explaining gap year in personal statement

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, how do i explain a gap year on my college applications.

I took a gap year after high school and I'm worried about how it will look on my college applications. How can I explain my gap year in a positive way so it doesn't hurt my chances of getting accepted?

It's great that you're considering how to present your gap year in a positive light on your college applications. Many students take gap years, and colleges are often open to these experiences, as long as they are framed constructively.

First, consider what you did during your gap year. If you engaged in any meaningful activities, such as volunteering, internships, or personal projects, make sure to highlight these experiences in your application. You can include them in the 'Activities' section or even write an essay about how they influenced your personal growth.

If your gap year was more focused on personal circumstances, like family commitments or health issues, it's important to be honest about this. You can briefly explain the situation in the 'Additional Information' section of your application. Just remember to focus on how you've grown and what you've learned from the experience, rather than dwelling on any negative aspects.

Good luck with your applications!

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Gap Year Personal Statement Examples

• 1 Personal Statement Example Links
• 2 Gap Year Benefits for your Personal Statement
• 3 Gap Year: What are my options?
• 4 Can I afford a Gap Year?
• 5 Should You Take a Gap Year?

Personal Statement Example Links

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Ever been intrigued by the idea of taking a pause from traditional education or work paths to explore new horizons? Fascinated by the prospect of personal development, gaining real-world experience, or simply broadening your perspective through travel?

If so, a Gap Year could be your ideal journey. This unique opportunity enables you to pursue interests, grow personally, and gain life experience outside the classroom or workplace

Gap years are a great way to take time off from traditional education and explore the world. Whether you’re looking to gain work experience, travel, volunteer, or simply take a break, a gap year can be an incredibly rewarding experience.

👍 When writing a personal statement : Highlight your passion for the course, demonstrating your understanding of it. Use relevant personal experiences, coursework, or work history to showcase how these have fostered your interest and readiness for the course.

Gap Year Benefits for your Personal Statement

Taking a Gap Year before starting university can have many benefits for students. Some of the advantages include:

• Personal and professional growth: A Gap Year can provide students with the opportunity to explore their interests, develop new skills, and gain valuable work experience. This can help them to become more confident, independent, and better prepared for university and beyond.
• Cultural experience: Many students choose to travel during their Gap Year, which can expose them to different cultures and ways of life. This can broaden their perspective and help them to develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of other cultures.
• Improved academic performance: Studies have shown that students who take a Gap Year tend to have higher GPAs and are more likely to graduate within four years.
• Improved career prospects: Students who take a Gap Year may have a better understanding of their career goals and are more likely to pursue internships or work experiences that align with their interests and aspirations.

Gap Year: What are my options?

Some popular choices for Gap Year activities include volunteering, internships, language immersion programs, adventure travel, and cultural exchange programs.

In terms of whether taking a Gap Year is good, bad, or does not make a difference, it ultimately depends on the individual student and their goals. For some students, a Gap Year can be a valuable and transformative experience, while for others, it may not be necessary or feasible.

Can I afford a Gap Year?

The cost of a Gap Year can vary widely depending on the activities chosen and the location. Some students may choose low-cost options such as volunteering or working while others may opt for more expensive activities such as travel or language immersion programs. It is important to research the costs associated with each option and to create a budget before embarking on a Gap Year.

Should You Take a Gap Year?

A uni gap year is an increasingly popular choice for students looking to take a break from their studies and explore the world.

A Gap Year is a valuable opportunity to gain new skills, explore new cultures, and develop as a person.

If you have taken a Gap Year before starting university, it is essential to include this experience in your personal statement.

By including your Gap Year experience in your personal statement, you can demonstrate to the university admissions team that you are a well-rounded individual who has taken the initiative to pursue your interests and passions beyond academics.

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Your Gap Year

When it comes to taking a gap year you have two options – to take it before you begin university, or to take it during your time at university. Luckily, whichever option you choose will look good on paper.

Universities like to see that their students have life experience outside of their academic career and a gap year is the perfect chance to pick up new skills, take part in different activities, and see a little bit more of life. 

Gap years prove to universities that you’re ready for a new adventure and like to take on a challenge. These are positive personal attributes for potential university students and can make you stand out from the crowd.

However, there are some definite dos and don’ts when talking about your gap year in your personal statement. The admissions tutors will want to hear either about what you did during your gap year, or what you intend to do if you haven’t already taken it.

You don’t have to focus your personal statement on your gap year but a few sentences or a short paragraph near the end of your application outlining your plans will show the reader that you’ve thought about what you’ll be doing.

It doesn’t matter if you’re going to be spending the time working to gain relevant experience in your subject or whether you’re travelling, as long as you show the admissions tutor that you have a plan and know what you will gain from taking the time out of education.

What you do on your gap year is completely up to you but most universities would warn you off wasting your time. Lying on a beach for an entire year might sound like a great reward for all your hard work at school, but you won’t gain anything from it.

It’s important to have a break but taking the time to volunteer for a community project, learn a new skill or language, and gaining valuable vocational experience will get you ahead of the game when the time comes to apply for/or return to university. 

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Application 101: academic explanation.

If you’re planning to apply to CSU, you may have heard that we consider a wide range of factors in our admission decision. We want to get to know you as a whole person and understand more than grades and academic achievements alone.

The academic explanation helps us understand your academic experiences more fully. For freshman/first-year applicants, this is viewed alongside your personal statement.

Academic explanation

The academic explanation prompt allows you to explain any dips, bumps, or inconsistencies in your academic record or grades. There are so many reasons why things can go off course, and we want to make sure we understand the full picture, far beyond numbers on a transcript. Community disruptions such as COVID-19 and natural disasters can have deep and long-lasting impacts. If you need it, this space is yours to describe those impacts. Colleges care about the effects on your health and well-being, safety, family circumstances, future plans, and education, including access to reliable technology and quiet study spaces.

What freshmen/first-year applicants will be prompted with in their application:

If your cumulative GPA is below 3.0/B- average (on a 4.0 scale), if you have any D or F grades, or if you are missing units in our CSU Recommended Courses , this is your opportunity to explain. Tell us about the situation and/or what happened, what you did to fix it, and how your experience will help you be academically successful at CSU.

What transfer applicants will be prompted with in their application:

Is there any additional context you’d like to provide to help us understand your academic experience or performance?

Academic gap year(s)

Not every student goes through high school and directly on to college without a break. If the sequence of your high school and/or college enrollment includes time off or interruptions, we want to know more.

Here’s the prompt you’ll see in the application:

Provide an explanation of any break or interruption in your education of a semester or longer since 9th grade (or equivalent). Examples include sitting out for a semester or longer during or between academic year(s), completing a gap year, or taking time off between high school and college.

Be sure to include information about what you have done during your time away from school. A 250-word response is all we’ll ask for.

As you complete your application, be sure to take these prompts seriously. Giving us a full picture of your academic history is important and allows us to make a well-informed admission decision.

