# 8 Year Gap in Resume? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 15, 2014, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-year-gap-in-resume/690801 "2014-06-15T01:47:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![cococ173](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3ab097/32.png) [@cococ173](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cococ173)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-year-gap-in-resume/690801/21 "2014-06-15T18:47:17Z")
I have a different opinion. I think the truth on a resume with an honest reason for the gap is best. You don’t have to go into real personal details unless you are asked in an interview and you want to. It is possible the hirer wants to give you a second chance. Illness and recuperation should be enough. ---
**Author:** ![BlueValley45](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ba0ec/32.png) [@BlueValley45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlueValley45)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-year-gap-in-resume/690801/22 "2014-06-15T18:48:08Z")
> [@ddsun](#): > > They are not allowed to ask about your medical condition. I would not volunteer. Time spent for family matters, or family medical leave if you must, but nothing else. Candidly, in this economy gaps in resumes, even long ones, are not that unusual. The law affords you protection for a reason. Use it. Just MHO. My gap spans 2008 to 2014! Thats a heck of a gap; any HR people out there see gaps like that? And what is the first thought you have if/when you do? ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-year-gap-in-resume/690801/23 "2014-06-15T19:39:07Z")
> [@chacoguy](#): > > The main thing will be to convey that you were not in prison. “2008 - Present: Not at all in prison” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-year-gap-in-resume/690801/24 "2014-06-15T19:49:17Z")
I 2nd the idea of avoiding mention of illness. Particularly if you’re older. I know a lot of people in their 50’s who had a hard time getting interviews. Health care is a huge cost for companies now. ---
**Author:** ![BlueValley45](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ba0ec/32.png) [@BlueValley45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlueValley45)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-year-gap-in-resume/690801/25 "2014-06-15T20:10:59Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > I 2nd the idea of avoiding mention of illness. Particularly if you’re older. I know a lot of people in their 50’s who had a hard time getting interviews. Health care is a huge cost for companies now. I am 53 awwwrrrrr . . . ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-year-gap-in-resume/690801/26 "2014-06-15T20:33:20Z")
> [@BlueValley45](#): > > I am 53 awwwrrrrr . . . Don’t get discouraged just yet. I was in an industry that looked very narrow on a resume so getting laid off was painful. The broader your skills look the better. Concentrate on that aspect of your resume. And you can always go into business for yourself. You can charge $20/hr for handyman work and get more work than you can handle. You know you have skills. It’s just the frustration of finding a buyer for them. Don’t rule out temp agencies or head hunters. ---
**Author:** ![PurpleClogs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f04885/32.png) [@PurpleClogs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PurpleClogs)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-year-gap-in-resume/690801/27 "2014-06-15T20:37:54Z")
> [@TheLoadedDog](#): > > “2008 - Present: Not at all in prison” > > 😃 2008 - Present: Weighing the couch down, eating Cheetos and watching talk shows ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-year-gap-in-resume/690801/28 "2014-06-15T21:14:30Z")
2008-2014 - Please see attached portfolio of CAT scans. > [@BlueValley45](#): > > My gap spans 2008 to 2014! Thats a heck of a gap; any HR people out there see gaps like that? And what is the first thought you have if/when you do? HR people see gaps like that every day of the week. It’s frequently women who stayed home with their kids for a few years. You might consider looking around at tips and sample resumes for women in this situation. You might get some ideas that will help you in yours. > [@glessnerbeth](#): > > A traditional chronological resume is your enemy here… try a different resume format? A functional resume which emphasizes your skills, rather than your job history may be useful. Let the gaps in employment come up in an interview, where you can more effectively explain them. Best of luck! Just remember that every HR person is well aware that a functional resume is the go-to for people with unusual work histories. If they see one, they know that chances are there’s a story behind it. That is not to say you shouldn’t use one. It may be the better choice regardless. I’m thinking the phrase “family medical leave” might be just the ticket. ---
**Author:** ![BlueValley45](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ba0ec/32.png) [@BlueValley45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlueValley45)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-year-gap-in-resume/690801/29 "2014-06-15T21:45:36Z")
Some very good advice you guys are giving me, and some laughs too! Does anybody know of a online resume critiquing site? A free one? I’m getting ahead of myself perhaps but I must make this happen very soon. ---
**Author:** ![Brainiac4](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brainiac4/32/3534_2.png) [@Brainiac4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brainiac4)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-year-gap-in-resume/690801/30 "2014-06-15T23:18:00Z")
> [@RaftPeople](#): > > That is just one person’s opinion. > > When I look at resume’s (IT stuff), I want to see a non-BS functional recap first. I want to know what the person is good at. The chronological part just helps to add some detail. I want to see “a non-BS functional recap” too. The problem is that most of the resumes I look at with a functional recap at the top are full of BS. On topic for the thread - the thing that would concern me the most as a hiring manager when looking at a resume with a big gap in it is that the person’s skills would not be current. That’s going to vary depending on the industry you work in. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-year-gap-in-resume/690801/31 "2014-06-15T23:51:17Z")
Depends on the field. Functional resume is useless in mine; I need specific counts of number of months/years in a position. ---
