How to explain year long gap on resume

[PlantsRfood]

I'm a professional (government / policy) and I am about to start looking for a job after having taken the past year and a half off work. 

I'm concerned that my reasons for taking the time off are difficult to explain concisely, and also probably confuse or even set off red flags to people I'm trying to make a good first impression on. 

Some background on me: I'm middle aged, female, single, an introvert, and before I quit my job (which I quite enjoyed), I had only been living in my city for several years. (It's my hometown, but I'd been living in another city for the past 15 years).

The true reason I quit my job and took all this time off are:

1. I wanted to get off the merry go round that was my work and slow down. I was so exhausted in my previous job that I was worried I would burn out, and mess up the projects I was responsible for, so I wanted to get out before I did any damage. 

2. I was lonely, having not lived in my city for long, and I found that the exhaustion from working full time and spending my free time recovering wasn't leaving time or energy to get out and meet people. This was contributing to my depression.

3. I was curious to see what I was capable if left to my own devices, and if able to prioritise eating well, getting enough exercise, and doing things at my own pace. 

4. I was worried about my mum, for whom I'm the only person there is to help her, and I wanted to help make her home more liveable, as it was dysfunctional and a bit of a hoarding situation. 

5. I am a creative person, and I wanted to allow that part of myself to come out of its slumber. 

6. I've never been the type to want to be busy. I treasure free time like nothing else. So having time to do what I want when I want is the most valuable thing to me. More than travel or adventure. I just love not having to answer to anyone. 

So I spent this time living the free life, getting out and meeting more people, building up a sense of community, indulging my creative hobbies, eating healthy meals, getting all the exercise and sunshine I wanted each day, renovating my apartment so that it is more functional for when I'm busy again, helping my mum make her home more manageable as she gets older, and that's about it. 

It doesn't exactly roll off the tongue like 'I spent a year backpacking around Europe' or 'I did the first year of a Masters in a related field. 

How do I turn this into an elevator pitch that doesn't set off red flags?

[Wiseman2]

2 minutes ago, PlantsRfood said:

 I was worried about an elderly family member for whom I'm the primary next of kin, and I wanted to help them at home to make their home more livable, 

If they ask "family leave" is a legitimate reason. You don't need to get into all the other personal reasons. 

[PlantsRfood]

Just now, Wiseman2 said:

If they ask "family leave" is a legitimate reason. You don't need to get into all the other personal reasons. 

Thank you, however it wasn't leave. I would have taken unpaid leave if it was available, but it wasn't so I quit my job. Do you have any suggestions of what I can call it?

[Tinydance]

I'm not trying to be rude but yeah I definitely don't think you should mention any of those reasons to employers. If you somehow have money to live off then it's your life and you can do whatever you want. I mean, especially if you're single and no kids then it's not like you had to provide financially for your family.

Unfortunately I don't think what you were doing sounds good to employers. Employers want someone stable and reliable who will stay in the role for a while. It wouldn't sound good to them that you left the job coz you were too stressed to work or you prefer having fun to working lol 

The only thing out of the ones you listed which actually could sound acceptable is saying: "I needed to take care of my mother". But probably try not to elaborate on that because they would assume your mother was sick or had surgery or something like that. Which actually wasn't the case and you were just helping her organise her apartment.

To be really honest employers can't just start asking you personal questions because it's rude and there are some things they probably legally can't ask you. Like things that people get discriminated on in terms of employment like disability, sexuality, marital status, etc. So just keep your response vague and I think they would be too scared to start prying into it lol Don't mention anything else because no offence but it wouldn't exactly sound like you have a good work ethic.

[Batya33]

I had a 7 year gap (was a SAHM and left a high level professional career in another city -I moved shortly after my maternity leave ended) ages 42-49-ish so I explained it as "family responsibilities" and put that in a cover letter.  I was 48 when I started looking for work outside the home.  You voluntarily left your last job so that is good (as had I).  Have you been doing any volunteer work? I would write in a cover letter from ____ to ___ I attended to family responsibilities" Which you did. Also did you do anything to keep any relevant skills up? I would not fluff up anything on a resume but if you've been consistently volunteering etc I'd list that (it took me about a year to find the right position so also if I were you I'd start volunteering somewhere now so the gap doesn't get larger).

