Here’s How You Should Mention A Career Break In Your Resume.

There can be many reasons you’d have taken a career break. In India, taking a career break doesn’t go well for most people. While some equate it with failure, others believe that taking a break when you’re young can affect your chances of future employment. This is not true! Sure, it might be difficult to get back in the workforce after a career break, but it is certainly not impossible.

Let’s first see, why are career breaks considered to be so bad?

The reasons behind taking a career break differ from person to person. Maybe you lost your job, went to pursue your master’s degree, or simply wanted a break from that monotonous 9 to 5 routine and go traveling. But for a recruiter, an employment gap in your resume can be a big red flag, especially if they don’t see any explanation for it. This can result in them making the wrong assumptions about you, and affecting your chances of getting up to the interview.

Tips On How To Mention A Career Break In Your Resume

• Be honest about your career break and own it!
• Briefly mention why you took the break and what you did during that time.
• Mention the duration of your break in months. Instead of writing ‘2019–20’, write ‘March 2019 to Jan 2021’.
• Avoid making up reasons. Remember that recruiters have a good eye for dishonesty; examining people is what they do for a living. Be honest about the reasons for your break.

Career Break Explanation In Resume — Examples

June 2020 — March 2021

After leaving my job at [XYZ organization], I took some time off to re-evaluate my career goals.

November 2020 — February 2021

After working for 5 straight years, I realized I needed a break. Now, after traveling for 4 months, I believe I am ready to rejoin the workplace.

Mention About Upskilling During Your Break

A career break is an opportunity to relax and let go of all that work stress- agreed. However, it is also an opportunity to learn new things and inculcate new habits. These can be related either to your profession or to your hobbies. Either way, they’re surely worth mentioning in your resume.

For instance, you might’ve taken an online course, learned a new language while traveling, or started practicing a new art form. No matter what it is, including this will leave a lasting impression on the recruiters. It can indicate that you’re always up to building your skills and learning new things.

Example:

While healing from an accident, I had the opportunity to enroll myself in a digital marketing online course. I am now looking for an opportunity to put my newly acquired skill into practice.

Highlight Your Achievements

If you didn’t have the opportunity to upskill during your career break, that’s okay too. What you can do instead is focus on the relevant achievements from your past work experience. This will help the recruiter understand how you can contribute to the organization.

Lastly, Don’t Be Apologetic

Taking a gap or a career break is not a bad thing. As mentioned earlier, there can be many reasons behind taking a career break. There is no reason for you to feel bad or ashamed about it.

Just be honest about the gaps in your resume. With these above-mentioned tips, you’ll be set for your comeback in the professional world!