Career Break: How your resume can get you back into the game?

Did you take a year off for yourself? Do you have long gaps in your career history? Is the very idea of preparing your resume with a career gap your nightmare? We understand your problem. We know what difficulties you might be facing in restarting your career. Moreover, we also know the solution to such difficulties.

So, follow these steps to relaunch into the workforce with your new and propelling resume:

1.Know about the right resume format

There are three types of resume formats. Some resume formats highlight work experience and some highlight your abilities. You can hide your career gap using the right resume format. So, let’s find out which resume format is best for you.

2.Chronological Resume Format

A chronological resume format might not be the best choice to make. It is also called the reverse-chronological format. As it focuses more on work experience. Employment gaps can be easily identified in this resume format. So, it is recommended only for people with a long history of work experience.

3.Functional Resume Format

On the other hand, a functional resume format focuses less on the work history. In fact, the very inclusion of work history is optional in a functional resume. So, this might be a good resume format to choose. This resume format is skill-based. It focuses more on capabilities and achievements rather than work experience. Often, this is the format recommended to people with an employment gap.

4.Combination Resume Format.

Similarly, a combination resume might also be a good choice. A combination resume is a mixture of chronological and functional resume formats. It focuses less on work history and is often useful in case of gaps in employment. It contains just the relevant highlights of the career instead of the entire work history.

Read this article to find out more about the three resume formats

5.Update your skillset

Certainly, it does not matter if you had a long career gap. You can reverse its ill-effects by substituting it with productive skills set. There are many jobs in all industries which are offered on the basis of skills and not work experience. Also, skills are something which can be acquired with practice. Acquire all the necessary skills useful in your industry. Train. Take a master class. Take up certificate courses and be all equipped to make a comeback. Update your CV with your new skill set.

6.Emphasize your career objective

Prepare an attractive career objective that overshadows your work history. Instate clearly that you are driven by productivity. You thrive to contribute to your organization. Fill your career objective with ambitious ideas. Furthermore, project your dedication and promise to work hard. Your career gap will be overlooked. 

7.Exceptionalize the rest of your resume

In addition, determine to improve all the other factors in your hand. Specially if you have a drawback that you cannot change anymore. So, Improve all the other sections of your CV barring the work experience. There is a high chance you will be selected. 

8.Consider disclosing the reason for the gap

However, you may choose to disclose an honest reason for your gap. Often disclosing honest reasons such as pursuing further education or taking time off to travel is considered by the employer. So, here is a list of good reasons employers generally accept.

• Caring for a family member ill of health
• Caring for a newborn or young children
• Fracture/Surgery/ or any other medical ailment
• Relocation
• Preparing for entrance examinations/ Further education
• Pursuing professional training
• Taking time off to travel
• Attempting a startup
• Got laid off because of the company being shrunk

Bottomline

Furthermore, do not think that you are the only one with a career gap. Or, you can never make it again. There are crores of such people in this world who had a career gap. Yet, they got selected for a good job.

History is full of examples of people who started late. Including the founder of KFC Colonel Sanders who tasted success at the age of 62. You must work on acquiring new skills and building a better resume. You may also seek help from professionals and experts in building your resume. CvDragon is specially designed to meet all your resume requirements.

Make a new resume and restart your career today!