[Starlight925]

The important this is KISS:  Keep it Smart & Simple.  LOL, there's another set of words for it, but you get it.

As others have said:  I attended to family responsibilities.

No one needs to, or wants to, hear all the details.  Frankly, no one cares.

All anyone cares about is WIIFM:  What's In It For Me?

In other words, all they care about is what you can do for them.  So focus on that, and you should be fine.

Focus on why you want this job, why you want to work for this company, why you think your skills are so well aligned.

So again:

KISS

WIIFM

[Batya33]

9 minutes ago, Starlight925 said:

Focus on why you want this job, why you want to work for this company, why you think your skills are so well aligned.

And what you can contribute to the company/bottom line.

[boltnrun]

I was unemployed for three months. I had left a temp job because it paid poorly and it required me to work in the office despite the others in my department being allowed to work remotely (this was fall 2020) and the company kept holding large in person meetings against the state mandated restrictions so I felt unsafe. After I left that assignment I got Covid so I obviously couldn't job search. Once I was better and started job hunting I simply put "temporary assignment ended" which was technically true although I chose to end it. No one ever questioned it. Oh, and the temp.agency that had gotten me the assignment I chose to leave was still willing to send me on more interviews, so they didn't care either. Again, no questions were asked.

I realize mine was only three months but it was still a gap. I was able to get my current job relatively quickly (within six weeks) and it's a great job that I really enjoy.

I agree that "attended to family responsibilities" is an adequate explanation and is not untruthful.

Good luck!

[catfeeder]

13 hours ago, PlantsRfood said:

I was worried about my mum, for whom I'm the only person there is to help her, and I wanted to help make her home more liveable, as it was dysfunctional and a bit of a hoarding situation. 

I would call this 'elder care' and explain no further--not a single detail beyond that this has since been resolved.

[PlantsRfood]

12 hours ago, Tinydance said:

I'm not trying to be rude but 

I cannot tell you how grateful I am for your honesty here. This really shows the beauty of the internet and being able to ask questions anonymously.  

I will also add that prior to quitting, I had worked in my field for 14 years. The job I quit I'd been in for 3 years. The job before that was one year (but I only left because my contract was up), and before that I worked for the same employer for ten years.

 

[ShySoul]

Have you been consistently employed otherwise? When you held a job, did you stay at those places for awhile and can show a steady progression of promotion/additional responsibilities? If you have a good track record in your work history that should counter any concerns about extended leaves. The one time I sat in on a hiring decision I was more concerned with the person who changed jobs/professions every six month then I was the person who had to take a year off. The first showed he wasn't serious about any of the jobs and didn't know what he wanted. The second could have a valid reason for not working, but showed that they were fully committed when they did work. Which do you think a company would prefer?

If necessary, family responsibilty is your best bet to respond with. It's true and something anyone should be able to relate to. Keep it to work related topics and what you bring to the table. If pressed, you could also try turning it around and finding a way to demonstrate your how you used that time to develop a skill that could be useful in your work. Could any of those people you met or the community you built be a possible connection that a place of employment would find useful? Does any of your creative hobbies demonstrate a skill you can use on the job? 

Lastly, work-life balance is an important thing. Many companies stress it and want to help their employees so they don't burn out and end up leaving. Keep that in mind and look for a place that would be understanding to your situation. If it's a concern, don't be afraid to ask about it. An interview is also about finding the right fit for you, so make sure it's a place you feel comfortable with as well.

[PlantsRfood]

10 hours ago, Batya33 said:

 Have you been doing any volunteer work? 

No, unless you include helping out friends and family. I've been helping my mum, with the goal of keeping her out of aged care and living independently as long as possible. 

I've been teaching myself new skills (renovation related) which is not related to my job but has been good for building confidence that I have some basic life skills outside of writing Government policy documents. 

I've also been brushing up on my graphic design skills, which are useful in my field on the odd occasion but certainly not critical. 

I've been working progressively through a long to do list, and have achived all the big things I set out to achieve in my time off, but none are related to my field. 

I looked into alternative careers that I hoped would be easier to control my own workload, (e.g. I looked into doing an apprenticeship in a trade) but ultimately decided that I am too old, and would not be able to get an apprenticeship. And also, I still need to be able to occasionally assist my mum if she gets ill. 

