Help w/ explaining gaps in employmentHello! Looking for advice on explaining job hopping and gaps in resume due to caring for terminally ill parent and the break I took after her death. Was a restaurant manager which requires long hours and little flexibility; as I needed both I took position as server for awhile and returned to a management position when I thought things were going better. Took position with a company who claimed they understood my situation and potential needs but when the time arrived for cutting back on my hours they said no way (and not very respectfully! My Mother was dying for god's sake honor your promises!) so I quit with no notice. Since her death, I traveled, bought a house that needed work, ran a B&B in Hawaii for a friend, and have worked sporadically as a temp. Now I am actively looking for an entry level position in Customer Service or Admin.; am attending school part time working towards Associates in Management and Accounting. Have 20+ years experience in management which involved financials, payroll, hiring/firing, training, extensive customer service, etc. so am more than qualified for the positions that I am applying for. Being overqualified could be a problem as well, but I think the gaps and job hopping are my biggest issues. How do I adequately explain: putting my Mother's needs before mine, working in positions with little or no responsibility when I used to be the top dog; being financially able to take time off for 2 years; and most importantly that I truly am looking for a long-term career position and not just another temporary one? Have tried to explain it in cover letter as having been an interesting and challenging period and that am now looking forward to resuming/pursuing my career etc. Some people, especially those who have experienced similar events understand where I am coming from, others are clueless. I am doing something/everything wrong as I seem to be getting nowhere in my search. Any thoughts/advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!
I would address the gaps in your career history in your cover letter. A simple, "After taking 2 years off to care for my terminally ill mother, I began working at X company where I accomplished X,Y and Z." This way, you're being upfront about your employment history, but you are not dwelling on it. Shift focus back to how you are qualified for the postion you are applying for.
Here are two articles that may help you. http://career-advice.monster.com/resume-writing-basics/Resume-Dilemma-Employment-Gaps-and-/home.aspx Good luck, MCBrig It sounds like a complex situation. As someone who has done a lot of hiring, I suggest making it as simple as possible and don't dwell. On your resume, don't bother to list the small potatoes positions. Just lump it all together into 1 or 2 lines, something like "from 2005 to 2007 I cared for an ailing parent, traveled Europe, renovated a house, and ran a B&B." In the cover letter, you could say that you did some lower level jobs during that time frame to keep your hand in the business. Be very clear you are ready to take on more responsibility now and explain how your broad experience makes you a great candidate. I picked the tasks above because they show responsibility (caring for a parent and running a B&B), flexibility and willingness to try new things (renovated a house, ran a B&B, traveled Europe), and make you seem interesting (traveled Europe, renovated a house, ran a B&B).
Thank you for the advice! Seems like it might be a great way to handle it. Really think what I need to do is take a lower level position and stick with it for a year or so, and finish my degree. That will make me "look" reliable and responsible, even though I know I already am! Thank you again, I greatly appreciate it! Maura
Get your degree, as time goes by you will see employers will not care if you have years of experience, or 99% of your degree finished, it really is a yes or no question. People who comb through resumes are not happy people that want to find a job for you, they are people who need to be important and surround them selves with qualified, educated people, and all that means to them is, you have a degree or not. It will not matter if your degree is biology, soc, phys ed. any thing that has a degree is all they care about, unless it is a job needing a specific degree. And how much education do people really retain after graduation and 8 to 10 years of experience, how much has the field changed since your studies. They guy running the company graduated before DNA, & RNA were even studied, they were lucky to get any computer time working with punch cards. Get "the" degree in some thing, and build a history in work areas hiring personnel will understand. They are looking for a square peg to fit a square hole, they would not know what to do with a diamond shape if they had it. Hello! Thanks for the advice, I agree 1000%!!! Formerly worked in a position where I could not go any higher without a degree, didn't matter what it was in, just had to have one!! It's insane, when experience and life skills are more valuable! I plan to just keep plugging along with school, and am going the long-term temp route and exporing different areas. Maybe one of them will discover my uneducated hidden talents!! | |
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