So weird. I did this last year and people had nothing but great things to say about taking a sabbatical. Maybe the problem is you’re going through the big enterprisey recruiter shops.
Ask HN: How do I explain a resume gap after taking a sabbatical?
61–70 of 86 posts
Re: Ask HN: How do I explain a resume gap after taking a sabbatical?
#62Fill the time honestly with what you were doing and how it made you a better person. It will make you stand out from the crowd and show a depth of character and introspection that some employers will appreciate.
Move on from the recruiters that want to churn you out. Find some other options with solo recruiters or go at the companies you're interested in yourself.
Re: Ask HN: How do I explain a resume gap after taking a sabbatical?
#63Lie, you owe HR and Recruiter-reps nothing.
Re: Ask HN: How do I explain a resume gap after taking a sabbatical?
#64Ignore recruiters, There is nothing wrong with listing a one year sabbatical in your resume.
Re: Ask HN: How do I explain a resume gap after taking a sabbatical?
#65Earlier quoted context omitted.
Just out of interest, why is an unexplained gap a "red flag"? A red flag for what exactly? The chances that someone working for 10 years non-stop needs a break and might be burnt out, is higher than someone who worked for 10 years, had a break, and is now looking for work again.
> Just out of interest, why is an unexplained gap a "red flag"? A red flag for what exactly? A red flag that work and being productive is not your top life priority. Obviously, an employer would prefer to only hire people obsessed about work if possible.
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Re: Ask HN: How do I explain a resume gap after taking a sabbatical?
#66It's BS that this is a problem.
I have various breaks in my resume, including for layoffs, working on my own things etc.
Just have a reasonable narrative and you'll be fine.
Re: Ask HN: How do I explain a resume gap after taking a sabbatical?
#67The key is to be open and transparent about what you did. One major reason that companies are rationally worried about resume gaps is that gaps could mean anything - for all they know you were running a criminal enterprise or locked up in a mental institution. It could also mean that you couldn't find a job for other reasons that may no longer be documented - there are things that wouldn't show up in your background search after a period of time for instance. Continuous employment history isn't desirable because it's important that you were always working, but because it is verifiable in a way that rules out certain possibilities. Other than explaining your situation in a transparent way that soothes these fears, if you worked for or with others on some projects during this time, you could offer them as extra references.
Re: Ask HN: How do I explain a resume gap after taking a sabbatical?
#68"I took a sabbatical." would seem like a good place to start and finish.
“Why?”
“I’ve always wanted to get a true world perspective on things and decided to get it out of my system while I’m young. Now I’m ready to refocus on my career and apply what I’ve learned to the right company.”
Re: Ask HN: How do I explain a resume gap after taking a sabbatical?
#69"I took a sabbatical". If the company has a problem with that they are not a good place to work anyway.
Given that, looking for jobs sucks, a couple of rejections can easily make people feel really down. So after some failed attempts I know it's hard to keep the mindset that you are also interviewing the companies, but do try to keep in mind that you deserve a good work environment!
Re: Ask HN: How do I explain a resume gap after taking a sabbatical?
#70Earlier quoted context omitted.
If you have more than one employer listed on your resume, what's stopping you from quitting the company that might hire you? No one wants to hire someone who will leave after some time for a new job.
I didnt mean to imply that the perception is entirely fair. Infact, I think everyone should take a sabbatical and for more years. It helps in your personal growth which enriches your professional approach. That being said, the red flag is how recruiters see this. And no argument on the internets will change this perception. Recruiters spend a lot of time and money hiring tech workers - the last thing they want is any…
I took a sabbatical from late 2016-early 2017. I didn't have any trouble with obtaining a new position after I ended my time off. Any company that would've given me trouble with my break isn't a company I want to work at.
That said, I should note that the two primary things I did during my sabbatical are pretty much the antithesis of screwing around. I started a very successful non-profit and released a very well received update to an open source consumer-focused app that gets used by a couple hundred thousand people. So, YMMV.