Are you practicing for your next retail shopping trip Robet Columbia?
Maybe so, but it’s not going to prevent the potential employer from thinking it, unfortunately.
Can I not do a functional resume with specific dates/positions on the tail end?
You can do that and it’s probably in your best interests to do so.
Gaps are not uncommon. If (when) they ask, have a prepared answer, along the lines of “I took time off to deal with an illness in the family” or “to help with a family matter”.
I would start your resume with a summary of your qualifications, then switch to the chronological. This is common in both marketing (sell yourself!), which is my field, and programming, which is the hubby’s (list all known programming languages and skills up front I think is the idea). Sort of a combo of both types of resumes, but it’s fairly common. Take a look at LinkedIn for what it might be like. Their user pages are all set up this way as well.
Take heart. People do have gaps for a lot of reasons. I had a friend who quit his job out of frustration and then couldn’t find anything else for 5 years. People have kids and stop working for years. People are sick, or sit on a beach, etc. It sounds like you have the skills, so put your best foot forward (resume-wise) and good luck!
Thanks I think that might be the right way to go.
Thank you also ddsun, good advice I think and everyone here has been positive and that is helping me too!
I wouldn’t address it on the resume, whether you organize your experience chronologically or not. If it comes up in the interview, you can say you were out of the workforce for a while; or you can even say that you were dealing with an illness but now you are perfectly capable of working. Interviewers are not permitted to ask any questions about your health or medical history other than if you are physically capable of performing the essential functions of the job, even if you have some kind of disability that would require a reasonable accommodation on their part.
So the consensus seems to be they are not allowed to ask. And if they do . . dont admit I was the one who was ill.
As far as the resume itself; start with functional one bulleting qualifications, then chronological.
And take some classes to show an effort towards staying fresh.
Does anyone still summarize themself? And are most resumes still kept to one page?
I’d say one or the other: either a functional list of quantified skills, or a profile/summary section, which lists your major skills and accomplishments.
Yes, your resume should be one page. Also, write a targeted, compelling cover letter for each position you apply to, but keep it short, maybe 3 paragraphs.
Do you have anything you can fill that gap with apart from being sick? Like, freelance proofreader or something, if you proofread a few things and were happy to do that in your healthy periods? Freelance IT specialist? Freelance whatever fits your skills?
Can you call on any references from someone you did something or other for (like proofreading their essays, or creating a really basic website for them) in that time?
Just something you did a tiny bit of in that time to cover the gap, and it only has to be half-true. You were a freelancer; the only reason you didn’t work more was your illness.
It’s highly dependent on industry and, unfortunately, the particular HR department of whoever you’re applying to.
A simple change of title from “Employment History” to “Relevant Experience and Skills” is all that’s needed, and add dates only for the work that you mention as relevant.
I’ve never understood the HR obsession with “employment gap”, other than seeking a means to stealth-discriminate. As a hiring manager and interviewer myself, I’ve never cared for and never asked about gaps, it instantly places a defensive and confrontational burden on the interviewee because there is an implicit assumption that any gap is a negative, regardless of the justification. Any hiring manager that can’t base a request-for-interview decision on a focused list of experience and references doesn’t deserve the hiring responsibility. I recognize that I’m the exception in that belief, though.
Good suggestion SciFiSam and thank you. Honestly, I was extremely sick and did not do much of anything during those years but recover, manage my healthcare the best I could and try to help around the house.
For some perspective; I was diagnosed with Hep C and Liver cancer and given 1+ years to live; I spent most of my time till 2012 in the hospital and/or recovering. The are many residual problems since the liver transplant and it has left me with serious other organ issues.
I am from a manufacturing background so the best I can say is “I was the project manager”! Of course a person can generalize “expert at internet research” into something.
A REAL perspective Gargoyle. Thank you!
Someone I knew was in a similar position. Serious, private health issue. What he did is what others have recommended above (“helping family with a health issue”). His advice was that he is a member of his family, is he not? It’s spin, sure, but it was how he addressed the issue. He did get back to work and has done well since then.
Yep,
And you follow it up with “and now that those issues have been resolved, I’m eager to focus on my career again. Having to give it up was a sacrifice - not working sounds like it would be a lot more fun than it actually turns out to be.”
Then, when you get to your new job, keep personal things - like your health history - out of casual conversation. Frankly, most people don’t care anyway, so if you are evasive with “I was needed at home for a few years” they won’t pry.
Thank you ALL . . very much! Your opinions have been so helpful.