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> a long gap is a warning flag on a resume. Sorry but it's not at all. How dare they not spend every waking moment wage slaving away! People live their lives

> a long gap is a warning flag on a resume. Sorry but it's not at all. How dare they not spend every waking moment wage slaving away! People live their lives, this type of thinking shouldn't be normalized. What other subconscious biases are lurking here? I assume the follow up to this is "Hiring is hard, there's not enough good candidates".

noirbot 4y ago
Yea, I've never really understood that perspective. It's something I'd be curious about - maybe ask if they did something technical during it to stay sharp if it's a recent gap, but I don't see it as any more of a bad sign than if someone's been in the same role in a company for years and years without a promotion.
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luckylion 4y ago
> People live their lives, this type of thinking shouldn't be normalized. Okay, but hiring someone is an investment. You pay them money for month until they become productive, you'll need someone to explain things to them etc etc. "Will they stay on for more than three months?" is a valid question to ask yourself when you're making a hiring decision. It's not all about the potential employee's self-actualization.
- yellowpencil 4y ago
  That's true to some extent but has nothing to do with "resume gaps".
  - luckylion 4y ago
    Short employments and gaps are a signal. Not a great one, but easy to identify. If you've job-hopped before, you probably will do it again => prefer someone who doesn't have gaps. It's perfectly fine to have gaps and "live a little" or even a lot, but it's also perfectly fine to prefer people who you believe will provide more value to your company.
    - yellowpencil 4y ago
      I think you're conflating short stints/job hopping and resume gaps. How does a "temporary period of non-employment" preclude someone from "providing more value to your company"? There are infinite reasons why someone might take time off. Its arguably far more responsible to do so than continue employment and lower the priority of employment obligations in your life while you tend to other aspects.

noirbot 4y ago

Yea, I've never really understood that perspective. It's something I'd be curious about - maybe ask if they did something technical during it to stay sharp if it's a recent gap, but I don't see it as any more of a bad sign than if someone's been in the same role in a company for years and years without a promotion.

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luckylion 4y ago

> People live their lives, this type of thinking shouldn't be normalized. Okay, but hiring someone is an investment. You pay them money for month until they become productive, you'll need someone to explain things to them etc etc. "Will they stay on for more than three months?" is a valid question to ask yourself when you're making a hiring decision. It's not all about the potential employee's self-actualization.

yellowpencil 4y ago
That's true to some extent but has nothing to do with "resume gaps".
- luckylion 4y ago
  Short employments and gaps are a signal. Not a great one, but easy to identify. If you've job-hopped before, you probably will do it again => prefer someone who doesn't have gaps. It's perfectly fine to have gaps and "live a little" or even a lot, but it's also perfectly fine to prefer people who you believe will provide more value to your company.
  - yellowpencil 4y ago
    I think you're conflating short stints/job hopping and resume gaps. How does a "temporary period of non-employment" preclude someone from "providing more value to your company"? There are infinite reasons why someone might take time off. Its arguably far more responsible to do so than continue employment and lower the priority of employment obligations in your life while you tend to other aspects.