Transition time in between jobs is common and isn’t necessarily bad, however it’s important to figure out how to handle time in between jobs so it benefits you and doesn’t reflect negatively on your career. Whatever the reason is for your temporary unemployment, you’re not alone; there’s at least one person out there in the same or a similar position as you.
Having a break in employment is okay, but be prepared for hiring managers and/or recruiters to ask you two questions:
- Why do you have a break in employment?
- What have you been doing/what did you do during this time?
The answers you provide to these two simple questions are what could make or break you in an interview. A good friend who was a recruiter for a nationally recognized company recently told me a story about a candidate they interviewed. They thought she would be a great fit for the position. She had the qualifications, but had a 6th month gap in employment. The employment gap wasn’t the deal breaker, but her answer to the question about what she did during those 6 months was. She gave a very vague answer that she hung out, relaxed, and met up with friends. That doesn’t sound like a bad way to spend 6 months, but it also isn’t a good answer to give in an interview. The company ended up going with another candidate who seemed to be more motivated and goal oriented.
When you’re thinking about how to handle time in between jobs, think about and answer the following questions:
- Is there something you could do during this time that would benefit your career in any way?
- Could you volunteer somewhere? (even if it’s not career related?)
- Could you take a class?
- Could you learn a new skill?
- Is this down time worth it to you?
The point of answering these questions is to put value on your time and make it useful. Volunteering, taking classes, or taking up a hobby will not only help you make use of your time, but it will also help you give a good answer about your time off when asked in an interview.
If you haven’t done anything in your transition time, come up with a good reason why:
If you have just been sitting around, you better come up with a good explanation for it, or you can kiss your chances of landing that great job goodbye.
An example of a good answer as to why you didn’t do much during your transition time is this:
“While I learned a lot at my last job, it wasn’t the right fit for me, and it became draining. I made the decision to leave that position, take time for myself, recharge, and figure out my next career move. Over the last few months, I have really focused in on what I’m looking for in a job, and that is x, y, and z. Now that I’ve had the time to recharge, I’m ready to get back into the swing of things and follow my passion of ___.”
When there’s a break in your employment, for whatever reason, make sure that you make the most of your time and figure out how to handle time in between jobs so it benefits you, both in your career, and your mentality. If you’re going to take time off, make it worth it and explain your reasoning well in an interview.