Ask HN: How do I explain a resume gap after taking a sabbatical?

I've been off work for a year, and been doing minor projects/freelancing for some small companies as I backpack and travel around Asia.

Recently, I've been trying to find remote gigs/office jobs, and I've gotten feedback that my resume gap is troublesome.

I pass tech interviews, and I've gotten an offer or two that I declined due to not meeting salary/lifestyle requirements (but now looking back maybe I should've taken them.)

Should I just add a few projects I did on my resume? They're really minor and involve basic Windows sysadmin stuff that can be done in a week or two.

Or, alternatively, how do I re-word it so it doesn't seem like I'm desperate? I've had recruiters from the typical bucketshops of Apex, Cybercoders and misc say "you're a good candidate but that gap is troublesome" in not so nice words.

It's easy for people to criticize. Ignore them. Recruiters want easy wins so they can get paid.

There will always be people who are negative about X, Y or Z. Find your own way. If you start believing them that is trouble because it'll come across in any interview.

Be proud of the time you took out to travel around Asia. "I had a fantastic time, learning about new cultures, broadening my mind, meeting new people from all over" etc. On top of that you were resourceful enough to pick up projects/freelance work over that period. Many people will be jealous of this. Speak to this part of them.

Not sure if you had prior experience or just graduated. Either way I would put it on your resume along with your travel. Something like:

2017 - Travel around Asia while freelancing. Here's a list of freelance projects I worked on: - Sysadmin running servers.

2014-2016 - Software engineer, Midwest city - Regular software job

What's to explain?

Companies are looking for energy and experience, but by time with experience the energy goes down, basically you start to -at least slowly- burn out. So... after a sabbatical, you supposedly full with energy and a motivation to work better. And you have the skills and the experience.

If a company only cares of the lines written on the resume, it doesn't really matter you filled it or answered really good in the interview, there will be problems later on.

But if a company knows, it's not just sum of the parts but as a whole who you're and how you approach life and work is that all matters, then there will be no problem telling what you did in these times.

You don't have to go to Asia... maybe you just want to focus on some other stuff or have some time off. But also you went to Asia, so you use this time for yourself, in a way you thought would be better for you. I think this is very important aspect of a professional. If you don't know how to allocate your time and energy, you're not efficient.

You did something most people even can not dare to think of doing it. Don't try to please people, be yourself and this way you will eliminate all the pretentious people/companies and will find a better match for you. Don't settle for what people say to you, just because they can't do it.

Its a red flag. If you are capable of taking of for an year, whats stopping you from taking off again. No one wants to hire someone who will leave after sometime. And there are probably other hires who dont have this red flag.