Job gaps provide a great opportunity for updating resume information. These periods give you a chance to reevaluate your priorities and create multiple resumes targeted to specific fields that catch your eye. This puts you back in charge of your job search and gives you the tools you need to sell your skills to potential employers when you're ready to reenter the workforce.
Updating resume information may seem daunting at first, but take it in pieces and begin with the most important information: your contact details. Forgetting this seemingly small section can make it virtually impossible for job offers to reach you.
Recruiters like candidates with a professional mindset who know where they are going, so make sure to refresh your objective as well. Identify why you wish to return to work or what field you want to pursue, and then create an attention-grabbing career summary with all your skills and qualifications that you know can help you reach those goals.
Periods of unemployment may still provide value to the experience section of your resume. You can continue to learn important skills even while not working for a steady employer. Make sure to update your resume with experiences gained through any volunteer work or part-time or freelance gigs. These skills may have direct relevance to a hiring trainer and show that you made the best of your time between jobs. Demonstrating your commitment to your field from the start—in your resume—can help counter any questions hiring managers may raise about your employment gaps.
Remember also to add new contacts to your files as you update your resume. You may make many professional and personal contacts during periods of unemployment. These people can help you form new networks and provide excellent references for your future job search. Volunteer organizers, local employers that provided part-time work, and new friends made on temp jobs or through community events can all provide valuable support when you are ready to return to work.
The skills you develop and people you meet during job gaps may provide the springboard to the next step in your career or toward reaching your lifelong dreams. It falls on you to present yourself in the best possible light by updating resume information that is relevant to the new position. This can help you avoid pitfalls that may land your application in the recycle bin instead of the human resources department.
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