Full Disclosure

I was searching for a qualified Network Administrator one day and ran across a perfectly qualified candidate – who hadn’t been employed since 2007.  Here’s the dilemma:  employers do need to see the reason for a gap in employment of more than 30 days.  This is part of the review process.  Gaps leave a big question mark, and employment background checks are expensive.  The qualified candidate had updated his information in an online job board less than 6 months ago - a good thing, but the gap could cause that resume to be passed over in favor of a candidate with 'full disclosure' of activities during breaks in employment.  A potential employer will tend to think the worse, for example:  ‘Incarceration or Coma’.  Either of which should be explained, because the actual reason may not keep you from being hired, depending on the situation.  Obviously this person didn’t want the reason for the gap in employment to work against him or her.

Any gap in employment should be addressed.  You can simply say, ‘searching for employment opportunity’ or ‘cared for family member(s) at home’ (be sure to not include the parentheses, if you were caring for more than one child or incapacitated family member), if those were the actual reasons.  Other suggestions:  ‘deployed to Iraq’, ‘started a home business which I am now able to run part time at home in the evening’, ‘working part time while seeking full time employment’, a short description is all that is necessary.  The most important thing is to be absolutely honest.  Don’t say you were in the military if you were incarcerated.  These days, background checks reveal almost everything about you and the cleaner the background, the better your chances of being hired.  

It's always good to keep in mind that employment is never guaranteed.  The economy has an effect on whether a company can hire or must downsize to survive.   The smart move is to ensure nothing you do effects your ability to have a successful future!!