Sealing Gaps on Your Resume

Periods of unemployment leave black holes in your work history. Should you (A) fill them with positive expressions such as family obligations, (B) fill them with less positive but true words

Choosing B, unemployed, is dreary. Forget that! Choosing C, leave-it-blank-and-say-nothing, often works — just hope it won't be noticed. My choice is A: Tell the truth about what you were doing but spin control it in a dignified, positive way. A few examples: independent study . . . foreign travel . . . career renewal through study and assessment.

An infoblizzard of tips has been published on how to repair resume holes. The principles are simple:

• Present the time gap as a positive event.

• Detail why it made you a better worker — not a better person, but a better worker with more favorable characteristics, polished skills, and mature understanding, all of which you're dying to contribute to your new employer.

How can these principles be applied? Take the case of a student who dropped out of college to play in a band and do odd jobs for four years before coming back to finish his biology degree and look for a job. The student knows that employers may perceive him as not committed to a career. In the resume, he should treat the band years like any other job: Describe the skills that were polished as a band leader. Identify instances of problem solving, teamwork, leadership, and budgeting.