 

[PlantsRfood]

8 minutes ago, ShySoul said:

Have you been consistently employed otherwise? 

Prior to quitting, I had worked in my field for 14 years. The job I quit I'd been in for 3 years. The job before that was one year (but I only left because my contract was up), and before that I worked for the same employer for ten years.

[PlantsRfood]

9 minutes ago, ShySoul said:

When you held a job, did you stay at those places for awhile and can show a steady progression of promotion/additional responsibilities?

I had zero promotions in the ten years I worked for my first employer. I started out with big ambitions but met with setbacks which I never overcame. 

When I left that employer, I sort of had to start at the bottom again, as I was in a new State with different legislation, so I did that for a year and then finally got one level up from entry level.

I was extremely passionate when I first started out in my career. I have a Bachelors Degree which I did initially, and completed a Masters while I was in my first job.   

But things have not gone as I'd hoped. Not due to lack passion or hard work. But now I'm middle aged, getting more tired, and more hopeless. 

[PlantsRfood]

14 minutes ago, ShySoul said:

If pressed, you could also try turning it around and finding a way to demonstrate your how you used that time to develop a skill that could be useful in your work. Could any of those people you met or the community you built be a possible connection that a place of employment would find useful? Does any of your creative hobbies demonstrate a skill you can use on the job? 

I think the main value of getting out and meeting more people is just so that I'm a happier person, and that will make me a better person to have in the work environment. (In my last job, people would always ask what I did on the weekend, and I felt like it reflected poorly on me that I always spent it alone). So getting a bit of a social life is good for appearances and also for making me a more balanced person which is good in the workplace, but hard to explain that I needed to take time to achieve this.

I brushed up on my graphic design skills, so I think this will be somewhat useful for one of the rare occasions it is needed in my job, but it's not a core part of my profession.

[Tinydance]

Well even if you're "too old" for an apprenticeship, I don't think you'd be too old to do a course at university or something. If you do want to change careers then you could study something else. Do you have financial means not to work? You said you took 1.5 years off working and you had money to go out and do things, pay bills and so on. So I'm guessing you were living on savings? You could take more time off and study but that's up to you of course if you want to do that or not.

[PlantsRfood]

7 minutes ago, Tinydance said:

Well even if you're "too old" for an apprenticeship, I don't think you'd be too old to do a course at university or something. If you do want to change careers then you could study something else. Do you have financial means not to work? You said you took 1.5 years off working and you had money to go out and do things, pay bills and so on. So I'm guessing you were living on savings? You could take more time off and study but that's up to you of course if you want to do that or not.

The only reason I would consider a career changes is because of the conditions (lack of flexibility to allow me to manage elder care, or to maintain my own energy levels). But I do enjoy my profession. And I think it's a fairly good fit for me. I did a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree so I could work in this profession, so I'd have to have a pretty watertight reason for changing now. 

My issue is that I don't have the energy I used to have. And given the lack of promotions over the past 14 years of work, I have become discouraged that I can ever get ahead in this field. 

Yes, I've been living on savings. I've been living pretty frugally. I haven't been going out drinking or for dinner. My social stuff has not been consumption centred. I could probably afford to study if I wanted to, but I'd have to be serious about it and after a year and a half off, I don't have a clear idea of anything that would be worth it, or better than my current profession. 

[ShySoul]

1 minute ago, PlantsRfood said:

And given the lack of promotions over the past 14 years of work, I have become discouraged that I can ever get ahead in this field. 

What is it you want to achieve in the field? I know everyone makes out like you have to be constantly getting promotions and put in tons of work to get the big bucks. But at the end of the day, it's more important to be happy. If you aren't happy and fulfilled by what you do, then it's not healthy for you in the long run. 

I've also had setbacks and probably haven't advanced as far as I should have by now. But I try to find satisfaction in just doing the work and knowing that I'm the one people rely to get it all done. I try to see how all the things I do impact others and the difference I make. I can afford what I need to, so that's fine for me.

Perhaps you could look for a position that would give you a more personally fulfilling role? Or at least some volunteer activity to do on your off time? It might be good to focus on the positive impact your skills can have to counter those feelings of being discouraged.

[ShySoul]

24 minutes ago, PlantsRfood said:

I think the main value of getting out and meeting more people is just so that I'm a happier person, and that will make me a better person to have in the work environment. (In my last job, people would always ask what I did on the weekend, and I felt like it reflected poorly on me that I always spent it alone).

