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92% of hiring managers are willing to accept gaps in the work history of job candidates
Editorial by Christian Saint Cyr
National Director / Canadian Job Development Network
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While some employers will pass over candidates with a gap in their work history, most are willing to accept legitimate gaps.
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Nevertheless, many Canadian job seekers (34%) worry that having a career gap in their resume would prevent them from being hired, with most hiring managers saying this is not a problem, according to a newly released Harris Poll survey.
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Indeed, the vast majority (92%) of hiring managers say there are acceptable reasons for large gaps in an applicant’s resume (the same proportion of job seekers agree) — with only one-third (36%) responding that a large and unexplainable gap between work experiences would cause them not to hire a candidate.
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The acceptable reasons for large gaps on job applicants’ resumes include:
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Going to School — 68% hiring managers; 71% job seekers
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Staying Home with a Child — 66% hiring managers; 68% job seekers
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Health Issues — 64% hiring managers; 72% job seekers
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Caring for an Elderly Parent — 63% hiring managers; 65% job seekers
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Trying to Switch Careers — 46% hiring managers; 47% job seekers
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Not Liking Working in Their Past Industry — 25% hiring managers; 24% job seekers
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Interestingly, female hiring managers tend to be more accepting of career gaps in numerous categories compared to males. For example, 71% of female hiring managers say career gaps are acceptable if staying home with a child, compared to 62% of male hiring managers.
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When it comes to health issues, 73% of female hiring managers view it acceptable compared to 58% of male hiring managers.
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This difference is also found among job seekers. For example, 78% of female job seekers believe staying at home with a child is an acceptable reason for a career gap, compared to 62% of male job seekers.
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While there is legitimate prejudice job seekers face in this world, this seems to be more of a perception issue. It's likely job seekers are very self conscious about gaps in their work history.
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Job seekers can benefit from simply understanding that employers won't immediately exclude them due to a gap in their work history.
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Other steps you can take with job seekers including:
- Organizing their resume to limit and/or address gaps in their work history
- Coach clients on how and when to address work-history gaps
- Assist clients in understanding transferable skills, education and experience they acquired during breaks in their work history
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The skills shortage is prompting many employers to be more accepting of candidates who may not meet all of the criteria they are looking for. If job seekers can look past their own workplace gaps, they can find the confidence they need to be successful in achieving great employment opportunities.
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We’ll be discussing how to address workplace gaps at our #MotivatingMondays meeting of the Canadian Job Development Network, Tuesday May 21st at 8:30am Pacific; 9:30am Mountain; 10:30am Central; 11:30am Eastern; 12:30pm Atlantic and at 1pm in Newfoundland. Visit: www.MotivatingMondays.ca on Monday to join the session LIVE.
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