Keppie Careers

Social media speaker, social media consultant, job search coach

How to Address Gaps in Your Work History

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GapDo you have gaps in your work history? Perhaps you were unemployed or took time off to spend with your family? No matter the reason for the gap, the best way to handle it is to address it on your resume so it does not raise a red flag for the employer.

Consider the following approaches to address gaps in your resume.

Avoid Gaps

Perhaps you weren’t working for an organization during a particular time, but that doesn’t mean you can’t include something to cover the time period. If you don’t already capture the “empty” dates via continuing education or a degree program, fill in the time slots by listing volunteer work or consulting. Describe what you did in terms most relevant to target employers, and they may not even notice the section technically covers a gap in work history. For example, if organizational skills are key for the job you want, and you served on your local school’s Parent-Teacher Organization running special events, include the information as you would any job.

In general, employers are most interested in knowing you’ve been active and involved in using key skills for the gap periods. Think back to times when you may not have been working and do the best you can to fill in those dates with descriptions on your resume.

Take Classes

Education and continuing education is a great reason for a work gap. If you think it won’t be clear why you have some otherwise unaccounted time on your resume, list your degree program or other classes in your experience section in addition to your education section. Provide detailed information about projects, especially group projects, and don’t forget to include skills you used to accomplish those goals.

Include Details in Your Descriptions

If you left a job for a specific reason, include some type of description in bullet points about that job. For example, if a company eliminated your entire department due to financial considerations, you may list it as a bullet point: “Company closed publication department due to budget issues.” It isn’t necessary to include this type of description unless you believe it absolutely necessary to explain an otherwise unexplainable gap in your resume.

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Be Prepared to Discuss Gaps

Sometimes, the best way to address a gap is to wait for someone to ask about it and to have a good story to tell. Keep in mind; if you have a gap in your resume, you are in very good company. Millions of people overcome this challenge, and so can you. Even if you were fired, you can explain away the situation in a positive way. Do not allow any negative feelings from the situation to come through when you’re connecting with a networking contact or potential employer. You don’t even need to specify you were fired. Instead, you may explain, “My employer and I had divergent ideas about how to handle the problems facing our organization, so I moved on.”

You’ll have explained the gap without raising any concerns.

How have you addressed you work history gaps? 

 

How to Tell Your Career Story So People Will Listen

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tell your storyStorytelling may seem like a topic more appropriate for preschoolers than job seekers, but the most astute and successful job seekers understand how important it is to be able to articulate an interesting and compelling story detailing their work history and accomplishments. Don’t underestimate the importance of outlining your background and describing it effectively. Hiring managers want to hear your story so you can prove you’re a good fit for the job.

Identify Your Relevant Skills

The first step to a great career story is to outline your best skills and accomplishments. What do you want people to know about your work history? How can you explain what you’ve done in your past in a way that convinces your target employer to want to hire you? You need to understand what you offer before you can decide how to market yourself. Think about examples of times when you navigated problems and challenges at work and when you delivered measurable results.

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One easy way to help you decide on a focus for your story is to study the job descriptions that interest you. Highlight all of the skills listed on the job description you’ve used. Use the highlighted skills to help you decide what parts of your story will interest the employer.

Mold Your Stories

With a list of skills and accomplishments that interest the employer, you can begin to outline your career story for each part of your job search.

Networking. Share your story in person and online. Showcase your best skills in your LinkedIn profile. Use the “Summary” to feature a conversational bio demonstrating what you do and why you’re good at it. You can use the first person (I, me or my) in the summary to speak directly to readers in LinkedIn. For example, if you’re in customer service, may say, “Growing up, I always helped all of my friends solve their problems. Today, I do it for a living.” When you meet in person, remember to tell your story succinctly and directly. No one is interested in long, drawn out tales about your skills and background. Narrow your story to a quick “pitch” of about 30-40 words at the most.

In your resume. All of your bullet points should focus on your career story. Include important information about how you solved problems by using the “PAR” method; include details about the problem, the action you took and the results you created. Focus extensively on the job description and incorporate keywords that match the employer’s needs when you explain why you are a good match.

