I have a similar background as yours, a gap of 1 year, 5 years of experience and I joined a startup 2 days back. I dint really felt any difference in the way companies treat people with or without a break, if you are technically sound nothing else matters. But, a few companies might negotiate for salary as you don't have any offer in hand.
It's always good to do small projects and upgrade your skill set during the break.
Anyways you have medical reason, so it shouldn't be a problem.
Ask HN: How to explain job gaps on the resume?
201–210 of 248 posts
Re: Ask HN: How to explain job gaps on the resume?
#202As a person who's reviewed a lot of resumes, I don't actively look for job gaps, so I probably wouldn't notice. I'm more interested in what technologies you use (role), and what you've done in the past (experience). As long as you are sharp and know your stuff, you'll do fine. Even if it is a red flag to some, I strongly believe software interviewing is a numbers game, due to randomness and bad interview processes. A…
Can I bring up the converse question - who would actively look for job gaps? And why?
I do, or at least would notice if eg your most recent job ended 12 months ago. Mostly because I'd be curious what you've been doing.
Saying sabbatical and/or medical issues would be the end of the questions.
Re: Ask HN: How to explain job gaps on the resume?
#203I have a similar situation - although my gap is much smaller (~4 months) it still is big enough to raise questions. But it hasn't. In the last 3-4 months I've interviewed with over 10 companies (multiple stages) and not one hiring manager was interested in the gap.
However, that doesn't mean the recruiters who rejected my CV didn't care about it. And that's why, to avoid any confusion about the gap I added an item on my resume which indicates what I was up to. In my case, I travelled to India to do my yoga teachers training course. So I added the course certificate with the date clearly on my CV.
So to summarize: the best thing to do IMO is to remove the possibility of confusion by adding any descriptive piece of information on your resume.
Re: Ask HN: How to explain job gaps on the resume?
#204A gap in your resume is called a sabbatical. You spent a year doing something else that's more important to you because you can afford it. Medical plus some recovery time is a great reason. But just playing around with some new tech, investing in your education, or even spending time on your other interests, work for charity, or see something of the world, are great reasons. Slacking off may not sound great, but many…
I'll echo this, and add in what some other commenters have said below: you might want to consider leading with your sabbatical in an interview. Talk about it in a positive way, and how you're refreshed and ready to come back to work now.
I would advise against leading with it... and having a glaring hole in the resume timeline.
So, (eg) if you didn't work all of 2018 and 2019, don't list that time at all, unless you did something relevant to your career.
I certainly wouldn't open with it... nor avoid it. Honesty is the best bet. If it comes up, sure talk about it, but talk about what you did to keep your finger on the pulse, what you researched, etc... just like you would with any talking point in an interview.
Once, early on as a kid I took 12 months off (but wrote an accounting package and some stock market correlation tools), and regularly took a month or six off between gigs.
Re: Ask HN: How to explain job gaps on the resume?
#205If you feel it is really significant - invent a startup idea that you were exploring. It didn't work out. There are so many failed ideas in tech.
This gives you a way to put your outside learning in a "work" situation.
Don't overexplain. "The idea was X. We explored it until we determined the idea was not viable."
Re: Ask HN: How to explain job gaps on the resume?
#206I'd just tell the truth, I've taken off plenty of time and I generally just put it on my resume to save them having to ask: "took of some time for health related reasons and then decided to use my savings to spend some time with my passions" or whatever it is in your case. If this is a problem for a hiring manager, that's probably a red flag for you as well. I hope it doesn't end up being a problem for you; it's neve…
Thanks! I'm still a bit hesitant to add a section describing the nature of the hiatus to a list of previous work experiences. Seems a bit unprofessional to me as if the work experience is sorted in descending order — the gap is gonna be at the top. So i'm at crossroads here: risk and add the medical section or prepare an answer if a follow up question even occurs. With former i'm blatantly throwing it to the face, wi…
Do not mention the medical issue if you can avoid it. Mostly because it is not a career move. What did you learn in that time frame? Even if it is that our healthcare system sucks. And then create a failed company that was exploring a health tech idea.... who knows upon reflection - you might find a real business idea!
Re: Ask HN: How to explain job gaps on the resume?
#207I took nearly a year off in the 1990s, just "doing coffee shops and bookstores." I read a lot, did some recreational programming and a little travel. Basically took it easy after a number of years of high-hour, high-visibility projects (and a high-hour, low-visibility startup that essentially crashed). Never had any trouble with that explanation. If they don't like it, you probably don't want to work there anyway.
Sometimes "like" has nothing to do with it.
Work is not optional for many people. I know lots of software developers that are living on the bubble because of the high cost of raising a family in the Bay Area.
Re: Ask HN: How to explain job gaps on the resume?
#208Wow! I really didn't expect the topic would get that much traction.
Props to the commnunity.
I'd like to summarize the points that stood the most strong to myself and that were most common among the commenters.
The obvious:
* Don't lie. If you don't feel like being completely upfront just keep back.
* Build confidence. You should not feel guilty for taking a break.
* Don't put the hiatus at the top of your work experience on CV.
The not so obvious:
* If you have been on medical, think twice if coming up with this is worth the risk. You may get chewed.
* Sabbatical is always a safe bet. Elaborate if needed on the achievements, personal growth, projects that you've been up to.
* Be prepared to get lowballed if you have no other offers at your disposal.
* Express eagerness to get back into the game.
The impalpable:
* Don't bring the break into focus unless the hiring manager brings it up.
* Prepare a good answer if being asked on the nature of the gap. Don't overburden with details, be brief and concise.
Feel free to add points that i might've missed. And thanks again for the good advice.
Re: Ask HN: How to explain job gaps on the resume?
#209I always wonder what the HR person would get all upset over a gap for? Can someone tell me about the time they rejected a candidate because they had a gap in their employment? lol :D I mean why do they care. If I save up money and take a year off every few years? That just means if I get bored of them I'll walk out. It sounds like the kinda thing people care about because they're told to, but they don't actually have…
Have you been part of the hiring process before? It's very time-consuming, stressful, and hard to make a choice. From the interviewers perspective, there's a higher chance that the person who hasn't worked for 12+ months simply isn't good enough to find a job, and it could be a waste of their time/resources to interview them instead of the person who has been consistently working.
> Have you been part of the hiring process before?
Yes for decades.
> It's very time-consuming, stressful, and hard to make a choice.
Yes
> From the interviewers perspective, there's a higher chance that the person who hasn't worked for 12+ months simply isn't good enough to find a job
This is called sexism.
Women are most likely to be the person who raises kids takes times off to help parents.
You have just justified sex discrimination. In you are interviewing, step up and do the job properly. Interview the candidate not your stereotype.
Re: Ask HN: How to explain job gaps on the resume?
#210I hire and manage developers for a living. Why on Earth would you not just say exactly what you said here? I'm sure you could phrase it a little better but, "I had a medical problem for 9+ months and then took several more months to rest after that" is not going to be viewed unfavorably in any way if your skills are up to date.
.... because I have had a friend that was discriminated against for his manageable medical condition by a medium-size tech company in the Bay Area.
(Name of company withheld because the litigation is ongoing)