Why addressing employment gaps in a cover letter matters
Having gaps in your cover letter and resume won’t automatically disqualify you from your dream job. However, you’ll need to acknowledge those gaps and frame them in a positive light so employers can look past them and see the value you bring. Here’s a look at cover letter explaining gap in employment examples, as well as some tips to help you address stretches when you weren’t working.
Common reasons for employment gaps
Concerns about gaps in your resume and cover letter are well-founded. Approximately 36% of hiring professionals can be deterred when they see work gaps.1 The good news is that 95% of hiring managers recognize some valid reasons for interruptions to your work history. Here are some of the most common reasons for employment gaps.
Parenting or caregiving
The majority (68%) of hiring managers and about two-thirds of job seekers consider staying home to care for a child or elderly parent to be an acceptable reason for resume gaps. (1)
Here’s how to list parenting or caregiving on your cover letter: “During my time as a caregiver, I honed my organizational and multitasking abilities, ensuring I’m well-prepared to manage the demands of this role.”
Health issues
The most universally accepted reason for employment gaps is health issues — 74% of job seekers and 73% of hiring managers consider serious health concerns an acceptable reason for having gaps in your work history. (1)
Recovering from health issues demonstrates resilience and a commitment to self-improvement. While you don’t need to provide prospective employers with a detailed glimpse into your personal health concerns, you should share enough so they can understand the scope of your challenges.
For example, you might say something like, “After successfully navigating a health challenge, I’m more motivated and equipped than ever to contribute my skills to your team.”
Further education or skill-building
Stepping away from work to pursue education or certifications shows your initiative and dedication to growth. Taking a break from work to further your education can be especially beneficial when changing fields.
Here’s an example of what that might look like on your cover letter: “I used this period to complete my bachelor’s degree in [insert field], gaining advanced skills and becoming a more well-rounded professional.”
Pursuing passion projects or travel
Engaging in a personal passion project or travel reflects creativity and a commitment to personal growth. These experiences often translate into unique perspectives that you can bring to the workplace.
However, you must put a positive spin on your travel or passion project. Don’t assume that the hiring manager will see the intrinsic value in your journey. Tell them. For example, you might say, “During my time away, I managed a blog documenting my travels. This sharpened my time management and audience engagement skills.”
If your employment gaps can’t be chalked up to one of these commonly accepted reasons, don’t worry. You can still create an impactful cover letter to explain gap in employment. The key is to face the issue head-on rather than trying to tiptoe around it. Here are some strategies to help you do that.
Best practices for writing a cover letter that addresses gaps
When creating a cover letter for gap in employment, make sure to follow these best practices:
Be honest but brief
Acknowledge the gap in your employment history. It’s going to be plain to see, so there’s no sense trying to dodge it. Be concise in explaining how long the gap was and why it happened. Be transparent, but don’t dwell on the past. Hiring managers want to know what you can offer today.
Reframe the narrative
The most important lesson to remember when explaining gaps in your cover letter is to reframe the conversation. Put a positive spin on your time away by focusing on what you accomplished. You can speak about your personal growth, new certifications you acquired, or valuable time spent with loved ones.
Highlight skills and achievements
A traditional cover letter and resume will use a chronological approach to explore your professional history and work experiences. You can shift to a skills-based resume and cover letter to emphasize the value you bring.
Choose a job letter template that places your skills front and center. While the gap will still be there, it won’t steal the show. Instead, hiring managers will get to learn more about your unique abilities, educational background, and certifications before they even get to the gap.
Use this opportunity to win them over and position yourself as a candidate they can’t afford to pass up.
Tailor documents to the job
Don’t rely on generic cover letters and resumes. Your documents should be purpose-written for each job you apply for. By tailoring your content to the role you want, you are showing hiring managers that you’ve researched the position and are committed to joining the team.
Make sure you choose a resume format that matches your cover letter and helps you shift attention to all of the valuable attributes you possess. Give the documents a positive spin and ensure they use some of the keywords found in the job posting.
Craft an explanation
You’ll need to craft an explanation for your professional gap and include it in your cover letter. If you don’t address the gap now, you may not get a chance to do so later in an interview. However, you don’t need to give your whole life story. Keep the content concise and to the point.