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Blog > Application Strategy > Our Guide to Gap Years

Our Guide to Gap Years

Admissions officer reviewed by Ben Bousquet, M.Ed Former Vanderbilt University

Written by Ben Bousquet, M.Ed Former Vanderbilt University Admissions

Key Takeaway

There are lots of ways you can spend your gap year. Some ways — like research, work, or even travel experience — are better than others. What matters most is that you address why you took your gap year, what you did during it, and how you grew as a result.

Not every student graduates high school at 18, enrolls in college, and graduates in exactly four years into their forever career.

Many students choose to not follow such a linear path. In fact, some top colleges like Harvard encourage students to take a year off of school before enrolling. This post is all about gap years—taking a year after high school to do something before heading to college.

We are approaching gap years from the admissions perspective. This post is written by our team of former admission officers for students and families considering gap years. We’ll cover what gap years are, why you might take one, and what to know when applying to college during or after a gap year.

Hint : if you do take or are considering taking a gap year, you absolutely must be intentional about how you communicate what your year looked like when you apply to colleges.

We should also note that taking a gap year can be a challenging idea for students and parents alike. It can be tough if seemingly everyone your age is shopping for dorm essentials and buying textbooks to take a different path. Parents might feel that their student will “fall behind” or never end up attending college if they take a gap year. Are they just being lazy? Will this experience be valuable?

Ultimately, these are important family questions to answer together. Doing research and planning in advance can help. We hope this article will steer you in the right direction. If you have further questions or need some support, our team has both personal and consulting experience on gap years and college admissions—feel free to reach out.

What is a gap year?

A gap year is when a student graduates high school and takes one year to do something besides school before enrolling in college. The key here is do something —a gap year isn’t an excuse to be lazy and accomplish nothing. Instead, they are generally well-planned times for learning and development.

This year takes various forms, but there are a few general categories to consider. Note that students may actually combine more than one of these pathways into a distinctive experience.

Working or internship gap year

Some students and their families decide spending a year working “in the real world” before college is a great use of time. This might be a job or internship. Students may work for financial reasons like saving money for college or financially contributing to the family. Some students might not need to work, but value the lessons learned from spending time working. You might even find a job related to a field of interest and be able to do meaningful work that could inform major or career choices down the line.

Travel gap year

With the right planning and resources, maybe you can consider spending time travelling before enrolling in college. Some students take smaller trips domestically, or even embark on international travel. The classic “backpacking though Europe” trip doesn’t always have to be a post-college experience! Often international trips involve language and cultural immersion. Of course, this type of experience is not available to everyone and takes resources and a lot of planning.

Research gap year

Some students, usually with some research experience in high school, find an opportunity to conduct research in a college lab before enrolling in school full-time. Such opportunities are few and far between but can be an excellent academic jumpstart before going to college.

Formal gap year programs

There are organizations that curate gap year programs students can join (for a price!) that are likely some combination of the above options. These can be great for a family that wants some structure and to be sure to get a lot out of the year.

Why you might consider a gap year

From an educational perspective, there are a few reasons students consider gap years. They might:

Need a break or a new experience

Let’s face it, by the time you graduate high school, you’ve been a student for 12+ years straight. Some people are exhausted from school and, even if they plan to attend college, simply need to try something different. Regardless of what they do with the time, these students need a change of pace.

Admitted to college but deferring admission

Most colleges and universities are very open to students taking gap years. Admission offices will typically let students “defer” admission for 1-2 years for an approved gap year. Be sure to check the admission websites at the schools you are applying to in order to check their policies.

Whether you go into the admissions process already planning a gap year, or come to that decision along the way, deferring admission is usually an option. Most admission offices will want a description of what the student will do and plan to learn during their gap year and then will approve it and collect the enrollment deposit. This locks in your seat after the gap year at the college of your choice.

Remember, admission usually becomes more selective year to year, not less. There is a benefit to locking in admission and deferring to later, rather than waiting to apply until after a gap year.

Applied to college, didn’t like results, and want to reapply

Speaking of selective admission, plenty of students don’t get into a top-choice school. The reality is that having a great GPA and test scores is no guaranteed ticket to the most selective US colleges and universities. These schools also want to enroll students with fresh perspectives, impressive extracurricular activities, and reflective, vulnerable, and mature admissions essays.

So, perhaps you find yourself without admission to a school you’re very interested in attending. That could be a great reason to consider a gap year!

You can apply to college again during a gap year. If you do this, you’ll need to be sure to communicate what you learned and how you grew over the year. Which brings us to our final thoughts…

What admissions looks for in gap year applicants

How you talk about your gap year matters a lot in admission. Essays matter for traditional college applicants, and in my experience, they arguably matter more for gap year applicants because they have the additional job of explaining their distinctive situation. Here’s what you need to know.

Your college application after a gap year will likely be reviewed with other first-year applicants. You’ll apply just like anyone else and respond to the same essay prompts.

It is imperative that you address your gap year, why you chose to take it, what you did, and what you gained as a result. Your goal when applying to college after a gap year is for your admission officer to see you as an even stronger applicant than you would have been a year ago.

You may address your gap year in your personal statement, supplemental essays, or additional information section. You should not reuse the exact same personal statement you did if you applied to college as a senior in high school. Remember, the whole point is that you are an elevated version of yourself now—you should have something new to say!

If your gap year information doesn’t fit nicely into one of your essays, write about it in the additional information section . This section is a blank slate for you to include any, well, additional information not shared elsewhere in your application.

Ultimately, gap year applicants are evaluated on the same criteria as traditional applicants: academic achievement, essays, extracurricular engagement, test scores (if submitted), and letters of recommendation. For most gap year applicants, their essays and extracurricular activities list will look different than it did a year ago. Many also choose to include a letter of recommendation from someone who oversaw something they did during their gap year.

If you are considering taking a gap year and applying to college or are in a gap year and need support applying, you might consider boosting your essays with our Essay Academy course .

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What to include in a Personal Statement

Personal Statement Tips

Need some help with your personal statement? Then this is the guide for you!

Writing a personal statement is never easy and it can take a long time to perfect, but if you take a look at our UCAS personal statement tips, then you'll see exactly what you should (and what you shouldn't) include in your personal statement.

Write for the degree course you want to study

There is no simple formula to write a personal statement for two unrelated degree courses. However, if the courses are similar, such as a Banking degree course, and an Accounting degree course , you can adjust your writing to suit both of these subjects.

The trick is to not mention the subject(s) by name if you are applying for different ones. The same can be said for universities, don’t talk about the institution if you are applying to separate universities.

Choose your biggest passion

Although if the courses are totally unrelated – you find that you have two passions, media and music and are waiting for A-Level results day to make a decision – it can be impossible to write about both subjects well.

If this is the case, then you will need to look at your predicted grades, your degree courses and career aspirations if you have them. Once you have chosen a degree course that you prefer over the other, then write about that one in your personal statement.

The most important thing to remember is to ensure your statement suits its purpose; to impress the university, to answer questions, and to represent yourself.

