Gap in CV question during interview?

Laughing with Me · 29-09-2020 10:03pm #1

Has anyone figured out a few ways to answer tricky questions about gaps in your CV? Here's the deal with myself. I graduated in 2016 with a BSc (GPA 3.04) in Bioscience and then failed to get a job related to my degree. I kept working at two different bum jobs during the following year while I kept on searching for a proper job. I eventually threw in the towel, and did a one year masters in same field during 2017/18. I hoped that that would make me more alluring to employers.

After finishing the one year masters I again failed to get a proper job. I worked two different bum jobs during that year until I was told that I landed a proper job, related to my degree, in the summer of 2019. However that company kept postponing the start date of the job until they eventually hired me three months after the interview. When I eventually started there, the lab they said would be ready for me still wasn't completed, so they put me doing ware house work and I was fired after a week.

It's now just over a year on from that, and I'm currently holding down a bum job. Of course I haven't sought further education again, but I'm now very much aware of how the gap in my CV looks, and there is no excuse for it. It could very well be asked why did I decided to work in the random job that I have instead of a one more suited to my degree? I can't pretend that it's because I'm interested in it. They know the reason why, but they may still ask the question to see how I handle it. I just don't know what to say. I'm competing with people who are fresh out of college you see!

And not only that, but I actually have two gaps in my CV, because there's the gap between my two degrees. So it's the fact that I've two gaps as well as having no industrial experience. The most recent industry experience I've had, I am not able to make reference to, because they fired me after a week.

The other problem I've had with my CV, is that I've had to omit certain jobs from it because I've been changing around so much, and that doesn't look good. So because of that, I'm basically pretending that I've worked in the remaining jobs, listed on CV, for longer than I actually have, in order to make up for the time during the jobs I've omitted.

What can I do?

OMM 0000 · 30-09-2020 1:19pm

(1) You need to figure out why companies don't want to hire you for a real job.

(2) The fact you haven't been able to get a real job in four years is a big red flag. I would not hire you because of this (too risky).

I hate giving this advice, but here it is:

(a) Find the answer to (1) and solve it.

(b) Come up with a big lie. For example, I've mostly been working in China the past 4 years. I think without a lie like this you're going to be seen as a big risk.

Emigration is also an option just so you can get some real experience. For example, you could teach English in China and back date that to 2016 on your CV.

seamus · 30-09-2020 1:26pm

As the man above says. I would tend to push you towards honesty - "I worked in <x> job while I was searching for a role related to my area of study".

The obvious question arising from that is, "Why do you think you had so much trouble finding a job in this area?"

You need a satisfactory answer for that. Maybe there is one, e.g. "There are very few roles in Ireland but I absolutely didn't want to emigrate", but you need to have it.

Competing with people fresh out of college isn't a bad thing. You have experience that they don't have and you're coming with a different attitude.

The company that fired you after a week, I'd just leave that off your CV. You can always say that you were successful with at least one company, but you were never brought onboard because the lab was cancelled.

Jim2007 · 30-09-2020 2:58pm

OMM 0000 wrote: »

(2) The fact you haven't been able to get a real job in four years is a big red flag. I would not hire you because of this (too risky).

From your post that would not surprise me in the slightest....

OMM 0000 wrote: »

Emigration is also an option just so you can get some real experience. For example, you could teach English in China and back date that to 2016 on your CV.

It takes a couple of minutes to blow that kind of nonsense a part.

Jim2007 · 30-09-2020 3:11pm

Laughing with Me wrote: »

Has anyone figured out a few ways to answer tricky questions about gaps in your CV? Here's the deal with myself. I graduated in 2016 with a BSc (GPA 3.04) in Bioscience and then failed to get a job related to my degree. I kept working at two different bum jobs during the following year while I kept on searching for a proper job. I eventually threw in the towel, and did a one year masters in same field during 2017/18. I hoped that that would make me more alluring to employers.

After finishing the one year masters I again failed to get a proper job. I worked two different bum jobs during that year until I was told that I landed a proper job, related to my degree, in the summer of 2019. However that company kept postponing the start date of the job until they eventually hired me three months after the interview. When I eventually started there, the lab they said would be ready for me still wasn't completed, so they put me doing ware house work and I was fired after a week.

It's now just over a year on from that, and I'm currently holding down a bum job. Of course I haven't sought further education again, but I'm now very much aware of how the gap in my CV looks, and there is no excuse for it. It could very well be asked why did I decided to work in the random job that I have instead of a one more suited to my degree? I can't pretend that it's because I'm interested in it. They know the reason why, but they may still ask the question to see how I handle it. I just don't know what to say. I'm competing with people who are fresh out of college you see!

And not only that, but I actually have two gaps in my CV, because there's the gap between my two degrees. So it's the fact that I've two gaps as well as having no industrial experience. The most recent industry experience I've had, I am not able to make reference to, because they fired me after a week.

The other problem I've had with my CV, is that I've had to omit certain jobs from it because I've been changing around so much, and that doesn't look good. So because of that, I'm basically pretending that I've worked in the remaining jobs, listed on CV, for longer than I actually have, in order to make up for the time during the jobs I've omitted.

What can I do?

Start with a truthful resume - most recruiters are well used of identifying duds and no one is going to put such a resume before the employing manager. It's important to show that you have not just being sitting around doing nothing for the past few years, you have been working and you have been making an attempt to get a job in your area.

