Marjorie writes:
We relocated 2 years ago with the plan that I would not work. Now 2 years have gone by, and I want to go back to work. How do I explain the gap of time on my resume or cover letter? I am 56 years old dealing with age discrimination in this town as well. I have a double whammy trying to get employment. Help!
The Career Doctor responds:
First, let me stress that you do NOT need to address the issue in your cover letter. You don’t ever want to point out a flaw or comment on something negative. A cover letter is a sales document designed to raise enough interest for the prospective employer to glance at your resume. Starting your letter with something like “even though I haven’t been employed for two years” is bound to end any chance you had.
You can deal with the gap in a couple of different ways on your resume — and you SHOULD be prepared to discuss it at the interview.
Have you literally been doing nothing the past two years? No part-time work? No temping? No volunteering? No freelancing? What about continuing education? Any of these things could easily mask the gap. And if you haven’t been doing any of these things, now might be the time to start!
You could also consider using a chrono-functional style resume, where your resume is organized around skills clusters rather than a chronological order of work experience. But beware, because this style of resume has lost some favor over the last few years.
As for your age issue, remember to remove all older jobs (more than 15 years) and take dates of all your degrees/educational experiences.
Finally, consider adding a qualifications summary at the top of your resume — the two to four things that make you the ideal job candidate. It is not only a trendy item that employers like, but it helps give your resume focus.
Find more advice and resources for older job-seekers in this section of Quintessential Careers: Job and Career Resources for Mature and Older Job-Seekers — Including the Baby Boomers.
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