Check your notes

Hopefully, you will have a structured plan before you start writing and this could be in the form of bullet points or an entire page of notes. Regardless of your planning style, the crucial factor is that you have thought about your personal statement before sitting down to write it!

Within your notes, you can decide what language you want to use, the style, and goals of your statement. Once you begin writing don’t forget to check back to your notes! Some students produce a weak statement because they don’t remember to re-read their initial goals. Referring to your plan will also help you if you find that you go off-topic, or lose inspiration during writing.

Think about the structure of the personal statement

Our next tips for writing a personal statement, is about how your personal statement looks and reads and how important it is to universities. It shows admission tutors that you understand how to write effectively and to follow instructions. Remember to address the aims of a personal statement – why you should be accepted on to the degree course, at that university, and why you are a good fit for the subject.

The language that you use will also be judged. Avoid text or messenger style of writing and the use of slang, because let’s be fair, that’s not what universities are looking for in a personal statement.

Never write your statement on the UCAS personal statement page

Next up is one of the most important university personal statement tips. Students should write their personal statement within a word document where they can check spelling and grammar as well as being able to use a programme they understand. However, after each paragraph, you should then copy your statement back into the UCAS page to see how many lines or characters you have used.

Remember you are only allowed to have 47 lines or 4000 characters worth of space. This is different to a word count and can be easily misunderstood. One scenario that can make you panic is that you write this amazing statement and check the line count before submission to find out you are extremely over the limit!

The ending of your personal statement is another key element to keep in mind. There is no right or wrong way to end your personal statement, however, we recommend two key elements: Make it personal and reinforce the key messages you've made earlier in the statement. These are the fundamental tenents to a good personal statement conclusion and will ensure that you sign off the statement in a meaningful way.

Be positive

There is no need to feel that you have to explain any shortfalls or negative aspects of your application – especially if the university won’t pick up on this!

Try to be positive and interesting to the admission tutor, tell them about any side projects you’ve done if this will seem more relevant and worthwhile than how you completed your coursework.

Look at the university prospectus

Most of our tips for writing UCAS personal statement might seem pretty obvious, but this one is often overlooked by students.

Before writing your personal statement actually read the university website and prospectus. In most cases, institutions will describe the type of students they are looking for, whether that be innovative, creative or those with academic excellence. You need to look at these prospectus as thoroughly as possible because these will yield more information than you think.

Talk about you

It seems like one of the more obvious personal statement writing tips, but it’s the most important one. The purpose of the personal statement is for universities to find out about you because the basic information within the application won’t tell them this.

Try to include the following: what you like to do in your free time, subjects you study that maybe won’t be graded, sport and leisure activities, hobbies, musical instruments, prizes you’ve won, competitions you’ve entered, languages you speak or side projects you were involved in.

You do not need to include everything, but the relevant information will help them form a decent impression about you and your personality. The vital thing is that you have a good reason for why you want to study that subject.

If you take a gap year then talk about your gap year

This too may seem like one of our more blatant tips on writing personal statements, but you’d be surprised just how many students are reticent to mention their gap year(s).

Admission tutors can see when a student has had a gap year in between college and university. They will be interested to know why you chose to have a year out and briefly explaining why will help your application. Discuss what you did during that time, why you chose to take a gap year and how it may be related to the course.

If you are considering taking a gap year or applying for a deferred place at university or if you have retaken your exams during a gap year or if you’ve been travelling during your gap year, then you can talk about this too. Write about your plans during this time and why it would benefit you in the long run.

Although there are no strict rules about discussing your gap year in your statement so if you decide not to that is okay too. You may still be asked about it during an interview with the university.

Why you want to study that degree course

This really is what the personal statement is about. Yes, you need to talk about yourself, but one of the best tips on how to write a personal statement we can give you, is talking about your deeply-held passion and love for the degree course.

The vital thing is that you have a good reason for why you want to study that subject. It doesn’t matter if it sounds silly or different to your friends’ personal statement; you can work on it later or go into more detail during the admission interview. The best part is that you’re honest. However, if your reasoning is purely due to not doing anything else at that moment then it’s best not to include that!

Take a look at some Personal Statement examples for ideas on how to effectively mention your potential degree course. Admission tutors search for enthusiastic and passionate students because they will be the best fit for the degree course.

Talk about the subject

Write down as much as you can about the subject you want to take. There may be certain aspects or modules that really interest you, or that you understand it is the right step for your career aspirations.

All of these reasons are music to the university’s ears because it not only shows that you have done your research but that you understand why you should study the subject.

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How to write about your gap year

You have just submitted your primary application and after a brief respite, the secondary essays begin to flood in. Do not fret! With a little practice and patience, you will be churning out these essays! It can be easy, however, to become overwhelmed with the task at hand. My advice is to begin writing some of the more straightforward essays to help you boost your confidence and get the ball moving. A great place to start is the prompt about your gap year. Here are a few tips and misconceptions to guide you through this common secondary prompt.

Tip #1: Be Straightforward 

In many cases for this essay, you will have very little space to describe what you are doing or plan to do. As such, do not add flowery language and get to the point as quickly as possible. Your main goals here are to (1) tell your reviewers what it is that you are doing/plan to do and (2) what you have learned/hope to learn. Ideally you want to focus on the latter and explain how these extra years will eventually align with your goals of becoming a physician. 

Tip #2: This is Not your last chance 

One thing that is often not known (or is simply forgotten) is that these secondary essays are not your last opportunity to update your schools about what is happening/what you are learning during your gap year. Throughout the admissions process, applicants are often encouraged to write update letters to the schools (just double check that each of your schools accepts update letters). This secondary is a great chance to tell the schools the things that you are working on now and what you have learned from them. 

Misconception #1: It is not okay to “just work on myself”

Something that many applicants do during their gap years is work on their candidacy – most commonly working on their MCAT score. However, something that might be feared at this point in the cycle is that this information is not enough for this essay. However, medical school is a lot about resilience and overcoming obstacles. Therefore, talking about the plan and approach you have taken to strengthen your application is a valid approach for this essay! Ideally, your plan worked and you did in fact achieve your goals; so, talking about what you have learned in the process is absolutely helpful in showing your ability to go through medical school and become a doctor.

Misconception #2: It is not okay to do something non-medical

While many people spend their gap years doing something that is “easily defendable” in terms of its relation to a future in medicine, others may do something completely different. All the above is great! The most important thing to do in this essay is to talk about what you have learned and how it will make you a better physician in the long run. 

Now, if you have taken many years off and have not touched the field of medicine for any of those years, it may be more difficult to defend why you are applying to medical school. If you are going through this scenario, my advice is to try to have something even remotely related to medicine going on in the background. Your primary focus of your gap year(s) can be unrelated to medicine, but make sure you have some kind of touchpoint with the medical field during that time, even if it's in a very limited capacity. 

Pav graduated magna cum laude with a BSE in Chemical and Biological Engineering and minors in Engineering Biology and Global Health Policy from Princeton. He is now an MD-PhD student at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

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Law personal statement example (with gap year).

