How to handle employment gaps on your resume
Employment gaps are more common than ever. Most hiring teams care less about the gap itself and more about what you can do now.
How to present gaps
- keep date formatting consistent across roles
- don’t try to hide gaps with confusing layouts
- if you have a relevant explanation (study, caregiving, freelance, health), you can add a short line
Optional: include a “Career break” entry
If it helps:
- “Career break (2023–2024) — Professional development and family responsibilities”
- Add only relevant learning or projects if they support the job you’re applying for
What not to do
- invent a role to fill the gap
- write long explanations in the resume (save detail for interviews)
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