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How to prevent an employment gap on your CV
Having a lengthy gap in your employment could hinder your chances of gaining an interview. Even though there are ways of explaining a gap on your CV, it would always be better to avoid them if possible.
If you are actively searching for work but it’s taking longer than expected, here are some great ways to plug a potential employment gap in your CV…
Voluntary work
You should always remain busy whilst searching for a job and one of the best ways is to volunteer at your local charity or even Country Park. Not only will this keep your mind and body active, it will also look great on your CV. Finally, it will show a potential employer that you are a hard working individual who is willing to give up their free time to help others and stay active and driven.
It’s always hard to tell how long it will take to find a job, and as the weeks go by it’s very easy to get out of touch with daily tasks and responsibilities. Voluntary work is a great way to keep yourself sharp, and you might even gain additional skills and experience that you can also add to your CV.
Don’t worry about the salary…
You may be thinking that working free is a terrible idea. But try to see the larger picture, and focus upon what’s best for your career. Having a CV with a lengthy employment gap could hinder your chances of success, and you could be left with regrets of what might have been.
However, we appreciate that bills need to be paid. For that reason, you could instead opt for…
Part time work
This could be a better solution for you if the pennies still need to keep rolling in. Understandably, volunteer work may not be possible, and that’s why part time work could just be for you.
Part time employment may be easier to come by, and we would advise considering all options. From your local coffee shop, supermarket or newsagents; options are everywhere if you know where to look. Again, this is all about keeping busy and plugging a potential employment gap.
Study or take a course
Depending on how long you feel you might be out of work, it may be a good idea to take on a part time course to further your qualifications. Or even study at home to gain more knowledge for your next role.
The hardest part about taking this approach however is trying to balance committing to a course whilst getting a new job, and how the two might interact. So this may only really apply to someone who is likely to be out of work for a lengthy period of time, due to illness or other personal reasons.
Night school or even an online course may be the best option for most, which will allow interviews to take place and even enter into full time employment whilst continuing a course.
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