My life was always a combination of two different cultures. Living in France, the active contact between French and Russian culture allows my cultural background to be favourable and beneficial for my future, both in my studies and working experiences by bringing in the traditional meaning of what defines cultural diversity. I was lucky to move to Norway when I was 13.

This cultural transition allowed me to better adapt myself to new environments, which is beneficial in a way that one must understand and easily apply new knowledge that are encountered in life. My language repertoire is something to be proud of. Speaking French, English, Norwegian and a sound knowledge of Spanish allows me to interact with many different people.

By learning as many languages as I can, I will be able to defend and understand plenty of clients. My passion for languages is related to my desire to establish an understanding of different aspects of the world, to acquire a holistic view on the legal, social and cultural aspects of it.

It happened in a bistro in France. A young girl aged 11 was eating with her mother. Suddenly, the little girl asked her mum: “Mummy, am I free now?”. This little girl was I. My mother and I grabbed a bite to celebrate the case we had just won in court, one that had almost taken seven years to finally reach a solution.

Being involved in the case, a question often came up to my mind; how can anyone serve people who need urgent help to obtain their rights in their singular, life-consuming conflicts? It was thus clear for me that pursuing law studies was my main motivation as to accomplish meaningful acts in my life and in the lives of others.

I wish to apply for a gap year to fortify my desire for new languages. I will attend a Russian language course at the Lomonosov Moscow University in Russia. I am to successfully graduate and receive a diploma of Faculty of Foreign Languages Studies.

This diploma will reinforce my Russian roots, and will benefit the university, which is to gain a student capable of communicating with a culture, speaking a rare language. The acquirement of this language will definitely be a crucial asset in furthering law studies. I will be able to undertake a project that many other people might not have the ability to do.

I have always had a passion for anthropology since my father is a certified anthropologist. Traveling around the world with him allowed me to get an insight on different cultures. My IB anthropology classes have allowed me to get a new understanding and a broader vision of the world.

Throughout different processes such as debating, discussing and writing essays, anthropology allowed me to improve many skills that are crucial for law studies. For instance, Victor Turner’s 4 stages of social dramas will serve as a basis for any future resolution of conflicts.

Engaging in Model United Nations has granted me the opportunity to further the above skills and introduced me to the development of oral communication skills, as well as training for resolving a conflict. Defending a given cause was comparable to the daily struggle lawyers have to face in a broad variety of conflicts.

My passion for law stems from personal life experiences and practical applications. Personal conflicts I encountered allowed me to engage in court hearings, being one of the people involved in the case. My motivation for winning the case was for me to be freed from a difficult situation. I had my own lawyer and being curious, as I’ve always been, I asked plenty of questions about the system and his motives for why he wanted to defend my case and how could he be the best defender.

When the case ended, the feeling that emerged was one of the most memorable in my life as it was a turning point in it. I deeply want to give others the chance to experience such a feeling by defending my own case one-day. This created an enthusiasm towards the law system and acted as motivation to go deeper in its understanding with beneficial results for the people in trouble.

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There is no profile associated with this personal statement, as the writer has requested to remain anonymous.

Author's Comments

I have based my PE on personal experiences and related it to anthropology classes.

I have applied to UCL, King's, LSE and Exeter.

Please give me as many feedback as possible on the content, the language and the structure!

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How to Explain Gaps in Employment (With Examples)

By Biron Clark

Published: November 8, 2023

Interview Preparation | Resume/CV

Biron Clark

Writer & Career Coach

Explaining gaps in employment can be intimidating, but there are a couple of effective methods you can use. In this article, I’m going to show you how to explain employment gaps in your interviews, resume and cover letter … with word-for-word examples and sample explanations.

Let’s get started with the interview first…

Explaining Gaps In Employment In Your Interview

Explaining gaps in employment is really just about knowing what reasons are okay to share, and which ones you should tell a white lie about or not share. And then being upfront and comfortable with your answer.

These are all good sample reasons for having a gap in employment:

• Caring for a sick family member
• Caring for a young child
• Any medical or health issue
• Taking time off to relocate and find a job in a new state/city
• Pursuing further education or going back to school
• Pursuing any other type of professional training
• Taking time off to travel, study, work on a solo project, etc.
• Trying to start a business or freelance career
• You were laid off , your former company downsized, etc… and you had trouble finding a job after
• You were actively searching but had trouble finding a job (NOTE: I’ll cover this in detail later but you need to make it sound like you were being selective in your job search and waiting to find the RIGHT fit. That sounds a *lot* better than saying, “I was looking everywhere but couldn’t find a single company that would consider hiring me!”

Once you have your reason prepared… Here are the general steps to follow when explaining gaps in employment in the interview: 

• Explain the situation clearly but briefly. They don’t need a ton of personal details. Just give them the core facts.
• Show that the situation has ended or is no longer a factor, so they won’t be worried you’ll have to take another break from working. If they hire you, they want to know you’re 100% ready to work for them.
• Reiterate your interest in their position and bring the focus back onto this job interview and this position.

Examples Of How To Explain Employment Gaps In An Interview:

Sample explanation 1:

I had to resign from my previous position to care for an aging family member. I did this for the past year. Since then, my siblings and I have hired a full-time caregiver so I no longer need to be present, and am fully available to work now and in the future. So I’ve begun job searching and I’m focused on finding a sales supervisor or manager position that will help me advance my career further now.

Sample explanation 2:

I was laid off nine months ago. I started my job search immediately after, and I’m looking for sales supervisor or sales manager positions now to continue advancing my career. I’ve had a number of interviews but haven’t found the right fit yet. One thing I’m looking for is a chance to mentor and train team members, and manage a team directly. I saw that mentioned on the job description for this position… can you tell me more about that?

Two Things To Remember When Answering:

1. You need to sound like an in-demand job candidate…

If you’re explaining a current gap in employment, you need to sound like you’re being selective and that you’re focused on making sure you find the best fit for the long term, rather than just accepting the first job you come across. That’ll make a 6 month gap (or longer) sound a bit better. If you’ve been job hunting during your employment gap, you don’t want it to sound like you haven’t had a single interview in the last few months. That’s never a good idea. If your gap in employment is related to health, travel, a family member’s health, etc…. then it’s fine to say you haven’t had any interviews.

2. Be upfront and honest…

Gaps in employment happen, and good hiring managers will realize this. If you’ve made it into the interview, there’s obviously something they liked on your resume . So when it comes to explaining gaps in employment it’s best to be honest and upfront.

You probably won’t lose out on the job by explaining the situation. You will definitely lose out on the job by lying or seeming like you’re trying to cover something up.

Explaining Gaps In Employment On Your Resume

Okay, maybe you’re still writing your resume or having trouble getting interviews. How do you explain gaps in your employment on your resume so you can GET interviews in the first place?

Here are a few ways you can explain (or hide) gaps in employment:

• List years instead of months for previous positions. (e.g. “2014-2016”). I’ve used this method in the past when I had a couple of small gaps between jobs (by a small gap, I mean 2-3 months maximum). This won’t work if you have too many gaps though, or gaps longer than one year.
• If your gaps are longer or more frequent, consider providing a brief note on the resume listing your reason for the gap in employment. Just list it like any other job. Put your previous positions with the dates you held them. And for your gap, you’d have dates there too, and a one-line explanation (“I took a hiatus from work in order to care for an elderly family member in need”).

