Being Upfront About Long Gaps in Resume Increases the Chances of Being Hired

Writing and speaking straight-up about the parenting gap is more beneficial than being mum about it. A study has found that it is harder for Americans to go back to work if they have been out for more than six months. In addition, it becomes significantly more challenging to be hired.

Apart from a mismatch in what the employees need versus what employers want, another possible reason is employers' bias against people who have been unemployed for long periods.

Sometimes, the considerable time gap evident in one's resume becomes a red flag for some employers. This information comes with the assumption that you have not been hired because of a red flag. Whatever the rationale behind the "gap," being out of the workforce is associated with a certain kind of lack, either experience or skills. According to the founder of Propel on Purpose Coaching, Anyelis Cordero, this gap which some employers associate with a level of lack or loss, would entail that they should spend resources such as time and money to improve their skills.

Being Upfront About the Gap

According to a report in Huffpost, one must be clear as to why there is a resume gap, mainly when the reason for the said gap is to take time away from work or career to have kids or take care of them. Thus, resulting in a long gap. It may be highly personal or awkward to share it with potential employers. However, research shows that employers give preference and leeway to applicants who give way to explaining why there are gaps in their resumes than those who do not.

Female job applicants explained that the massive gap in their resumes was due to their decision to have children and raise them to increase their chances of getting hired. Applicants who explained why they were not part of the workforce, which transpired as long as ten years, had more chances of getting hired than applicants who did not explain. This stark difference was highlighted in an experiment by economists at Vanderbilt Law School.

The Experiment

The economists at Vanderbilt created bios for different women applicants with similar educational backgrounds and work experiences. In creating theoretical hiring scenarios, the experiment showed that participants who were more honest and volunteered the reason for the resume gap were more likely to get hired by 30 to 40 percentage points.

The experiment results suggest that women who were more upfront about the personal reasons for the gap were more likely to be hired because employers prefer that they know if applicants' situations were more or less compatible with the work requirements and conditions rather than being left in the dark.

Although there were no details or any indication that the women would be more productive at work, many "potential" employers preferred women who explained the resume gap straight-up.