Having a gap in your resume used to spell instant rejection. But today’s hiring landscape tells a different story, where career breaks often reveal the most valuable qualities employers actually need. From pandemic layoffs to caregiving responsibilities, millions of professionals have legitimate reasons for time away from traditional employment.

The challenge isn’t the gaps themselves, but how hiring teams interpret them.

“Most recruiters still view resume gaps through an outdated lens of career perfectionism,” explains David Garcia, co-founder and CEO of ScoutLogic, a background screening company specializing in bulk checks for major employers. “This approach causes companies to overlook candidates who’ve developed resilience, new skills, or life experience that can make them stronger employees.”

Garcia and his team work with hospitals, banks, universities, and other large-scale employers that process hundreds of applications. Through this experience, he’s identified how smart hiring teams can reframe their approach to resume gaps and uncover hidden talent.

Understanding different types of resume gaps

Not all career breaks are created equal. Garcia stresses that understanding the context behind gaps helps recruiters ask better questions and make informed decisions. He lists some examples here:

1. Caregiving responsibilities: Family obligations represent one of the most common (and misunderstood) resume gaps. Whether caring for aging parents, raising children, or supporting a spouse through illness, these periods often develop project management, crisis handling, and multitasking abilities that translate directly to workplace success.

2. Health and personal challenges: Medical issues, mental health recovery, or personal crises more often than not require time away from work.

“Candidates who’ve navigated health challenges often return with improved self-awareness, better work-life balance, and renewed focus,” Garcia notes. “Rather than being weaknesses, these are signs of someone who knows how to prioritize and recover.”

3. Career transitions and pivots: Industry changes, geographic moves, or deliberate career shifts create natural gaps. These periods frequently involve research, networking, skill assessment, and strategic planning, which are all valuable professional competencies.

4. Education and skill development: Returning to school, pursuing certifications, or learning new technologies shows initiative and adaptability. The gap represents investment in professional growth rather than career stagnation.

5. Economic factors and layoffs: Company closures, industry downturns, or mass layoffs affect entire sectors. Candidates who use this time productively, whether through volunteering, freelancing, or skill building, demonstrate resourcefulness under pressure.

What to look for during gap periods

Smart recruiters focus on growth indicators rather than employment dates. Garcia recommends examining how candidates used their time away from traditional employment.

1. Signs of continued learning: Look for evidence of skill development: online courses, certifications, workshops, or self-directed learning.

“Someone who spent six months caring for a parent while completing project management certification shows incredible time management,” Garcia explains.

2. Volunteer work and community involvement: Unpaid roles often provide the same skill development as paid positions. Board service, nonprofit work, or community organizing demonstrates leadership, collaboration, and commitment.

3. Freelance or consulting projects: Even sporadic contract work shows market engagement and skill maintenance. Candidates who stayed connected to their field through project-based work often return with a broader perspective and updated knowledge.

4. Personal projects and entrepreneurship: Starting a business, launching a blog, or developing apps during career breaks shows initiative and technical skills. Even unsuccessful ventures demonstrate risk-taking ability and learning from failure.

The right questions to ask

Traditional interviews often handle resume gaps poorly. Instead of “Why weren’t you working?” Garcia suggests more productive approaches:

“What did you learn during that period?” 

This opens discussion about skill development, personal growth, or new perspectives gained during the break.

“What motivated your return to the workforce?” 

Understanding the candidate’s drive and readiness helps assess their commitment level and career goals.

“How did you stay current in your field?” 

This reveals whether candidates maintained professional connections, followed industry trends, or continued learning during their absence.

“What skills did you develop outside traditional employment?” 

There are plenty of valuable competencies that develop through life experience, volunteer work, or personal projects which don’t appear on resumes.

The biggest mistake Garcia says he sees hiring teams make is treating resume gaps like character flaws instead of potential strengths. His company works with organizations that process thousands of applications, and the firms finding the best talent are those that’ have moved beyond career perfectionism.

“Unconscious bias plays a huge role here. We automatically assume that continuous employment equals competence, but that’s simply not true. Some of the most capable professionals I know took time off to care for family, recover from burnout, or transition between careers. These experiences don’t make someone less qualified. Instead, they often make them more well-rounded and emotionally intelligent,” he adds. “The key is to ask the right questions and listen to the answers. When a recruiter discovers that a candidate spent two years caring for an elderly parent while maintaining freelance clients and completing online certifications, that’s not a red flag. That’s someone who can handle multiple priorities under pressure. Companies that recognize this kind of strength are the ones building truly diverse, resilient teams.”

Photo credit: peepo/iStock

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