In the interview. Don’t schedule an interview until you’re ready with several stories that will address typical interview questions. Use the “PAR” approach when you prepare so you’ll be able to discuss problems you’ve solved, explain how (what actions you took) and discuss results during the interview. Spend the majority of your time explaining how you overcame the problem and the rest of your time detailing the results of your efforts. Ideally, you’ll mention the long-term impact you had on your organization. For example, “One year later, the office is still following the protocols I instituted.”

Remember, in all cases, be brief, focus on results, address the items the employer wants to know and practice your stories so you’re able to flexibly adjust based on the situation and question. Once you identify the stories to tell, you’ll be well on your way to job search success!

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How social networking helps you get a job

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ComputerDo you consider your job search a marketing effort? Ultimately, you must market (or sell) yourself. Social networking tools provide great resources to allow you to market on your skills and accomplishments as your “product.” As more people join what’s known as the “gig” economy, in which jobs resemble a series of short-term stints instead of dedicated work to one organization, it will become even more important to learn how to market yourself.

Some ways social networking may help you land a job:

  • Your social media streams can demonstrate your good judgement. Focus on professional photos and content.
  • Demonstrate your expertise. People who wouldn’t otherwise know you can learn about what you know.
  • Grow your network and meet new people.
  • Learn new information.
  • Tell your story so no one can steal your thunder.
  • Use social media to sharpen your message.

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Read the whole post on Vault.com.

How to be loved at work: be a better communicator

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communication at work imageWant to be loved at work? Consider how you can improve your communication skills, which are as important in the workplace as they are in relationships. Comparisons between landing a job and dating aren’t lost on anyone who has looked for a mate or a position. A study by TINYpulse asked 400 U.S. employees what encouraged them to either stay in their jobs or to seek new employment. Whether employees were asked about their bosses or colleagues, the study found strong communication was key to compelling them to stay in their jobs.

It’s hardly surprising that strong communication improves the workplace and enhances the experiences of everyone in open, transparent environments. Research shows you can improve your standings in the workplace when you have strong communication skills.

What can you do to improve your ability to communicate well at work?

Keep people in the loop. No one likes to be left out. Make a point to be inclusive when you’re sharing information.

Recognize a job well done. Recognition is one aspect of communication often forgotten in the workplace. 

Be a good listener. Communication isn’t only about what you say; it’s a two-way street. Listening is a crucial piece of communicating well, and many people do not spend enough time on this important skill.

Be specific. Often, poor communication results from vague directions. If you want something at a certain time, say so. The more specific you are, the better chance you’ll have of people following through in the way you expect.

Check your body language. Clenching your teeth through your fake smile isn’t fooling anyone! Keep in mind, a majority of in-person communication is passed on via body language.

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Read the whole post on the Elevated Careers blog.

How to find social media content to share

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Is your number one question about social media, “Where can I find great social media content to share?”  If you’re excited about filling your social media streams with useful news and information, but you’re not sure how to go about finding the information your audience would want to know, leverage these tools and you’ll be off to a great start.

LinkedIn’s Pulse. Find it under the “Interests” tab on your LinkedIn toolbar. It’s a consistent stream of content from famous influencers as well as contributors just like you about all types of topics, and you’re sure to find something here to interest your audience.

Alltop.com. This is an online, virtual “magazine rack” of blogs. There’s an eclectic array of topics and content. Search your favorite key words, and you will identify several new sources of information.

SmartBrief.com. This is of my favorite resources. SmartBrief editors read and parse through important information published about many topics. Then, they send out summaries with links directly to your email! There’s no easier way to find great resources for your audience. Plus, it’s free!

These resources are great tools to start your list of content sources. You’ll also want to tap into all of the traditional media outlets you follow and be sure to watch your social media streams, too. People you follow probably share useful information.

Make the most of social networking tools and you’ll access exponential numbers of new contacts who can make a big difference in your career’s trajectory.

Get my free white paper: 5 Mistakes Preventing You From Landing a Job This Week 

Read the entire post on Vault.com.