The Best and Worst Ways To Approach Resume Gaps When Hiring

Hiring managers often hesitate when they encounter gaps in resumes, viewing them as potential red flags.

However, it’s crucial to approach these gaps in employment with an open mind and strategic questioning.

A career gap can signify resilience, adaptability, and personal growth — qualities that can contribute to a stronger candidate.

By shifting perspectives, hiring managers can uncover valuable insights and relevant skills that candidates have developed during their time away from the workforce.

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Quick Jump Links:

• Why Resume Gaps Happen (And Why They’re Not Always a Red Flag)
• How Resume Gaps Can Add Value to a Candidate’s Skill Set
• The Wrong Way to Interpret Resume Gaps
• The Right Way to Interpret Resume Gaps
• Sample Questions to Ask Candidates About Resume Gaps
• How Hiring Managers Can Create an Inclusive Hiring Process

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Why Resume Gaps Happen (And Why They’re Not Always a Red Flag)

Resume gaps happen and may not always be a red flag for many reasons including family obligations, health-related issues, career transitions, layoffs or economic downturns, personal development time, or entrepreneurial ventures.

Employment gaps occur for a variety of reasons — many of which are valid and offer insights into a candidate’s priorities and values.

Family Obligations

Caring for children, elderly parents, or other family members can require time away from full-time jobs.

This period often fosters skills like time management, multitasking, and problem-solving.

Health-Related Issues

Health challenges — personal or familial — can lead to career gaps.

These moments often highlight perseverance, mental health awareness, and the importance of prioritizing overall health and wellbeing.

Career Transitions

Switching industries, pursuing additional education, or earning certifications demonstrates intentional career goals and a willingness to embrace new challenges.

Not only that, taking a chance on not being employed for a period of time to pursue another industry or further education shows courage and the ability to take risks.

Layoffs or Economic Downturns

Periods of unemployment due to external factors like layoffs are increasingly common with sectors like Tech, IT, and Digital Marketing have been hit especially hard.

It’s important to remember that layoffs and redundancies do not happen as a result of poor performance on the employees part and are not necessarily reflective of a candidate’s abilities or potential.

Personal Development and Travel

Gaps in employment spent on personal growth, travel, or exploration often result in valuable skill development that extends beyond traditional job roles.

Experiences like immersing in different cultures can build cultural competence, broaden perspectives, and enhance problem-solving abilities.

Additionally, the flexibility and creativity developed during such periods can translate into a candidate’s ability to adapt to diverse workplace environments and challenges.

Entrepreneurial Ventures or Side Projects

Freelance projects, startups, or other entrepreneurial efforts demonstrate initiative, leadership, and a proactive approach to skill-building.

These endeavors often require candidates to wear multiple hats, honing transferable skills like project management, budgeting, and decision-making.

Hiring managers should view these experiences as evidence of a candidate’s resourcefulness and ability to thrive in dynamic, fast-changing environments.

How Resume Gaps Can Add Value to a Candidate’s Skill Set

Resume gaps can add value to a candidate’s skill set through experiences that gave them enhanced problem-solving, broader skill sets, and strengthened soft skills.

Enhanced Problem-Solving

Time away from traditional employment often requires individuals to address unique challenges, whether in their personal lives, professional endeavors, or educational pursuits.

These experiences frequently hone critical problem-solving skills that are transferable to the workplace.

Broader Skill Sets

During a career gap, many individuals invest in personal growth through personal projects, online classes, or professional development courses.

These activities not only expand their skill sets but also contribute to a varied background and additional experience that may not be present in a traditional employment history.

Hiring managers should see these efforts as evidence of initiative and a commitment to self-improvement.

Strengthened Soft Skills

Periods of unemployment often foster the development of essential soft skills, such as resilience, adaptability, and emotional intelligence.

Candidates who navigate challenges during a gap in employment tend to emerge with a stronger ability to handle high-pressure situations and complex interpersonal dynamics.

These traits can make them highly valuable in fast-paced or team-oriented roles.

The Wrong Way to Interpret Resume Gaps

The wrong way to interpret resume gaps is automatic disqualification, assuming outdated skills, letting bias cloud judgement, and overlooking soft skills.

Automatic Disqualification

Judging candidates solely based on gaps in resumes without exploring the context is a missed opportunity to discover untapped talent.

As mentioned, individuals take time off for any number of valid reasons, and these experiences often contribute to their growth.

By taking the time to understand the story behind the gap, hiring managers can uncover relevant skills and perspectives that could make the candidate a great fit.

Assuming Outdated Skills

Assuming that candidates with employment gaps have outdated skills overlooks the proactive steps many take to stay current.

During a period of unemployment, candidates may engage in online courses, earn certifications, or complete freelance projects to maintain and expand their expertise.

