I'm new to the whole blogging thing so I'm posting blog entries on ClutchFans as well as on a separate site. It is part of my annual NCRW certification requirements (writing to inform). Hope some of this stuff helps. Gaps in Employment History on a Resume Have you been fortunate to leave your old job on Friday afternoon and begin your new one on Monday morning? Or do so within the same month? If so, then you're more fortunate than many of us who have gaps in our employment history. These can be attributed to a variety of reasons, including health-related issues, lack of an immediate offer of employment, and severance packages that allow for additional time in one's job search. No matter what the reason is, having a gap in your employment history never looks good on a resume. Unfortunately, hiring decision-makers can be quick to judge that the gap shows a character flaw rather than a legitimate reason. In order to combat being a victim of this unfair approach, you can use a key strategy to eliminate the "gap" issue on your resume: ** Use the year-year format rather than the month/year-month-year format. This is perhaps the most effective strategy to use for covering a gap, as it provides an accurate date yet does not reveal a gap. In fact, you can ethically cover a gap of over 1 year using this format (e.g. If you leave former Job X in February of 2004 and begin current Job Y in March of 2005, you can use the format XXXX-2004 and 2005-XXXX- thus, the reader can only determine that you may have left Job X as late as 12/2004 and begun Job Y as soon as 01/2005). EX.: NAME OF COMPANY, Location. Job Title, 2006-Present. NAME OF PREVIOUS COMPANY, Location. Job Title, 2003-2005. NAME OF PREVIOUS COMPANY, Location. Job Title, 2000-2003. Of course, it is important to note that you may need to provide the month/year-month/year format on an application once you are called in for an interview, and you can certainly be asked about your specific dates of employment (and reasons for any gaps) during an interview. Remember, though, that interviews allow more time and context in which to explain items that should not be addressed on a resume, including employment gaps.
No, as a matter of fact, the certification requirements specifically state that the written work cannot be in the form of advertising one's business, which is why I did not include my company name. I am required to post these entries in 2 different Internet forums. I will be posting these once a week.
You could also use adverbs and prepositions, rather than months or years. NAME OF COMPANY, Location. Job Title, Now. NAME OF PREVIOUS COMPANY, Location. Job Title, Prior to Now. NAME OF PREVIOUS COMPANY, Location. Job Title, A Little Ways Back. NAME OF PREVIOUS COMPANY, Location. Job Title, A While Ago.
Actually, it'd be nice if we didn't have to worry about dates and nonsense like that, as if it is really a big deal. Employers make too much out of it sometimes- but I've had recruiters tell me that they do "red flag" resumes if they see gaps in employment.
sorry buddy, Comcast requires you have start dates and end dates for every job . and will not process them till you have them, hope you keep good notes
"Of course, it is important to note that you may need to provide the month/year-month/year format on an application once you are called in for an interview..."
