How fatal are gaps in your resume? Forum

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paperrev

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How fatal are gaps in your resume?

Post by paperrev » Thu May 10, 2018 6:38 pm

Hello. Due to visa reasons, I will need to stop working in July. I've started the process of getting a visa, but my immigration attorney told me that I will probably get work authorization around August/September. Given these facts, how fatal will these gaps in my resume be (assuming I'm not able to secure a new position by the time I leave work)?

paperrev

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Re: How fatal are gaps in your resume?

Post by paperrev » Fri May 11, 2018 12:46 pm

The 300 views but 0 responses is really encouraging :lol:

kiddie114

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Re: How fatal are gaps in your resume?

Post by kiddie114 » Fri May 11, 2018 1:11 pm

not fatal at all i cannot possibly think of a more justifiable reason for gaps

paperrev

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Re: How fatal are gaps in your resume?

Post by paperrev » Fri May 11, 2018 1:57 pm

In general, how many months between positions is viewed as problematic? There's a huge chance I might not be able to return to my current position even after getting my immigration situation sorted out.

gregfootball2001

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Re: How fatal are gaps in your resume?

Post by gregfootball2001 » Fri May 11, 2018 3:52 pm

Does there need to be a gap? You're talking about one or two months, right? YMMV, but I don't list months on my resume, just years. So:

Associate, X___________________________________2018-present
Blah blah blah

Associate, Y___________________________________2017-2018
Blue blue blue

No gap.

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Sleepys

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Re: How fatal are gaps in your resume?

Post by Sleepys » Sun May 13, 2018 2:17 pm

As someone else stated, having a legal immigration/visa issue is basically THE most justifiable reason you can give for a gap in your work. Also, it's something you can't change...it's not like you are debating whether to quit. If you're that concerned, maybe you should do something like travel/backpack in another country, or something else you can put on your resume and say "look, here is what I decided to do during this period and how it has made me grow as a person blah blah."

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AntipodeanPhil

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Re: How fatal are gaps in your resume?

Post by AntipodeanPhil » Tue May 15, 2018 2:54 pm

gregfootball2001 wrote:Does there need to be a gap? You're talking about one or two months, right? YMMV, but I don't list months on my resume, just years. So:

Associate, X___________________________________2018-present
Blah blah blah

Associate, Y___________________________________2017-2018
Blue blue blue

No gap.
Exactly. I cover up a gap of almost 9 months in my resume this way. Never had a question about it.

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Re: How fatal are gaps in your resume?

Post by Anonymous User » Tue May 15, 2018 11:28 pm

This is fantastic! I always suspected the vocal "recruiters" or "hiring managers" who claim that this practice gets your resume thrown out were full of shit...

Barrred

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Re: How fatal are gaps in your resume?

Post by Barrred » Wed May 16, 2018 12:52 am

AntipodeanPhil wrote:
gregfootball2001 wrote:Does there need to be a gap? You're talking about one or two months, right? YMMV, but I don't list months on my resume, just years. So:

Associate, X___________________________________2018-present
Blah blah blah

Associate, Y___________________________________2017-2018
Blue blue blue

No gap.
Exactly. I cover up a gap of almost 9 months in my resume this way. Never had a question about it.
I've hired quite a few people, and I would definitely think it was weird/sketchy if you are described a job as 2017-2018 that only lasted from December to March. Obviously the smaller the gap that is being hidden the less sketchy it is. If an interviewing attorney found out you were covering up a big gap with this tactic, I think a lot would hold it against you.

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Re: How fatal are gaps in your resume?

Post by Anonymous User » Wed May 16, 2018 2:16 am

What about a gap of 2 months (starting in March rather than January) being covered up by 2018 - present?

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