Employment Gaps on Resume: What to Say + Examples

Having gaps in your resume can feel like a huge deal when looking for a new job. However, there are plenty of valid reasons you may have taken a break from work, and that’s nothing to be ashamed of. 

What qualifies as a gap in employment?

Before we go any further, let’s make sure we’re on the same page. Employment gaps are times after you entered the workforce when you weren’t in formal employment. Let’s break it down:

What you do in your career break matters. Even if you were laid off and couldn’t find a new job for six months, you can balance that time off between applying for new jobs and pursuing some type of additional certification or continuing education course. 

That way, employers will see that although you weren’t formally employed, you were actively working towards your future career objectives and goals. It shows you were strengthening your skills rather than sitting around unproductively.

How to explain an employment gap (9 situations) 

When it comes to how to explain a gap in your resume, you need to consider the specific scenario. We’ve covered nine of the most common situations and what to do in them below:

1. Layoff or company closure

Getting laid off is hard enough, without worrying that hiring managers will judge you for it. However, layoffs and company closures are common and recruiters know that. 

Don’t try to hide what happened. Detail it honestly and briefly on your resume. You can include this detail next to the description of the position. Simply write something like "role eliminated due to company restructure" in brackets.

2. Maternity or paternity leave

Taking maternity or paternity leave is a valid reason for a career gap on your resume. Don’t beat around the bush. You can detail this in your work experience resume section. Format it like another job and share a sentence or two about what you were doing during that time.

2. Medical recovery

Your medical history is your business, and you don’t owe anybody the complete details. However, if it led to you having time off work, you will want to mention it. You can write a short note in the gap within your work experience section. Some simple options include: 

4. Education or certification

If you retrained, went back into formal education, or spent some time gaining formal certificates, make that clear on your resume. To highlight this, you can use a functional resume format, which places the emphasis on your skills and achievements over your work experience. 

Your work experience section is usually placed at the bottom of a functional resume while your skills and education section as well as optional sections such as key accomplishments are situated prominently at the top of the page.

Below you'll find a functional resume example presented inside of Jobseeker's adaptable resume templates:

5. Travel or volunteering

One of the most common reasons for a career gap is travel or, indeed, volunteering. If you took a break to see the world, that likely taught you a few lessons. Lean into the value this experience gave you when it comes to how to explain the gap in your resume. 

Detail any volunteer positions in your work experience section again. If you took on voluntary roles as part of your travels, be specific about them. For example, you should say “I spent six months volunteering with a conservation NGO in Costa Rica,” rather than “I was traveling”. You can also include this detail in your resume summary.

6. Relocation

Plenty of people move countries, states, or regions without having a job lined up before they go. Things like navigating visa requirements, registering with local authorities, or getting necessary the credentials all slow down the process. Recruiters understand this, especially if you spell it out.

Mention your career break in your work experience section. You can write something like “Career break - Relocated to [place]”. Below that, you may want to add a bullet point or two explaining the admin you had to cover when moving to a new place.

7. Career change

Changing careers doesn’t happen overnight. If the gap was built into the transition — like if you had to retrain, for example — outline that in your resume. In that case, you can note the retraining or education period in your work experience as a single line between roles. You can then elaborate on the certificates you gained in your education section. 

Alternatively, you may want to use a functional resume format. This minimizes the effect of the career gap and instead emphasizes your qualifications and developed skill set.

8. Burnout recovery

66 percent of Americans have experienced workplace burnout (1), meaning that you’re in the majority. If work affected your mental health and you had no choice but to take a break, that’s perfectly valid. However, you don’t have to be specific about it on your resume, if you don’t want to.

Since burnout is a health issue, simply write that when detailing this gap on your resume. You can put the same as you would for medical recovery, for example. Or, you may choose to write something else, like “Career break – health related”. Keep it short and don’t over-explain.

9. You launched a business

Trying to start a business is categorically work experience. Let’s say you quit your job to launch your own company or try your hand at freelance work. Even if you weren’t successful, that would have taught you an array of transferable skills you can apply to your next job. 

Class your entrepreneurial role as any other job. Include it in your work experience section, and mark it as “Self-employed”. Below the main details, include bullet points of what you did. That could be designing a website, setting up business banking, cold outreach, and more.

Where to address employment gaps

Next up, let’s talk about where to detail your employment gap on a resume. While the obvious choice is in your work experience section, you can add more detail in other areas, too. 

You can address this issue naturally in the following sections: 

If you need help structuring your explanation, our cover letter templates can help you present it clearly. Get started by browsing our collection of cover letter examples for dozens of job titles and industries.

Example of a resume with employment gaps

Ready to get started on your resume? Before you do, take a look at our sample of a resume with employment gaps. It details the break in both the work experience and summary sections:

Final thoughts on explaining employment gaps

Career breaks are more common than many job seekers think, and they do not need to hold you back. The key is to present them clearly, briefly, and confidently. Whether you mention the gap in your resume, cover letter, or interview, honesty and relevance matter most.

With Jobseeker, you can create a polished resume that presents your experience clearly and professionally. Choose from recruiter-friendly templates, customize layouts and colors, and build a resume that helps you move forward with confidence. Then create a matching cover letter to boost your chances of landing the job. Check out our resources for more expert advice for your job search.

References:
(1) 2025 Burnout Study – Forbes