If you use these strategies, consider going onto LinkedIn and making the same changes there too. If these options don’t work for you, write a cover letter ! This is a good idea no matter what. In your cover letter, explain what happened in detail and draw their attention to the gap so that you can tell them the full story instead of allowing them to make assumptions (you’re usually better off attacking controversial topics head-on).

That’s how I’d explain gaps in employment on a resume. Also, nobody can tell you with 100% certainty what will work in your industry, with the specific circumstances of your gap in employment (dates, length, reason for the gap, etc.)

So TEST things out. Send out 10 resumes one way, and if nobody’s responding, change something up. If it’s not working, you can’t just keep doing the same things on auto-pilot. That’s how you end up not finding a job .

It’s usually better to be upfront than hide employment gaps

I always give the same resume advice to candidates with gaps in their work history: Be straightforward rather than trying to hide dates or other pieces of information. Hiring managers are usually going to be able to tell if you’re hiding something. Your resume should feature a chronological work history on the first page that includes job titles, company names, key responsibilities for each role, and yes… dates of employment.

No matter what you do, there are some employers out there who won’t like the fact that you have a gap in your employment. That’s okay… Companies like that aren’t worth your time. We’re human. Things happen. And there’s more to life than working nonstop for 40 years. So don’t get discouraged if a few companies say they’re not interested, or just don’t respond. I guarantee those are the same companies you do NOT want to work for anyway because they’re going to have horrible vacation policies, bosses who question you every time you take a sick day, etc.

Note: These Tips and Sample Explanations Will Also Work on Job Applications

Sometimes a job application will say, “please explain any gaps in employment.” The advice resume advice above also work for job applications. Follow the same “rules”, be clear and upfront, and you’ll be fine when applying for jobs.

The one adjustment I’d recommend making on job applications (and cover letters): Be clear and direct, but don’t give too much information. The only goal of your job application is to get you into the interview. If they’re concerned about employment gaps, they can ask more in the interview. And that’s where you should be very honest/open and explain things further. That’s where you can gauge their reactions, decide how much to share based on their responses, etc. You can’t do this in a written explanation.

So, by writing too much info on a job application, you might do more harm than good. It’s better to discuss this type of thing in person, so  limit your explanation to 1-2 sentences for each gap in employment on your job applications, cover letters, etc. 

Final Advice on How to Explain Gaps in Employment:

Don’t be apologetic about your work history. Taking time off is not something to be ashamed of. Not every company will want to interview you, but some will. Stand by your decisions and choices, present your skills with a straightforward (chronological) resume format , and be ready to answer questions and explain yourself further in the job interview.

Related reading:

• What to do when you can’t find a job in your field
• How to answer “Why did you leave your last job?”

About the Author

Read more articles by Biron Clark

20 thoughts on “How to Explain Gaps in Employment (With Examples)”

Monster’s report The Future of Work 2021 has shown that the employment gap is no longer considered a red flag by almost half of employers in the US. That’s a piece of good news because it indicates that the marketplace is becoming more tolerant of deviance in the workforce.

However, it doesn’t mean that the black holes on your career record will be overlooked. Rather, they will be carefully examined and objectively evaluated so that the right candidates are not going to slip through the cracks just because of an obsolete prejudice.

I’m in the same situation, was an IT contractor for a number of years, then jobs fell away after year 2000 work had finished, and employers would no longer consider me for permanent jobs due to the fact i’d been a contractor, I guess they assumed I’d just leave when the market picked up!

Long story short, mortgage to pay, no income, had to sell my house and downsize to a flat, and then used that to go into property development with friends which has now finished, and now trying to go back to my original career of software development, seems like an uphill impossible task at the moment, but glad to read your advice even if my “career break” is 18 years!

I’ve done a lot of similar temporary jobs, but had several months gap in the middle of them nearly everytime. I’ve had dozens of interviews everytime, always get them easily. Struggle with the interviews though because I have Aspergers’. When I have been successful with that before as soon as I’ve mentioned my Epilepsy I have very mildly too, several places have changed their minds then, stopped me. I keep getting asked more + more now why I’ve got so many long employment gaps, how am I supposed to answer that in a positive way?

I thought it was interesting that you didn’t list caring for young children as a valid reason for a gap in employment. Your tips were still helpful to me, though.

Good point. That’s also a valid reason (and a common one).

Thank you for posting this, I have a ton of different jobs and gaps because being a ex pipe welder I went where the work was, most of the world does not get it. Life is a roller coaster companies will be booming for a couple years then dead as a door nail. This write up really has helped me not to make my crazy work history look so crazy.

Why don´t you just say Sabbatical ? Regardless how long the gap was it provides a plausible explanation and each one fill out with their own reasons…

i have gap of 9 month due to my previous company boss is horrible ,its very much difficulty to survive, so i had reign and taken break of six month ,from last 3 month i have given interview but its not happening so what i suppose to give reason for gap. can you explain can you explain.

Thanks for the nice article. But I am looking for more the answers of where to write this gaps explanations in our cv. My current CV sections are sunsequently like, Experiences, Educations, Technical skills and language skills, Certifications. So I have currently two 6 months gap in my CV. First one was before I started to my current job. I learned german, So I was in intensive german course. Other 6 months is after my last job. And I was preparing for the some certification exams through self study and online courses. So the question, to which section should I write this gap explanations. Thanks a lot for the answers

If you’re explaining a gap in employment, you should write it in your employment history. You should have a section with your chronological work history. I know other people recommend a “Functional” resume and all sorts of other stuff to hide gaps but in my experience, it doesn’t work. You should be listing each previous role and job duties in chronological order, with the dates. (You can choose to show months and years, or just years). And then you can put something to explain gaps of employment right in that section of your resume.

Thanks Biron Clark for the answer. As I understood you right you adviced me to write my gap explanations directly to work experiences section even though they are not work experience actually. Correct me if I understood wrong. But what about writing them to directly their own section. For example I have a section in the second page of my CV which is “language skills” So I have here just written english (business fluent), german (business fluent). Can I put that times combining near it. like below English (business fluent) German (business fluent), MM/YYYY – MM/YYYY German Course…..

or are you still offering me to write in employment history? Thanks for the ideas

I haven’t yet found the situation that applies to me, for good reason – I had taken a leave of absence to pursue a master’s degree. My mother had been ill with cancer, and was in remission, and I had the opportunity, so I went. Before I was able to complete my thesis, the cancer returned, and she died. I was devastated, and needed to take time away from teaching, because I couldn’t give students what they needed. So, though I had found another job teaching, I wasn’t able to do it, and they released me from my contract. I had only taught for a couple of weeks. After a year, I decided that I needed a longer break, and I obtained my real estate broker’s license. Since that time, I have sold real estate, although I have also been a substitute teacher – one year, I subbed the entire year with another teacher. We split the position. It saved the district money, since they didn’t have to pay benefits with two half-time teachers. The year after, I taught half days for several weeks for a teacher with a bad back problem, and I’ve subbed occasionally since then. Now, I want to go back to teaching. I’m ready now. My grief over the death of my mother is complicated, and it really devasted me. I needed the time away from teaching, because it requires everything you have to give, and I needed time to heal. I have 19 years’ experience as a teacher, and I’ve accomplished some things I’m very proud of. I am now applying for teaching positions, and I need a way to explain the past 5.5 years away from teaching full-time without sounding maudlin, or whiny.

