Landing a job is never easy, but if a resume is full of red flags to a hiring manager, it makes it even harder. When a hiring manager sees employment gaps, short stints in multiple workplaces or unplanned departures on your resume, they may make assumptions, which are to your detriment in the hiring process. Red flags can call into question the commitment, reliability or performance of a candidate, particularly if assumptions are allowed to form without discussion. By unapologetically owning your decisions, and being able to proactively offer explanations, you will be more likely to put the interviewers mind at ease.
Here’s how you can combat one of the common red flags: –
Employment Gaps
In some cases, it may be difficult to take on additional side projects. In these situations, keep in mind the meaningful ways you’ve spent time between roles, and make sure you’re able to clearly articulate them. You may not have joined a formal program or pursued a degree, but did you volunteer? Enrol in a course? Pursue a personal project? Find ways to demonstrate how you spent your time, does in fact reflect your strong candidacy.
In addition, if part of the reason you were unemployed is that you were choosing your roles carefully, emphasize that. Being selective demonstrates that you’re taking ownership over the job search process and that you’re not going to jump at any opportunity — you’re waiting for the right fit. The more you convey that an employment gap was (at least to some extent) your choice, the less likely your interviewer is to view you as desperate and unemployable.
In next month’s newsletter, we will discuss other common red flags such as Job Hopping and Unplanned or Involuntary Departures.
