6 month gap in my CV due to personal issues. How should I explain this in interviews?

Turboshark

Hi,

Everything is rosy up until 2010. I left my job to do a masters in Trinity. Unfortunately I was a bit out of my depth at the time and I dropped out just before Christmas.

I managed to get a call centre job in January but quit after a month and moved back home with my parents for a while. I was suffering from some fairly bad anxiety and depression at the time as I hadn't really recovered from the stress I was under in the masters, and the job was pretty intense also.

Up until now I'd just left that call centre job off my CV, but in an interview recently a rather aggressive HR worker went through my recent employment history in detail with me. I mentioned the job, saying I left because I could afford to keep living up in dublin and he didn't seem impressed.

What should I do for future interviews? Put it on my CV and say I left for 'personal reasons' or just never mention the job at all?

fasttalkerchat

Say that you did a masters but it was too theoretical and not what you expected. You dropped out and moved back in with your parents after the first semester and began job searching again.

If they go into detail tell them that you worked at a call centre after dropping out but that it wasn't financially viable to live away from home on that wage.

Mrs OBumble

If it was only a month, and isn't relevant to the job you're applying for, then I'd leave it off.

Laneyh

I think people often account for gaps on their cv by saying they were travelling.
I've never had to do it so I don't know whether it's a good or bad idea maybe someone else on here could comment.

You could also say that you moved in with your parents to help out at home.. Only thing there might be they'd worry you'd have to do so again in the future.

It's annoying to have to stretch the truth but most of us have to do it at some point

Hope you find something good soon

Turboshark

Laneyh wrote: »

I think people often account for gaps on their cv by saying they were travelling.
I've never had to do it so I don't know whether it's a good or bad idea maybe someone else on here could comment.

You could also say that you moved in with your parents to help out at home.. Only thing there might be they'd worry you'd have to do so again in the future.

It's annoying to have to stretch the truth but most of us have to do it at some point

Hope you find something good soon

Thanks for the advice, my mum actually suggested I tell themI ahd to help out at home on the farm. My dad is 71 so she said it would be a good idea to tell them I moved back to help initially but also that he sold most of it off recently so theres no need for me to come back.

mikemac1

Turboshark wrote: »

Thanks for the advice, my mum actually suggested I tell themI ahd to help out at home on the farm. My dad is 71 so she said it would be a good idea to tell them I moved back to help initially but also that he sold most of it off recently so theres no need for me to come back.

Yes, do this

Nobody is going to question that

If you don't want to say selling land you could just say you have a younger brother

Bray Header

I agree with the helping on the farm thing. Don't go into too much detail or they will know you're lying.

Tip No. 9: Too Much Detail

“When you say to someone, ‘Oh, where were you?’ and they say, ‘I went to the store and I needed to get eggs and milk and sugar and I almost hit a dog so I had to go slow,’ and on and on, they’re giving you too much detail,” says Berman.
Too much detail could mean they’ve put a lot of thought into how they’re going to get out of a situation and they’ve crafted a complicated lie as a solution.

http://ugotnerve.wordpress.com/2009/05/10/10-ways-to-catch-a-liar-an-instructional-manual-for-henricos-parents/

oceanblue

Hi.. Yes, I'd agree about going to help on the farm.

I'd suggest to put something like 'Career break' on yout CV for the 6 months gap if you have your work history specified in date order. Then at an interview when they will ask about it explain about going to work on the family farm. I'd agree about keeping it simple so have the reason for going clear as well. e.g. helping the family during a challenging time..

Pauvre Con

In Ireland being unemployed for 6 months is hardly a surprising state of affairs. If an employer thinks otherwise they've got their head up their arse.