Having a gap on your resume is indeed scary.
Being out of work for a long time can negatively affect your job search.
Employers might wonder if you still have the skills needed to do the job.
Since jobs are constantly evolving and skills needed to do the same job changing, it is highly likely that the skills you had a few months ago are no longer adequate, especially with nonstop technological advances and businesses becoming global and virtual.
Everyday new technologies enter the work place, making previously learned skills obsolete.
This can be a matter of concern for employers since employers don’t want to take risks on an inefficient employee.
In addition, employers might wonder if you aren’t dedicated enough to be employed, if your career isn’t a priority for you.
However, there are things you can do to undo the effects of an employment gap.
You don’t need to have a regular job to show that you have remained attached to your profession, are reliable to get a job, and have the necessary skills.
Here is what you can do to counter the effects of unemployment on your job search:
1. Find out about changes in your profession and ensure to keep your skills updated regularly.
2. Learn about changes in the business world and how it has affected your profession and industry, and adapt to it, especially if you have been out of work a few years.
3. Find out about a software that is being used by your contemporaries – in your profession or a related profession – and take a course to learn it.
4. Take a course in some program or software related to your job that can help you do your work better.
5. Get professional training / certification. If you are studying to get certification, include that information in your resumé.
6. Provide freelance work on regular basis, paid or free. By showing that you have stayed in touch with your profession despite being unemployed, you increase your chances of getting a job.
7. Do volunteer work, even if unrelated to your main profession. A lot of jobs have skills that are related.
8. Have a portfolio of recent work accomplishments, self-initiated projects related to your job, and any coursework you have done to show your abilities.
Use the above strategies to make your resumé more attractive and convey your true work skills.
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