This was really handy, thank you.

Hello! I have been unemployed for 9 months. I left my company where i had worked for 4 years to take another offer. Unfortunatey, I did leave this new position afte over 1 month. The main reason is that it doesn’t fit with me as I had thought of it. I don’t know how to explain my employmen gap for the past 9 months positively. I feel very uncomfortable and hopeless.

“You were laid off, your former company downsized, etc… and you had trouble finding a job after”

That’s pretty much why I’m not employed for now. And yet no one wants to even interview me.

I have periods of “good” jobs I would be happy to include on my resume followed by low-level jobs that would get my resume tossed. These cycles correlate to how well I have been able to deal with my depression. I have been leaving those lower-level jobs off my resume and trying to explain away the gaps instead without referring to depression as an issue that has surfaced more than once. I feel fine at the moment, but this is a big problem moving forward.

I would really like advice on how to deal with this situation without lying or oversharing!

Hello, I totally agree with Kero. Indeed, there is more to life than working nonstop for 40 years. I appreciate for your article, now I feel more confident.

Hi !! I just want to say thank you for providing this article and share it with all of us . Im out of job for almost 2 years already despite had a good career background but after continue searching there is no luck so far . Im really touched by the last part of this “So don’t get discouraged if a few companies say they’re not interested, or just don’t respond. I guarantee those are the same companies you do NOT want to work for anyway because they’re going to have horrible vacation policies, bosses who question you every time you take a sick day, etc.” …The moment I read that I burst into tear. So thank you again to at least cheer me up and have hope again .

Thanks for taking the time to write this. I’m really happy to hear this helped you.

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How to Explain a Gap Year on Your Resume

Tips and Examples for Explaining a Gap Year

Madeleine Burry writes about careers and job searching for The Balance. She covers topics around career changes, job searching, and returning from maternity leave, and has been writing for The Balance since 2014.

Create a Non-Chronological Resume

List your gap year under experience.

• Include a Breakout Section
• Highlight Gap Year Accomplishments

A gap year can take many forms: A year in a kibbutz in Israel. Volunteering in Guatemala. Teaching English in Vietnam. Skiing on slopes across the globe. Caring for a sick parent post-college. This year can often be a world-opening, beneficial experience. While they primarily occur in the year preceding or following college, you may also choose to take a gap year between jobs. That can seem particularly appealing if you are laid off with generous  severance  or quit a high-stress job that doesn’t feel like the right path forward.

A gap year can be, as its name implies, a year long. When you end your gap year and seek to return to the workforce, you might find it challenging to figure out how to list this time on your resume. It won’t necessarily fit into the “ experience ” and “ education ” sections.

And yet, you likely gained a lot of experience and knowledge during your time away from the workforce.

Here is some key advice on how to approach mentioning your gap year on your resume.

One option, of course, is to leave your gap year off your resume and diminish its visibility. There are many  different types of resumes , and while a  chronological one , which lists your most recent experience first, is most common, it’s not the only option. You can also create a  functional resume , which focuses on your skills and experience, rather than when you gained them.

A functional resume might be particularly appealing if your gap year has a more recreational feel or if it happened because of personal family circumstances that you’d prefer not to detail.

With a functional resume, you can include any skills you picked up during your gap year while not listing how you spent the time outright.

If you worked, taught, or volunteered, this is a valuable experience. Why hide it? You can list this just like any other role in the “experience” section of your resume. Your gap year may also show that you’re a leader, independent, or possess other qualities desired at many companies.

As you write up a description of your gap year experience, take note of the job posting. Tailor your points to emphasize the skills mentioned in the job description as well as the required tasks. (Here's advice on how to  match your qualifications to a role .)

Aim to use  powerful, action-oriented verbs  and  quantify  your accomplishments and tasks as much as possible.

Here are examples of how to list a gap year in your experience section:

ESL Teacher — September 2018-August 2019

• Taught conversational English to adult learners in Tokyo, Japan.
• Developed curricula for two levels of English speakers, basic and intermediate
• Taught 6 three-hour classes per week
• Brainstormed and implemented program improvements during weekly meetings

Volunteer at California Resettlement Nonprofit Organization — August 2018-December 2018

• Worked to coordinate volunteer efforts in the wake of the California wildfires.
• Assigned tasks and work rotations to 500+ volunteers
• Coordinated with FEMA and other organizations to find shelter options for people displaced by wildfires

It can sometimes be helpful to include only the year (and not the month) when you worked or volunteered at jobs for short periods of time.

Include Your Gap Year in a Breakout Section of Your Resume

If your gap year time feels discordant with the rest of your resume — for instance, if you have a string of accountant jobs and then spent a year building access to clean water — you might want to set it off in a different section.

You might call this section “International Experience,” “Volunteer Experience,” “International Travel,” or “Additional Activities & Experience.”

Do Highlight Gap Year Accomplishments Throughout Your Resume

Most likely, you learned and grew a lot as a person during your gap year. And while some of what you learned may not help in the business world (like the ability to find the cheapest hostel, say), other skills may be applicable.

Add Skills to Your Resume: Some skills you may have gained are: speaking a foreign language,  communication , planning and coordinating, and budgeting. Depending on how you spent your gap year, you may have other skills to add (or remove) from this list. You can include these skills in the write-up of your gap year experience as well as in the  skills section of your resume .

Use the Summary Section: Think of this section as telling a (short) story about you — who you are, what you’ve accomplished, and what you want to work on next. In that framing, it makes logical sense that your gap year might be helpful to include. For instance, your  summary section  may read: “World-traveler and experienced ESL teacher looking for a role teaching the Spanish language to middle school students.”

Bottom line

Go beyond thinking of your gap year as a fun break and consider what achievements and skills you’ve gained along with how they potentially apply to your next role. Then, include this insight on your resume. 

Addressing Gaps in Your Personal Statement

Many residency candidates have some aspect of their application background that may be perceived as a gap, weakness, or red flag in the eyes of those who review application materials.

Some examples of red flags are:

• Attempts on USMLE exams
• A gap in medical education or professional career
• Low test scores
• Lack of US clinical experience
• Failing a class, or former residency

The presence of these circumstances is an understandable– and often unavoidable, part of life, but it can be hard to find the right time and place to explain to programs what happened. There are a few appropriate places for you to talk about your gaps such as the ERAS Common Application, but this may not feel sufficient. You may feel the need to make your case in your Personal Statement.