Here’s how to write an impactful explanation that gives you a chance to move on to the interview stage.
Start with acknowledgement
Acknowledge as concisely as possible that you have a work history gap. Use simple language such as, “I stepped away from the workforce from January 2021 to December 2021 for [insert your reason].”
Offer a positive perspective
In the following sentence, you need to state why you were away from the workforce while putting a positive spin on it. For example, you may say something like, “During my 12 months away from work, I provided care for my newborn child and obtained several online certifications to keep my skills sharp.”
Transition to your strengths and suitability for the role
Now, move on from the topic and transition back to the core of your cover letter. Talk about what you have to offer and why you would be a great fit for the role you are applying for. When in doubt, explore some cover letter and resume examples for inspiration. You’ll discover creative ways to frame gaps in a positive light and uncover unique transitions that give your cover letter a little extra pop.
Real-world examples and templates
Here are some cover letter explaining gap in employment examples:
Structure for templates
Here’s a basic template for the opening, middle, and closing of a cover letter with gaps:
- Opening: Begin with enthusiasm for the role and demonstrate your knowledge of the company’s values or mission
- Middle: Acknowledge your employment gap with a positive spin and emphasize your skills and achievements
- Closing: Reinforce how you are fit for the position by highlighting relevant strengths and expressing eagerness to contribute
You can apply this basic template to any field or employment history. Always acknowledge your gap and transition back to the core purpose of the cover letter. Don’t dwell on your absence.
Examples
Take a look at some specific examples of gaps and how to explain them.
Example 1: Parent returning to work after caregiving
“After taking a year off to care for my newborn child, I developed exceptional organizational and multitasking skills while managing complex schedules. These experiences enhanced my problem-solving abilities.”
Example 2: Long-term illness recovery
“During my recovery from a serious health challenge, I gained a renewed perspective on the concepts of perseverance and adaptability. This experience enhanced my ability to focus under pressure.”
Example 3: Career break for education
“During my career break, I completed a [degree or certification] in [field], where I deepened my expertise in [new skills].”
Example 4: Layoff due to company restructuring
“Following a layoff due to a company restructuring, I used this time to learn new skills by completing [training or certification]. These efforts have strengthened my ability to deliver exceptional customer experiences, which will directly contribute to the goals of [company’s name].”
Expert Tip:
Many job seekers allow the mere existence of employment gaps to worry them, and this worry can lead to mistakes like apologizing or avoiding the gap altogether. Don’t fall into this trap. Be honest about what happened, put a positive spin on your absence, and focus on the future.
Mistakes to avoid when addressing employment gaps
Here’s what not to do when discussing employment gaps in your cover letter:
Overexplaining or apologizing
Accept that the gap in your work history exists, own it, and move on. Don’t apologize or give the prospective employer a lengthy explanation. That approach can make it seem like you are overcompensating or dramatizing the issue. Explain what happened and shift your attention back to your value as an employee.
Using negative language or making excuses
Don’t talk about the gap as a negative or make excuses. For example, if you stepped away to care for a newborn child, don’t say things like, “I didn’t have a support system that would allow me to continue working.” Always frame your time away in a positive light.
Avoiding the gap altogether
According to the Harvard Business Review (HBR), only 4.3% of job applicants receive a call back when they don’t give reasons for gaps in their resumes. (2) When applicants give a reason, the rate nearly doubles, jumping to 8.5%.
Hiring managers can view avoiding gaps in your employment history as a red flag. Addressing them head-on is the best way to get a callback.
"The good news is that 95% of hiring managers recognize some valid reasons for interruptions to your work history."
Explore cover letter explaining gap in employment examples
The examples above can help you create a cover letter explaining gap in employment history. You can also look for a sample cover letter explaining gap in employment. Jobseeker has an entire library of cover letter examples and samples you can use for inspiration.
Sources:
(1) HRTECH Edge Report by PR Newswire: Understanding Hiring Managers’ Views on Employment Gaps: New Survey Insights
(2) Harvard Business Review Article: Research: Resume Gaps Still Matter
