by Sharon Hass

Created on: January 25, 2007   Last Updated: April 17, 2007

How should you positively address those missing years on your resume and in your cover letter? At times even one missing year can harm your chance of getting that job. An employer looks at missing time of employment as negative. They will present the question to you, so be prepared by including those missing months or years on the resume. Remember, the resume is the paper that determines how the prospective employer views you. So you want to have very few gaps on it.

It helps to list anything you have done prior to starting a resume. Use a piece of paper to make a list of all you have done of the years. You would be surprised at how it could be included on a resume. Once you have the list made, start thinking of categories each one can go under. This can help with filling in gaps of being out of the workforce. Instead of having a gap that spans 5 years, you may narrow it down to only 3 years with the list.

Did you travel? Were you self employed? Or did you serve in the military? Perhaps you just wanted to take a break from work. There are reasons why people have missing months or years they just can not account for on resumes. A woman can take time off due to pregnancy. At times there are traumatic accidents or an illness that puts one out of the workforce for awhile. We may have aging parents who needed to be cared for. Some may have decided to continue education. Some may have been incarcerated. All of those things should be listed in some form on a resume.

If you have been out of the workforce due to incarceration, then start thinking about what qualifications you have for the job you are seeking. What skills can you bring into the job? What experience did you gain prior to the incarceration? Listing all that on a piece of paper prior to starting you resume will help you fill in gaps of missing time from the workforce. You may have gained education while incarcerated, or you may have had skill or trade while locked up. List those things to make your resume appear positive to the prospective employer. Although some may look negative toward an someone who was incarcerated, they are also looking to see what you can do for them. So you need to address that with a positive approach on the resume.

Perhaps you were involved in a civic organization, or coached a little league sports team. List these experiences on your resume. Did you decide to start your own business on the side? Were you a scout leader? These can be listed on a resume as "Additional Experience".

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