While it is not suggested to bring up these weaknesses in your Personal Statement , sometimes it can work in your favor to identify what parts of your application may raise red flags for programs. This way, you can answer any questions programs may have as they review your credentials and soothe any misgivings about your worthiness as a candidate. With the right wording, you can even show programs you are capable of taking a bad situation and turning it into an opportunity for growth, improvement and resilience.

When writing about gaps, there are three rules to keep in mind:

• Keep it brief.

Limit the whole disclosure to 2 or 3 sentences maximum . It’s best not to write any more than you have to. There isn’t a lot of space to work with in your Personal Statement and you don’t want to waste any more than strictly necessary on something that could be perceived as negative.

• Stick to the facts

Keep it honest, but don’t get wrapped up in the emotion of the circumstances. Programs don’t really want a bunch of sad excuses, and you could make your red flag sound worse than it is are by showing your negativity, bitterness or frustration through your writing. Programs want candidates who can face challenges with maturity and strength, and rise above.

• Make it positive.

Show the programs you have grown from your experiences, that your struggles have made you stronger. What did you learn from the experience? Are you a better, stronger, smarter or wiser person?

Being able to clearly address red flags in your application is vital to clearing up any potential misunderstandings programs may have about your credentials, and can also show you are honest and reflective about your past mistakes.

Related Posts

Should You Address Low USMLE Scores in the Personal Statement?

• Personal Statement’s Role in Post Match SOAP

Can I Update My Personal Statement Throughout the Residency Application Season?

Hi, Thank you for the informational article. While explaining the reason for the gap, do I have to mention “this reason caused a gap in my career”?For example:- I had a surgery.Can I just write this made me a stronger and determined person or do I have to write that because of this surgery I had a gap?Thank you

Great question! You would first mention you had a surgery, which caused you to have a gap, but then you would end the section by explaining how this experience getting a surgery has made you stronger and a better doctor.

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Explain a gap on your CV once the rucksack has been unpacked

The gap year has been a popular tradition in the UK since the 70s. Students take time out, either immediately before or after university, to travel, experience other cultures, volunteer, or take short courses before returning to either university or a career. Usually, the time is spent abroad in other countries, with around 230,000 young people taking advantage of the gap year opportunity  pre-pandemic.

Occasionally, professionals choose to take a year out mid-career, for reasons such as redundancy or work burnout , but this is far less common. If you're wondering how to explain a gap year on your CV, we have all the information you need here.

What are the benefits of a gap year?

A gap year is often hailed as a once-in-a-lifetime experience, which enables young people to grow in independence, gain valuable life lessons, make new friends and experience the world. After many years in education, a gap year provides the chance to return to either university or the workforce feeling refreshed, relaxed, and ready to take on the next challenge.

If you're not sure what the next challenge will be, a year out may well provide the distance and perspective you need to help you decide. Along the way you'll continue learning, whether formally or informally, and also have the potential to earn money to support yourself during the break or put towards your future plans.

Whether or not you choose to work as you go throughout your gap year, your CV will certainly receive a boost from the experience. You will be able to develop transferable skills , increase your cultural awareness, build your confidence, improve your language skills, and gain work experience – all very saleable qualities when recruiters or employers evaluate your CV.

Therefore, your personal growth is a key consideration in choosing whether or not to take a gap year. Consider a  study by the Journal of Higher Education , that showed that students who take gap years are even more successful in their university studies.

What are the downsides of a gap year?

Of course, it's not all sunshine and roses. Travel and living costs during gap years can be expensive, particularly if you don't plan to undertake paid work, which is why the time away can have a reputation as being reserved only for those who are better off.

There's also the risk of losing momentum. How appealing do you find going home to grey British skies and a nine-to-five job, when you're lying on a golden beach with an ice-cool drink and no cares in the world? And how will you feel, upon returning, to find that your peers have moved on and are already happily settled into university life or moving up the career ladder?

And don't forget that without a plan, your gap year dreams could be a huge waste of time when you discover that six months in, you're still sitting at home in your pyjamas talking about it rather than doing it.

Don't write the idea of a gap year off due to these concerns, however. A well-planned year out will ensure that you return with the experience and skills necessary to succeed going forward.

Use these techniques to make your gap year shine on your CV!

Be proud of the gap

As with any gap on your CV, the key is not to gloss over it but rather to embrace it as a positive. Provide a clear and honest explanation of how you spent the time, focusing on the transferable skills and experience that you gained. Don't fall into the trap of thinking that only paid, full-time, permanent employment should be put on your CV – it's not true! You should list voluntary, part-time, and freelance work in your CV  too, as they re equally valuable.

Focus on skills

Start by identifying the skills you gained during your gap year (you'll find inspiration for these below). You'll then need to tie these skills into the jobs that you're interested in. Echo the language and keywords of the advert in your CV  (without sounding like a parrot), aligning your experience as closely as possible with the vacancy.

Include achievements 

Elevate your CV above those of your competitors by highlighting and tracking your work achievements . Whilst you might find it challenging to pull achievements from a gap year, consider obstacles you've overcome and positive results you've delivered.

Don't go into excessive detail 

When you include a gap year in your CV, the information you provide on your CV must be focused and relevant to the role you're targeting. Save the stories and details for the interview, when you have more opportunity to elaborate and deliver them from a personal perspective.

Consider the format of your CV

If you have more than one gap, you may find it beneficial to create a functional CV, focusing on your skills and including only a short work experience summary at the end. However, in most situations, we advocate for a chronological CV, as they are clearer for a recruiter and prove that you have nothing to hide.

Show you're in it for the long term 

Above all, your CV and cover letter should emphasise that, although you've had a year out and travelled extensively, you're now keen to settle into a stable, long-term career. A candidate who is likely to leave for new adventures as soon as they're trained is not an attractive prospect, so you want to remove that concern.

What transferable skills should I include on my CV?

A gap year isn't something you embark upon half-heartedly, so make sure that your drive and passion come across on your CV. This is the kind of attitude that's valuable to a business!

If you've travelled during your gap year, your language skills and ability to communicate cross-culturally can't be underestimated, nor can your international perspective .

How did you start your gap year in the first place? You likely needed great planning and decision-making skills, not to mention initiative . And when things didn't quite go to plan, you had to be adaptable and use skills in problem-solving and critical thinking .

Whether or not you worked, there's bound to have been some element of budgeting , and you may even have developed some leadership or teamwork skills.

These are just a few examples of transferable skills. Job specs and your own experience will throw up plenty of other ideas for you to leverage on your CV.

Here's an example of how to include a gap year on your CV: 

Despite the challenges presented by the pandemic, the gap year is still a valuable addition to your CV - not to mention an amazing opportunity for your personal development. With careful thought and consideration, it can position you as a top candidate to land your dream job.

Show off what you've learned. Get a free CV review to find out if you're making the most of your gap year on your CV.

Recommended Reading:

5 ways to productively fill an employment gap

CV 'tricks' that are actually traps

What is the best way to explain an employment gap on my CV?

