uncovered at some point, don’t try to disguise it.
• Over-explaining or dwelling on the gap – it is best to address the reasons for the gap and then quickly move on to the value you gained during that time and the rest of your CV. Focus on what skills and expertise you bring to the role.

Does a career gap make you unemployable?

A gap in employment will not automatically discount you from a recruitment process. It is true that being out of the workforce for a long time can make it more challenging to secure a job. However, by following the tips I’ve listed above, you will be able to increase your chances of success.

Key takeaways…

Overall, when applying to re-enter the workplace after a period out of employment, or if you have a significant career gap in your employment past, address it honestly in your CV and on applications, and focus on the skills and experience you could bring to the job. Doing so will help you to succeed.

If you are an IT professional wanting to return to the workplace after a gap in employment, VIQU IT is a specialist tech recruitment agency. Check out our latest roles here and send in your CV.