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What’s with this obsession with “gaps”? What are you trying to screen for? Is everyone supposed to be working non stop from their first job until they retire or

What’s with this obsession with “gaps”? What are you trying to screen for? Is everyone supposed to be working non stop from their first job until they retire or die? I can sort of understand if it’s been years since the last position and the individual is applying for your company after being away from the market. But a gap in the middle of the job history? Why do you care ?

expertentipp 8y ago
> rants about the job hunting process you're out, mate
isoskeles 8y ago
Maybe they were in prison for murder! (I am also curious to hear why.)
komali2 8y ago
> What are you trying to screen for? People that can't keep a job, or get a job, often. It was Oil and Gas, so turnover was expected (projects finish, everyone goes away), but if consistently over the last decade or 2 they couldn't get on another project, it was a red flag. Not disqualifying, but a red flag. If it was a big gap ten years ago, nobody cares. If it was a single big gap less than 5 years ago, probably nobody cares, I'd just have to ask about it, because my client would want to know.
- Carpetsmoker 8y ago
  How big of a gap is a "big gap"? I have a 6 month gap before my current employer (of 2.5 years) because I spent some time doing stuff other than work with my savings. Should I fill that with "freelance, travel, and open source" or some such (even though I didn't do all that much freelance work)?
  - komali2 8y ago
    I would leave off the months on your resume so that it doesn't look like a gap. Or, put "2016 - Present," and then if they ask about what kind of notice you need to post, say "oh, I actually don't work there anymore, woops, I forgot to take off the 'to present' on my resume, thanks for bringing that up."
ravenstine 8y ago
I've been willingly unemployed for months and somehow it hasn't negatively affected my ability to get interviews. I think the obsession with gaps is dying out as the old guard retires. Companies run by boomers might think negatively of gaps, but ones run by Gen X'ers and beyond don't seem to care at all. Some of them have even been curious as to how I've been able to quit my job without another lined up!

expertentipp 8y ago

> rants about the job hunting process you're out, mate

isoskeles 8y ago

Maybe they were in prison for murder! (I am also curious to hear why.)

komali2 8y ago

> What are you trying to screen for? People that can't keep a job, or get a job, often. It was Oil and Gas, so turnover was expected (projects finish, everyone goes away), but if consistently over the last decade or 2 they couldn't get on another project, it was a red flag. Not disqualifying, but a red flag. If it was a big gap ten years ago, nobody cares. If it was a single big gap less than 5 years ago, probably nobody cares, I'd just have to ask about it, because my client would want to know.

Carpetsmoker 8y ago
How big of a gap is a "big gap"? I have a 6 month gap before my current employer (of 2.5 years) because I spent some time doing stuff other than work with my savings. Should I fill that with "freelance, travel, and open source" or some such (even though I didn't do all that much freelance work)?
- komali2 8y ago
  I would leave off the months on your resume so that it doesn't look like a gap. Or, put "2016 - Present," and then if they ask about what kind of notice you need to post, say "oh, I actually don't work there anymore, woops, I forgot to take off the 'to present' on my resume, thanks for bringing that up."

ravenstine 8y ago

I've been willingly unemployed for months and somehow it hasn't negatively affected my ability to get interviews. I think the obsession with gaps is dying out as the old guard retires. Companies run by boomers might think negatively of gaps, but ones run by Gen X'ers and beyond don't seem to care at all. Some of them have even been curious as to how I've been able to quit my job without another lined up!