Should I lie about the gaps in my CV?

Should you lie about the gaps in your resume?

TLDR; No, you shouldn’t.

Did you know, 57% of returners to work feel like they’re starting again from the first day, which isn’t good for anyone.

The Employer

At Watch This Sp_ce, we strongly believe that companies should not discriminate against people who have gaps in their resume. Gaps can be there for a variety of reasons, such as sickness, going travelling, caring for a family member, taking a break from work to pursue further education, or simply just taking a break from work itself.

It’s unfair to judge someone based on gaps in their employment history as these reasons can often be out of their control. Discriminating against individuals for taking time off work can be detrimental to their confidence and wellbeing, which is why we believe in offering a return to work package to help individuals rebuild their confidence and integrate back into the workforce.

Could you imagine having taken a 3 month gap to look after a family member, only to go to interview after interview where you do not wish to disclose the reason for your work absence, and everyone is rejecting you because your gap is seen as a ‘red flag’?

This in turn can cause the person who is trying to find work, stop showing up as their best selves during their interview, and further push them down a spiral of struggling to find work and feeling disheartened that nobody will hire them.

81% of UK organisations are struggling to recruit and retain talent, so supporting staff through taking career breaks and returning to work will give you a significant competitive advantage.

What are the benefits of career breaks to employers?

Retaining skilled and experienced staff
Reducing burnout
Nurturing diverse and inclusive teams (who perform better)
Staff building new skills
Increasing engagement and motivation
Better employee relationships
Improving your reputation

Seeing the gap as a person who knows when it’s time to take a break, or someone who can pursue other passions or simply has responsibilities, will allow you to find the right person for the role, not just the one you ‘like best’. And you can support them with a return to work plan to support them as they integrate back into the workforce.

The Individual

We encourage individuals to not lie about gaps in their resume too. If you are ‘caught out’ this can come across as dishonest, and it is not a good way to start a working relationship. It’s important to try and not be defensive on the offset, not every organisation will judge someone for taking a break from work. In fact, if your time was spent pursuing other interests, the company would value you even more as it shows you have a diverse range of skills and experiences.

You can also learn these skills and experiences from taking a break for more personal reasons too. Were you taking time off to look after a family member? Did you go to another country for a few months? There are still so many transferable skills that you would have learnt here, that you can use as you go back to the workplace.

The return to work package we offer at Watch This Sp_ce, is designed to help individuals who have taken a break from work, for any reason. We will provide you with the support that you need, to ensure you can integrate back into the workforce, and you feel confident to do so. Whether you need mentoring, training, networking opportunities, CV and cover letter support, we will help you build your confidence and skills. We can also offer you guidance on how to explain gaps in your employment history, and hot to highlight your skills and experiences.

We understand applying for new roles can be a daunting experience, whether you have gaps in your employment history or not. Our programme aims to provide you with the tools you will need to create a compelling application and deliver a fantastic interview, so you can feel confident and prepared.

So in conclusion..

We do believe companies should not discriminate against individuals who have gaps in their employment history. This can be harmful and really negatively affect a person’s confidence, wellbeing, and ability to attend further interviews. We also strongly advise individuals to not lie about their gaps in employment history, and when comfortable to do so, be honest about their reasons for taking a break.

Our return to work package can be sought after by companies or individuals themselves, who need support and the tools to rebuild their confidence and integrate back into the workforce. We believe that everyone deserves an opportunity to succeed, regardless of their background or employment history.