**Author:** ![BlueValley45](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ba0ec/32.png) [@BlueValley45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlueValley45)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-year-gap-in-resume/690801/32 "2014-06-16T01:47:56Z")
Crap . . . I apologize. It’s 6 years away from work; 2008-2014. Maybe I am not ready to go back. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-year-gap-in-resume/690801/33 "2014-06-16T13:01:35Z")
I struggled with the same issue. I was out of work for 4 1/2 years because I couldn’t find any work period. So, I made up a company name, labelled it as Freelance, and listed things I did that sounded relevant to my field (graphic design). Such as, designed a few websites (my brother’s online portfolio, my friend’s wildlife refuge), proofing and evaluation (read my friend’s screenplay, read another friend’s short story), and book publishing and designing (I helped a friend figure out CreateSpace). Did you do any online training or research into your illness? You could attribute that to schooling, or personal training in the healthcare field. 🙂 I think a potential employer’s main issue would be if they hired you, would you become sick again and miss work? You could probably talk to somebody at your local Unemployment office about that. They may have classes you could attend that help you find work. I went to one for using social media. The instructor said a lot of recruiters use LinkedIn nowadays, so he showed us how to optimize our LinkedIn profiles. One thing recruiters will do is search for key words such as skill types and experience with certain programs such as MS Office. That’s how I found work, through job recruiters. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-year-gap-in-resume/690801/34 "2014-06-16T14:58:52Z")
> [@glessnerbeth](#): > > A traditional chronological resume is your enemy here… try a different resume format? A functional resume which emphasizes your skills, rather than your job history may be useful. Let the gaps in employment come up in an interview, where you can more effectively explain them. Best of luck! The problem with a functional resume is that it stands out and makes many managers wonder _why_ you picked a functional resume. What is it about the titles you’ve held and the dates you held them that you don’t want them to know about? One piece of advice I’ve heard is to go back to school for a bit and get some qualification, even one you don’t truly need to do what you want. Then you can have the “new grad” label. You just finished an MBA and are eager to get back into the workforce. ---
**Author:** ![BlueValley45](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ba0ec/32.png) [@BlueValley45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlueValley45)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-year-gap-in-resume/690801/35 "2014-06-16T15:22:27Z")
[quote=“Knowed\_Out, post:33, topic:690801”] Did you do any online training or research into your illness? You could attribute that to schooling, or personal training in the healthcare field. 🙂 I did a ton of research into my illness; symptoms etc. but unfortunately I am not in the healthcare field, I was in manufacturing. Maybe I could present it as “project management”. Thank you for your thoughts! ---
**Author:** ![BlueValley45](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ba0ec/32.png) [@BlueValley45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlueValley45)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-year-gap-in-resume/690801/36 "2014-06-16T15:26:35Z")
> [@robert\_columbia](#): > > The problem with a functional resume is that it stands out and makes many managers wonder _why_ you picked a functional resume. What is it about the titles you’ve held and the dates you held them that you don’t want them to know about? > > One piece of advice I’ve heard is to go back to school for a bit and get some qualification, even one you don’t truly need to do what you want. Then you can have the “new grad” label. You just finished an MBA and are eager to get back into the workforce. Yes, I have considered returning to school. My SS disability is very close to being taken away. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-year-gap-in-resume/690801/37 "2014-06-16T15:34:55Z")
> [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > I think a potential employer’s main issue would be if they hired you, would you become sick again and miss work? Fortunately for the OP, it’s illegal to discriminate against a candidate on the basis of past or potential future illness. She just needs to prepare herself with a stock response if an interviewer tries to ask about/insinuate something related to this, because the question is illegal–although pointing that out rudely (whether it deserves it or not) might lead to a Game Over for your candidacy, so tread tactfully. Q: Are you planning to be out of work due to illness in the future? A: There is nothing that would prevent me from performing the duties as listed in the job description. _genuine smile_ ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-year-gap-in-resume/690801/38 "2014-06-16T15:58:03Z")
I love the idea of getting a certification in something. Actually, any concrete thing you could do to show that you’re keeping current would be good, even if it’s informal. It might not be reasonable to put on your resume that you’ve done a program of free online Excel tutorials, but it would give you a good interview answer and give you more confidence. > [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > I think a potential employer’s main issue would be if they hired you, would you become sick again and miss work? This is why a vague “family medical - situation resolved” explanation would be a good idea. That could easily be “caring for a family member who has since passed away.” ---
**Author:** ![BlueValley45](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ba0ec/32.png) [@BlueValley45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlueValley45)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-year-gap-in-resume/690801/39 "2014-06-16T16:17:32Z")
All great feedback!! Thanks so much! ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-year-gap-in-resume/690801/40 "2014-06-16T16:20:56Z")
> [@susan](#): > > Depends on the field. Functional resume is useless in mine; I need specific counts of number of months/years in a position. Who told you you need this? Your mom? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-year-gap-in-resume/690801.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-year-gap-in-resume/690801.md?page=3)