Nithya Srinivasan
Career Coach
Nithya has over 15 years of experience in career development and is passionate about helping job seekers present their authentic selves to potential employers.
A gap in your resume used to be a red flag. But as career experts like Vicki Salemi from Monster point out, the recent economic climate and the pandemic have normalized employment breaks. Layoffs, career changes, personal circumstances – life happens, and recruiters are increasingly understanding. The key, as Salemi and Julia Toothacre of ResumeTemplates.com emphasize, is to address these gaps directly and then pivot to your strengths.
Reelin offers unique tools to navigate these conversations with confidence and control, allowing you to frame your narrative beyond the constraints of a traditional resume.
1. Own Your Narrative: Reelin's Opportunity for Explanation
Salemi found it helpful to briefly explain her resume gap directly on her CV. Reelin's video introduction provides an even more personal and impactful way to do this.
Reelin Advantage: Use your short Reelin video to briefly and honestly address any employment gaps. Just like Salemi, you can state the reason clearly and concisely, preventing recruiters from dwelling on unanswered questions. Your tone can convey your situation with sincerity, allowing you to take control of the narrative from the outset. For example, you might say, "Following a company restructuring in [Month, Year], I took some time to [briefly explain - e.g., upskill, pursue a personal project] before actively re-entering the job market."
2. Pivot to Your Power: Highlighting Skills and Strengths on Reelin
Experts agree that after addressing the gap, the focus should immediately shift to your relevant skills and strengths. Reelin's profile is designed to make this transition seamless.
Reelin Advantage:
- Skills Section: Front and Center: Reelin allows you to prominently feature your core technical and soft skills. By placing these at the forefront of your profile, you immediately draw the recruiter's attention to what you can do, rather than the time you weren't formally employed. This aligns with the advice to sometimes position skills above work history.
- Video Introduction: Showcase Your Capabilities: After briefly addressing any gap, use the remainder of your video to enthusiastically highlight your key skills and how they directly relate to the target role. Show your passion and confidence in your abilities.
- Project Portfolio: Tangible Proof of Your Expertise: If you used your time during the employment gap to work on personal projects, freelance work, or upskilling initiatives, Reelin's portfolio section is invaluable. Showcase these projects with visuals and descriptions, demonstrating your continued engagement and development. This turns a potential "gap" into evidence of your initiative and proactivity.
3. Downplay Dates, Emphasize Value: Reelin's Flexible Presentation
Salemi suggests using only years for employment dates to downplay the length of a gap. Reelin offers a similar flexibility in how you present your experience.
Reelin Advantage: While you'll likely include date ranges for your formal employment in the dedicated "Experience" section of your Reelin profile, your video introduction and project portfolio allow you to focus on the impact and skills gained during those periods, rather than the precise start and end dates. This naturally shifts the emphasis to your value proposition.
4. Turn the "Gap" into a Narrative of Growth
Salemi points out that time off can sometimes be used for positive endeavors like further education or skill development. Reelin provides a platform to showcase this growth.
Reelin Advantage: If your employment gap involved upskilling, completing online courses, or pursuing personal projects relevant to your career, dedicate a portion of your Reelin video or highlight these in your project portfolio. Frame this time as an investment in your professional development, demonstrating your proactive approach to staying relevant and competitive.
Reelin: Your Bridge to New Opportunities
Having an employment gap is increasingly common and doesn't have to be a roadblock in your job search. Reelin empowers you to address these breaks directly, pivot to your strengths visually and verbally, and showcase any positive developments during that time. By using Reelin strategically, you can control your narrative, build confidence, and demonstrate to recruiters why your skills and experiences make you the ideal candidate, regardless of any pauses in your formal employment history.
