I quit my job after COVID and took a hiatus from working. I'm applying to new jobs now, how do I explain the gap in my resume?

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I mean just like that. If someone doesn’t have the empathy to understand that then move on

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They can always say they had to take care of someone with it. A little lie never hurt anyone. And I think we all needed a break. Anyone who would seriously judge a person on that should not be judging people at all.

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I did the same. And when I was interviewing no one really asked. If they mentioned it was usually ‘where are you in the interview process?’ I said a took a break and am just getting started. No one batted an eye.

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Took a sabbatical

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A sabbatical can be paid, unpaid, personal or an org benefit. Either way, you can take time off for any reason and just need to ensure you convey your commitment to the new role if asked….we have no issues with it and look for top talent regardless of time you took off for the multitude of reasons.

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There’s plenty of people especially at this time that have taken long breaks due to COVID related reasons. I doubt any recruiters or hiring managers would even bat an eye if the gaps were during or after COVID. Between layoffs, resignations, and now reshuffling, there’s a lot going on in the job market right now. I and other hiring managers certainly don’t even notice.

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I have a year parental gap during this COVID and I feel like it's killing my chances of getting back to work now. Can I send you a private message?

You literally tell them “I needed a break like most of the world and I wasn’t worried about coming back to the workforce because I know I’m good at what I do.” You can even add And I’m ready to work because unemployment is boring
And add some shit about what you did and how you can apply it to your career moving fwd.

If any company looks at your break as a bad thing, then maybe they aren’t the right company for you

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2 tips/suggestion.

1. Be honest. Makes it so it's easy to talk about.
2. An employers concern would be, what would prevent this person from taking another break? They may not even ask you buy may be on their mind. Try to leave an understanding that you would be committed.

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As a hiring manager I wouldn't even bat an eye at this. I am looking for performers and if somebody took a break to get back to that state who cares. Also my company is explaining all of our turnover by calling it The Great Resignation as if it is a cultural phenomenon and ignoring the fact that the hordes of people in our company resigned because of the sea changes going on internally. So you can always use the great resignation as your cultural excuse 😂

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You can easily write a functional resume instead

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One of the reasons I am really holding on on my resignation is this attitude of judging on breaks! I am worried the companies will downplay the comp/position. But this is definitely impacting my overall mental focus and I am unable to make a decision! I definitely would want to know your journey so far!

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Covid related transitions. Unless specifically asked (I'm seeing less of this) don't address it. Not the red flag it used to be and we should be normalizing breaks from work for whatever reason!

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I took a few years off and explained it as a gap year for growing my career. But no one ever asked.

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Lazy? Scared for no reason? I can think of lots of truthful reasons but I'm sure you'll come up with some lie that sounds "better" (in your eyes). Pffft! Get to work people!!!!

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Good luck with retention!

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I needed the time off after working for x amount of years. I'm now refreshed and ready to get back into the game.

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Do you have to explain it?

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I was let go from PayPal in early 2019 and given 6 or 7 months worth of severance pay, so I took the time off. Then in the fall, I started job hunting and got a job with Square. Sounds like a similar intentional gap. Whether intentional or not, definitely be honest. If intentional I absolutely don't feel like it needs to be "explained" in the apologetic sense. You are not required to work non-stop. If you think about it, the point of working is to make enough money to stop working. Who says you can't have inter-woven periods of working and not working?

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How long was the hiatus?

I am now on my 8th month break lol

You are not the only one! Honestly, I really needed it. Even if it sets me back a little, it was worth it.

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I think most companies at this point understand if you have taken a sabbatical during COVID or lost a job.

Just make sure your skills are still sharp and the gap didn’t impact them.

If you learned something new or picked up a new hobby, that's all the explanation you need. If you took care of your mental health in any number of ways, even better.

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