Anybody who creates a resume should highlight their strengths and abilities in a truthful way.  A gap in the timeline will weaken any resume. Questions will arise if a potential employer notes that an applicant has been unemployed for several months or years.  By anticipating those kinds of questions, an applicant can update the resume by including a brief explanation of the timeline on the face of the resume.  Being dishonest is risky.  In the 21 ^st Century, you reemployment history creates a digital trail which is easy to uncover.  F. Jay Hall, the founder of ExecSearches, stated: “Be careful to not stretch the truth on your resume and double check that what you have in your resume matches what you may have in an online profile.  A good executive search consultant will thoroughly examine your online persona.”

If a job gap involves education, the applicant can include education as one of the first items on the resume. If the gap resulted from business closure or downsizing, a short explanation on the resume will suffice to explain that situation.  Potential employers are likely to be sympathetic. A potentially more hazardous situation involve termination due to mistakes or incompetence. Every working person hopes to avoid this scenario.  However, we live in a world of imperfect people. It’s never a good idea to lie or misrepresent this kind of situation on a resume. Instead, present the episode as a learning experience. Karen Alphonse, the Search Solutions Leader and Executive Coach at ExecSearches, stated: “Most interviewers know that during the course of a healthy career, sometimes things do not go well.  They are impressed by those with the honesty and clarity of vision to accept responsibility for their shortcomings and move forward armed with renewed self- awareness, self-confidence and skill.”

Resume gaps can seem frightening, but they don’t have to be. Through careful presentation, they can instead serve to highlight and amplify the experiences and abilities presented on a resume. When you confront your successes and learning experiences with candor, you also reveal integrity and honesty.  Many employers value these traits highly.