If you had to take time away from the workforce due to the coronavirus pandemic, know that you are not alone. Hiring managers understand that millions of employees stopped working for personal, professional, or health-related reasons. As a result, talking about employment gaps on your resume should not be as difficult as you reenter the workforce. If you are upfront about your circumstances and redirect the focus in your cover letters and interviews to how you adapted, you should have greater odds of landing a role.
Use these tips to discuss the gaps in your resume due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Be Honest
Let the hiring manager know what caused your employment gap. Perhaps you were laid off, needed to care for your children or a sick family member, or had concerns about health and safety issues. Employers understand how COVID-19 impacted jobs and career growth. They also appreciate seeing honesty and vulnerability in job seekers.
Stay Positive
Focus on what you gained from your experiences in the past year. Perhaps you were able to enhance your time management, organization, or budgeting skills. Also, share your excitement for returning to work. It would be best to mention specific things you like about the position, the company’s recent accomplishments, and how you could make a difference for the organization.
Mention Personal Development
Share the ways you focused on self-improvement during your time at home. Perhaps you were able to participate in virtual networking events, enhance your industry knowledge by being active in LinkedIn Groups, or reskill through online classes. Or, you might have listened to podcasts, read books, or participating in online coaching to improve your work performance. Your perseverance, the things you learned, and the people you met can be beneficial in your next position.
Include Previous Employers as References
Ask your former managers if you can include them on your list of professional references. This shows you left on good terms and maintain work relationships. Additionally, your former managers can share firsthand experience with your work performance, collaboration, and fit with company culture. This can help you receive a job offer.
Talk with Your Network
Reach out to your contacts to see whether anyone knows of any job openings in your field. Find out whether they would put in a good word for you with an employer. Being recommended by a professional in your industry increases the likelihood of being contacted for an interview.
Partner with a Recruiter
Partner with a recruiter from The Right Staff for help with resume preparation, interviews, and job offers in St. Paul. Visit our job board https://www.therightstaff.com/st-paul-minneapolis-employment-agency/ today.