Instead of making assumptions, assess their professional development efforts to get a full picture of their capabilities.

Letting Bias Cloud Judgment

Allowing biases to influence hiring decisions — such as assuming a gap in employment reflects a lack of commitment or reliability — can lead to overlooking highly qualified candidates.

Many candidates have valid reasons for their gaps and often return to the workforce with newfound skills and perspectives.

By challenging these biases, hiring managers can make more objective decisions and identify stronger candidates who bring value to the team.

Overlooking Soft Skills

Periods of unemployment often foster the development of critical soft skills, such as adaptability, time management, and creative problem-solving.

Candidates who navigated challenges during their career gap often bring resilience and resourcefulness to their roles.

Recognizing these qualities can help hiring managers identify candidates who are not only skilled but also capable of thriving in dynamic work environments.

The Right Way to Interpret Resume Gaps

The right way to interpret resume gaps is to approach with curiosity and empathy, recognize non-traditional skills gained, assess how candidates stay engaged, and focus on the present.

Approach with Curiosity and Empathy

When addressing a career gap, it’s essential to ask open-ended questions to uncover the story behind it.

Rather than making assumptions, take time to view the candidate holistically, considering their unique circumstances and motivations.

This approach fosters a more inclusive hiring process and allows you to evaluate the candidate’s overall potential beyond their employment history.

Recognize Non-Traditional Skills Gained

Candidates often develop valuable transferable skills during non-traditional experiences, such as personal projects, caregiving, or volunteering.

Skills like project management, leadership, budgeting, and conflict resolution can be honed in these contexts and are just as impactful as those gained in a workplace.

By considering these relevant skills, hiring managers can identify candidates who bring diverse strengths to the table.

Assess How Candidates Stayed Engaged

A candidate’s efforts to remain professionally engaged during a gap in employment can demonstrate initiative and dedication.

Look for evidence of professional development, such as taking online classes, earning certifications, or pursuing volunteer work related to their field.

These activities not only showcase their commitment to staying current but also highlight a proactive attitude that can benefit any organization.

Focus on the Present

When evaluating candidates, emphasize their current readiness to succeed in the role rather than dwelling on past employment gaps.

Assess their relevant experience, skills, and alignment with the position’s requirements to gauge their potential contributions.

This forward-thinking approach ensures you’re making hiring decisions based on a candidate’s ability to excel in the present and future, rather than their interruptions in the past.

Sample Questions to Ask Candidates About Resume Gaps

Use these sample questions about resume gaps to understand the context, assess skill retention and growth, and evaluate readiness and motivation.

To Understand the Context

• “Can you walk me through your career journey, including any breaks?”
• “What led to your decision to take time away from work?”

To Assess Skill Retention and Growth

• “How did you keep up with industry trends and skill sets during that time?”
• “Did you take on any personal projects, freelance work, or online classes?”

To Evaluate Readiness and Motivation

• “What excites you most about re-entering the workforce?”
• “What transferable skills or experiences from that period make you a stronger candidate for this role?”

How Hiring Managers Can Create an Inclusive Hiring Process

Hiring managers can create an inclusive hiring process by focusing on transferrable skills, avoiding unconscious bias, and by recognizing the value in non-traditional career paths.

Focus on Transferable Skills

Hiring teams should focus on identifying transferable skills that candidates have developed through non-traditional experiences.

Skills such as communication, problem-solving, leadership, and adaptability can often translate seamlessly into new roles, regardless of the candidate’s prior job titles or industry.

By prioritizing these competencies over linear job histories, hiring managers can uncover talent that may otherwise be overlooked, creating stronger and more diverse teams.

Avoid Unconscious Bias

To build an inclusive hiring process, organizations should train hiring managers to recognize and address biases related to gaps in resumes.

This includes understanding that a gap in employment is often due to valid reasons like family obligations, health issues, or career transitions.

With structured training, teams can learn to assess candidates objectively, focusing on their relevant experience, skills, and potential rather than assumptions about their past.

Recognize the Value in Non-Traditional Career Paths

Candidates with diverse experiences and varied backgrounds often bring unique perspectives, creativity, and problem-solving approaches to the workplace.

These individuals may have gained additional experience through non-linear career paths, such as freelance projects, entrepreneurial ventures, or professional development.

Recognizing the value of these non-traditional experiences can help organizations tap into a broader talent pool and foster innovation within their teams.

Is a Gap a Red Flag on a Candidate’s Resume?

In today’s job market, resume gaps are not the career obstacle they once were.

Instead of seeing these breaks as red flags, view them as opportunities to find candidates with resilience, creativity, and the adaptability to succeed in today’s fast-paced professional environment.

Let’s reshape the hiring narrative — every career path has value.

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