As a shy introvert, I get that feeling. But remember that your free time is about you. If you need the time alone to recharge, take it. It doesn't reflect poorly on you if that's what you need for your own mental health. If anything, it reflects poorly on them for judging you based on some extrovert ideal. People should be valued as a unique individual, not have to live up to how co-workers think you should be. If you want to out, great. If you want to stay in, great. As long as you are happy.

[Tinydance]

5 minutes ago, ShySoul said:

What is it you want to achieve in the field? I know everyone makes out like you have to be constantly getting promotions and put in tons of work to get the big bucks. But at the end of the day, it's more important to be happy. If you aren't happy and fulfilled by what you do, then it's not healthy for you in the long run. 

I've also had setbacks and probably haven't advanced as far as I should have by now. But I try to find satisfaction in just doing the work and knowing that I'm the one people rely to get it all done. I try to see how all the things I do impact others and the difference I make. I can afford what I need to, so that's fine for me.

Perhaps you could look for a position that would give you a more personally fulfilling role? Or at least some volunteer activity to do on your off time? It might be good to focus on the positive impact your skills can have to counter those feelings of being discouraged.

Yeah on that note, I specifically DON'T want to be in any kind of management position lol I don't like the idea of having to manage people and tell them what to do. If I have issues at work, I like the idea of going to my boss for help if I really need it. I don't want to actually BE the boss and have people coming to me lol So I'm very happy with not getting a promotion. In fact I much prefer it that way 🤣

[PlantsRfood]

7 minutes ago, ShySoul said:

I try to find satisfaction in just doing the work and knowing that I'm the one people rely to get it all done. I try to see how all the things I do impact others and the difference I make.

I really like your perspective, and I think at my stage in life (I don't need to strive as much financially) I can afford to prioritise job satisfaction over money ambition. 

I do take great pride in my work and enjoy making other people's lives easier by being useful. So whereas in the beginning, I had big ambitions to become a Director, I would be happy to just be in a job (senior or not) where I got to do interesting projects I could sink my teeth into, and have a fair amount of autonomy.

[ShySoul]

Just now, Tinydance said:

Yeah on that note, I specifically DON'T want to be in any kind of management position lol I don't like the idea of having to manage people and tell them what to do. If I have issues at work, I like the idea of going to my boss for help if I really need it. I don't want to actually BE the boss and have people coming to me lol So I'm very happy with not getting a promotion. In fact I much prefer it that way

I'm torn on that myself. On one hand, it's nice putting in the time and going home. I wouldn't like if I was the one constantly having to deal with all the crazy nonsense that goes on and having everyone come to me for the smallest thing. On the other hand, it would be nice to be the one to make the rules and eliminate all the inefficiences and time wasters. There are so many things that drive you crazy. 😉

Have a friend who feels the same and absolutely didn't want a management role. Unfortunately, the company didn't have enough people, especially ones with his skillset. So he got forced into it. Now he spends so much time in pointless meeting he can barely get in any of the real work. I'm grateful I'm NOT in his shoes.

[Batya33]

41 minutes ago, ShySoul said:

I'm torn on that myself. On one hand, it's nice putting in the time and going home. I wouldn't like if I was the one constantly having to deal with all the crazy nonsense that goes on and having everyone come to me for the smallest thing. On the other hand, it would be nice to be the one to make the rules and eliminate all the inefficiences and time wasters. There are so many things that drive you crazy. 😉

Have a friend who feels the same and absolutely didn't want a management role. Unfortunately, the company didn't have enough people, especially ones with his skillset. So he got forced into it. Now he spends so much time in pointless meeting he can barely get in any of the real work. I'm grateful I'm NOT in his shoes.

I was management for 6 of the 15 years I worked full time in my current career (my first career was teacher -for about 3 years then I went to grad school for my current). I didn't love being a manager but I got better at it. Now I do manage some admin people. I don't think good managers tell people what to do.  You have to instill teamwork and the people you manage wanting to be proactive and come up with ideas to improve the work product/processes etc.  I never wanted to be the big boss though or be an entrepreneur  although I love Shark Tank!

I totally get why your age -and family responsibilities - factor in.  Good luck!