{"id":8775,"date":"2023-06-02T19:27:19","date_gmt":"2023-06-03T02:27:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/?p=8775"},"modified":"2023-06-02T19:27:19","modified_gmt":"2023-06-03T02:27:19","slug":"gap-years-on-your-resume-how-to-explain-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/gap-years-on-your-resume-how-to-explain-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Gap Years on Your Resume \u2014 How To Explain It"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you explain why and how it has improved your employability, your gap year might be a valuable addition to your r\u00e9sum\u00e9.<\/span><\/i><\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_50 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\" role=\"button\"><label for=\"item-6a0b0fdc98306\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><span style=\"display: flex;align-items: center;width: 35px;height: 30px;justify-content: center;direction:ltr;\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/label><input  type=\"checkbox\" id=\"item-6a0b0fdc98306\"><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/gap-years-on-your-resume-how-to-explain-it\/#Gap_Years_on_Your_Resume_%E2%80%94_How_To_Explain_It\" title=\"Gap Years on Your Resume \u2014 How To Explain It\">Gap Years on Your Resume \u2014 How To Explain It<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/gap-years-on-your-resume-how-to-explain-it\/#How_Does_a_Gap_Year_Help\" title=\"How Does a Gap Year Help?\">How Does a Gap Year Help?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/gap-years-on-your-resume-how-to-explain-it\/#How_to_Explain_the_Gap_in_Your_Resume\" title=\"How to Explain the Gap in Your Resume\">How to Explain the Gap in Your Resume<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/gap-years-on-your-resume-how-to-explain-it\/#1_Be_Honest\" title=\"1. Be Honest\">1. Be Honest<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/gap-years-on-your-resume-how-to-explain-it\/#2_Showcase_the_Positives\" title=\"2. Showcase the Positives\">2. Showcase the Positives<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/gap-years-on-your-resume-how-to-explain-it\/#3_Highlight_Your_Achievements\" title=\"3. Highlight Your Achievements\">3. Highlight Your Achievements<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/gap-years-on-your-resume-how-to-explain-it\/#4_Don%E2%80%99t_Explain_Too_Much\" title=\"4. Don\u2019t Explain Too Much\">4. Don\u2019t Explain Too Much<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/gap-years-on-your-resume-how-to-explain-it\/#5_Showcase_Your_Commitment_to_Stability\" title=\"5. Showcase Your Commitment to Stability\">5. Showcase Your Commitment to Stability<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/gap-years-on-your-resume-how-to-explain-it\/#Conclusion\" title=\"Conclusion\">Conclusion<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/gap-years-on-your-resume-how-to-explain-it\/#About_the_Author\" title=\"About the Author\">About the Author<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Gap_Years_on_Your_Resume_%E2%80%94_How_To_Explain_It\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gap Years on Your Resume \u2014 How To Explain It<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gap years are taken by people of all ages for various reasons. There are many valid reasons to take a much-needed sabbatical, including so that you can travel, care for a sick family member, or raise children.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Therefore, feel free to mention a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.careeraddict.com\/gap-year\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">gap year<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on your resume. Your gap year could improve your professional document if you can demonstrate the transferable abilities you acquired during your time off or relate the experience to the position you are going for.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Does_a_Gap_Year_Help\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How Does a Gap Year Help?<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A gap year should strengthen rather than weaken your qualifications. You can show that you are compassionate, devoted, or daring \u2014 all traits that might help you in the workplace \u2014 by mentioning a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/novoresume.com\/career-blog\/employment-gap-in-resume#:~:text=The%20best%20way%20to%20explain%20such%20an%20employment%20gap%20is,are%20now%20in%20elementary%20school).\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">gap year on your CV<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or resume.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A gap year might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to advance personally and professionally. It might demonstrate that you&#8217;re a self-assured, driven, and autonomous worker, improving your resume and increasing will improve your resume and increase your marketability to companies.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Explain_the_Gap_in_Your_Resume\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to Explain the Gap in Your Resume<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Be_Honest\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1. Be Honest<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Honesty is the best policy when crafting a resume. If you have a delicate or private reason for taking the gap year, there&#8217;s no need to go into too much detail, but you shouldn&#8217;t try to disguise it either. If the recruiting manager discovers that you are lying, it will end whatever chance you may have had of getting the job.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Showcase_the_Positives\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2. Showcase the Positives<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As was previously said, taking a gap year has several advantages. In reality, having the guts to step back and improve yourself or another person demonstrates remarkable strength of character.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So make sure to focus on the advantageous experiences and how they have advanced your <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/what-are-transferable-skills-and-why-are-they-important\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">professional development<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Don&#8217;t be hesitant to discuss this, even if you were ill or were taking care of kids. You can demonstrate how this experience helped you gain other valuable abilities.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Highlight_Your_Achievements\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3. Highlight Your Achievements<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your major objective is to highlight your successes throughout your time off from work. You should specify quantifiable outcomes based on the purpose of your gap year. You could discuss the training, certifications, or courses you completed during your gap year.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Don%E2%80%99t_Explain_Too_Much\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4. Don\u2019t Explain Too Much<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is no need to cram your resume with irrelevant details because the space is gold. Therefore, even while it&#8217;s crucial to mention your gap year, there&#8217;s no need to get too specific. Your information must be precise and pertinent to the position for which you are applying. More details can be provided during the interview.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_Showcase_Your_Commitment_to_Stability\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">5. Showcase Your Commitment to Stability<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Employers may occasionally be put off by gap years since they may be a symptom of instability. You must demonstrate your eagerness to rejoin the workforce and earn the respect of any organization.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You must <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/culture-tips-for-increasing-efficiency-in-the-workplace\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">demonstrate your motivation<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to obtain a full-time position with the organization you are applying to, particularly if your gap year was relatively recent.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Conclusion<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don&#8217;t just view your gap year as a relaxing vacation; instead, reflect on your accomplishments and newfound talents and how they can relate to your future employment. Include this knowledge on your resume after that.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"About_the_Author\"><\/span><strong><em>About the Author<\/em><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> <b>Simon Chou<\/b> is the Vice President of Operations and Growth at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/\">BCjobs.ca<\/a>. Over the course of his career, he carved a niche in brand development, marketing strategy, and online presence for startups. Prior to joining BCJobs.ca, Simon was an advisor for several global blockchain projects including Litecoin, NEM, and Ripple. In the past, he also worked with Fortune 500 companies in the healthcare space through SM Digital\u2014a global marketing agency.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you explain why and how it has improved your employability, your gap year might be a valuable addition to your r\u00e9sum\u00e9. Gap Years on Your Resume \u2014 How To Explain It Gap years are taken by people of all ages for various reasons. There are many valid reasons to take a much-needed sabbatical, including [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":117,"featured_media":9005,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[794],"tags":[713,217,624,22,451,190,189],"class_list":["post-8775","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized-new","tag-bcjob","tag-bcjobs","tag-best-careers","tag-career-advice-2","tag-how-to-write-a-resume","tag-resume","tag-resume-tips"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8775","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/117"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8775"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8775\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9008,"href":"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8775\/revisions\/9008"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9005"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8775"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8775"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8775"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}