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How To Explain A Gap Year On Your CV

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Fill in the gap

It isn't easy to have your life mapped out right after high school. You need time to discover your interests and, more importantly, to enjoy yourself! Instead of the pressure of making a job decision, your youth should be filled with wonderful moments you've shared with friends and family. Some students simply need a break before they dive headfirst into college. If you identify with this, you might consider taking a gap year. This can become a problem in finding a job, but you can reduce this gap in CV and showcase the skills you gained during this time. In this article, we will show you how to mention a gap year in your resume. Stay tuned!

What Is A Gap Year?

A gap year is an off year you take from studying; usually, students take a gap year in the transition to high school and University. This has been a popular practice among students in the UK since the 1700s. During this break, students make use of this time to travel, learn new skills, or even work somewhere.

How Can It Affect Your CV?

Taking a gap year can affect your CV in many ways, for example. If not presented properly, it might give the impression that you have wasted your time. The gap year in CV serves as an important period for employers to understand whether the candidate has invested the time in building skills or simply wasted it. Hence, presenting your gap year CV is crucial as many factors depend upon it.

What Is The Employment Gap In A CV?

When we consider an employment gap in CV, it is majorly considered as a period when a person was not employed or not doing any formal work. An employment gap year in CV can occur due to various factors such as a job switch, personal circumstances, or taking a gap year. An employment gap in a CV ranges from a period of months to years and occurs voluntarily or involuntarily. But remember, when you talk about the employment gap year in CV, you also need to be concerned about how to explain the gap year in CV or what experience you have gained during that period.

Different Ways To Explain A Gap In CV

The gap in CV is looked upon as a crucial time for employers to understand whether the candidate is worth the organisation or not. One gets the idea about the time a candidate invested and did something fruitful out of it. Hence, justifying this gap in CV becomes an important task. If you are looking for ways to show a gap year on your CV, here are some ways you can explain a gap year in CV.

1. Own The Gap Year

When you mention your gap year on your resume, you need to own it and present it positively and proudly. Present an honest and realistic explanation of how you used your time fixating on transferable skills and experience that you have received. For more information, refer to our blog- what is a gap year and why you should take one to rethink career choices.

2. Present Your Achievements

Upscale your gap year CV by adding your accomplishments and achievements to present a strong portfolio. We understand that achievements are difficult to pull when trying to give yourself a break, but present the constructive results you have delivered. This will surely reduce the gap in CV and upscale you. Follow our guidelines to prepare the perfect resume for your first job .

3. Emphasize Your Skills

Gap years are one of the best ways to work on your skills; your gap year CV is just waiting for that. When you begin your journey of a gap year, maintain a notebook where you mention every little skill you learn or even develop. If you maintain a record, you will not forget anything, and even the smallest skills can make a big impact, strengthening your gap year resume.

4. Don't Go Into Excessive Details

When you mention a gap year on your resume, the material you give must be concentrated and pertinent to the position you're vying for. Save the anecdotes and information for the interview when you have more time to expound and present them from a personal viewpoint instead of mentioning this as a gap year in CV.

5. Display Your Commitment To The Long-term

Above all, your gap year resume and cover letter should highlight that despite taking a year off and travelling widely, you are eager to start a steady, long-term profession. You want to eliminate the worry that the candidate will go on other adventures as soon as they have received training.

6. Make the Gap Year Relevant to the Role

It will be a primal factor if one highlights the fact that the gap year in CV was spent learning or experiencing something that is vital to the desired or anticipated job. With this, the recruiter may consider the application worthy since the job description is relevant to the person applying. 

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Examples Of A Few Common Reasons For A Gap In CV

You don't take a gap year lightly, so make sure your motivation and enthusiasm shine through on your resume. This is the kind of attitude that a company can benefit from! Below are some examples that will come in handy for you. 

1. Taking a career break to pursue higher education or certifications.

2. For health reasons, rejoin the workforce with full recovery.

3. Taking travel or sabbatical to gain valuable experience.

4. If it is laid off or company closure, explain the situation briefly, emphasising the opportunity it provided for self-assessment and skill improvement.

5. A family-related issue that required your presence for a longer period.

6. Took some time off to redefine your life path and career choices, worked on them, and built some relevant skills. 

How To Be Convincing Irrespective Of A Gap Year On Your Resume?

Being a fine candidate for a job irrespective of the gap year in CV can be a difficult task altogether. However, it is just like a game of chess; you strategically take the right moves, and you might as well get the position. Explore our blog, which stresses the skills employers look for while hiring , as your handbook for achieving an offer letter. Below are a few pointers to becoming a master convincer, irrespective of the gap in CV.

1. Negotiation

How to mention the gap year in resume: we've got you covered. You might demonstrate how working on your own business or interacting with local markets to buy goods improved your negotiating skills. This will be a good addition to your gap year CV and will make a positive impact on the employer as well. 

2. Budgeting and Planning

Describe in your gap year CV how you maintained a strict budget while travelling during your gap year. Any time off of work without a consistent source of income is sure to improve your ability to plan and budget. 

3. Teamwork

Another important thing that will get you a plus point to show a gap year in CV is teamwork. Let the employer know that you are a team player, and you might get a job. Emphasise that if you're volunteering abroad, you've probably collaborated with volunteers from other backgrounds. Adding this to your gap year resume will emphasise that you are good at teamwork.

4. Adaptability

Things can go wrong, and plans might quickly change when travelling. Describe how you were forced to adjust to new circumstances and develop quick fixes for the initial issue. This will be a good add-on to showcase a gap in your CV and will make a huge difference in your candidature. This will reveal a part of your personality that you can adapt to new circumstances and find solutions to it as well. 

5. Communication

One of the best ways to show a gap in CV is by developing communication skills. Effective interpersonal communication is a crucial skill to develop throughout any career sabbatical and can increase your employability in customer-facing employment. 

6. Leadership

If you engaged in activities like teaching overseas, you probably developed important leadership abilities that you may apply in any workplace. Leadership is one such skill that employers highly appreciate and look forward to in a candidate. Hence, it is advisable to showcase your skills to reduce the gap in CV. 

7. Critical Thinking

How to explain gap year! Critical thinking is yet another skill that can make a huge change in showcasing a gap year on CV. This is an excellent talent that can be developed during a gap year on CV and applied in any role, evaluating problems and coming up with quick solutions. 

8. Creativity

Creativity isn't just about having artistic talent; it's also about how you approach problems. Your creativity has likely improved if your gap year has helped you think creatively and develop original solutions to issues. You can fill in the gap in your CV by writing about the projects you worked on for creativity.

We hope our guide on preparing a powerful and impactful gap year CV helped you present yourself in front of the interviewer so that your gap year looks positive and that you gained something from it. And in the end, don't forget that taking a gap year isn't bad as you can learn so much, build many skills, and have fun! 

Frequently Asked Questions

How to put gap year on resume, should i mention a gap year on resume, why do gaps in cv matter, can i get a job after a gap year in my cv, what is a gap year.

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