What you have not said is if you are making it to the interview stage or are you not getting off the starting block at all... A well written resume, with the right keywords is important to get past the HR/Recruiter filter so if you are not getting the interviews then you need to invest in upping your resume etc...

If you are making the interview stage and not making the close, then perhaps you need to look at interview techniques.

In today's it's often not enough to just submit resumes, you need to network, cold call etc... have you tried this?

ThewhiteJesus · 30-09-2020 3:14pm

travelling pre covid is always a good excuse

Tony EH · 30-09-2020 3:30pm

Don't worry about gaps in your CV. Everyone has gaps in their CV because companies offload staff at the drop of the hat and getting a job in this country isn't easy. In today's working life, if you don't have a gap on your CV, you're in a very tiny minority.

But you need to come up with some sort of explanation for why YOU think you haven't been able to get a role in the area you studied for, when you go for jobs related to that role. This will require a bit of contemplation on your behalf, I'm afraid.

And don't worry about "looks". Looks are baloney. If you've moved around in jobs, ask yourself why and answer in an interview. Don't be afraid to tell the truth on why you've moved jobs. There's no such thing as jobs for life any more and having a number of different jobs under your belt is the norm.

You mentioned that your were "fired". Were you actually fired or let go. There's a huge difference. If you were fired, you'll need to come up with some creative explanation. If you were let go, just say you were let go. That job sounded like a shambles anyway and that's beyond your doing.

Also, stop looking at what you are currently doing as "bum jobs". That ain't going to help you for sure.

OMM 0000 · 30-09-2020 3:52pm

Jim2007 wrote: »

It takes a couple of minutes to blow that kind of nonsense a part.

You're kidding yourself if you think most employers will ring a school in China looking for a reference.

In general though I really dislike lying on CVs (it drives me nuts when I see my former colleagues lying on their LinkedIn pages) so I'm not too hot about the lying about China idea. I'm just concerned he is making his employability very low, especially considering how terrible the job market it.

You should really try to stop arguing all the time.

Laughing with Me · 30-09-2020 7:41pm

OMM 0000 wrote: »

Come up with a big lie. For example, I've mostly been working in China the past 4 years. I think without a lie like this you're going to be seen as a big risk.

Why can't interview coaches say this stuff?!

Jim2007 · 30-09-2020 7:52pm

OMM 0000 wrote: »

You're kidding yourself if you think most employers will ring a school in China looking for a reference..

They don't have too.... a little bit of lateral thinking

Laughing with Me · 30-09-2020 9:32pm

Tony EH wrote: »

You mentioned that your were "fired". Were you actually fired or let go. There's a huge difference. If you were fired, you'll need to come up with some creative explanation. If you were let go, just say you were let go.

I was let go, but it's the same thing as being fired as far as I'm concerned. I this case I'll lie by omission.

Tony EH wrote: »

Also, stop looking at what you are currently doing as "bum jobs". That ain't going to help you for sure.

I know what you're thinking but I know my own mid better than you! Just calling a spade a spade here.

Tony EH · 30-09-2020 9:35pm

Laughing with Me wrote: »

I was let go, but it's the same thing as far as I'm concerned.

Well, it isn't.

You get "fired" for something YOU do. You get "let go" because of something the company does.

Laughing with Me wrote: »

I know my own mid better than you! Just calling a spade a spade.

Well, if you don't want help...

Brian? · 30-09-2020 9:38pm

Just tell the truth. I've interviewed 75 people this year and plenty had gaps on their CV.

It's not something I worry about too much until I get a shifty answer.

It's far more important that you display a good attitude and prepare well.

Laughing with Me · 30-09-2020 9:39pm

Tony EH wrote: »

Well, if you don't want help...

No, you were getting preachy there. Just stop!

Tony EH · 30-09-2020 9:41pm

Laughing with Me wrote: »

No, you were getting preachy there. Just stop!

Oh fuck it then.

Good luck. You'll need it. :pac:

Akrasia · 30-09-2020 9:47pm

Laughing with Me wrote: »

I was let go, but it's the same thing as being fired as far as I'm concerned. I this case I'll lie by omission.
I know what you're thinking but I know my own mid better than you! Just calling a spade a spade here.

When an employer has dozens of CVs to choose from, they’re looking for attitude as well as skills experience and qualifications.

You’re coming across as a bit negative about your own experience when you should actually be overselling yourself. There are very few ‘bum jobs’ even the guys holding signs in Shop street are mostly doing it to self finance travelling around the world.

emilymemily · 01-10-2020 12:57am

You keep referring to jobs as 'bum jobs' and 'real jobs', what is a bum job may I ask? Sounds like you look down on certain professions which to me screams attitude problem! There's no shame in any job.

As mentioned, consider why you might not be getting hired.
Consider changing your references, theres always a chance that one or both are giving you a negative reference.

MrMusician18 · 01-10-2020 1:06am

You posted about the issues with the warehouse work before, correct?

Rubberchikken · 01-10-2020 1:18am

I'd stop referring to bum jobs. All jobs are necessary and a degree doesn't make a person better, it just means you have a degree

Why aren't you being hired? Is your attitude and tone in the posts representative of your personality in real life? If that's the case, I'd suggest starting there.

OMM 0000 · 01-10-2020 5:27am

Rubberchikken wrote: »

I'd stop referring to bum jobs. All jobs are necessary and a degree doesn't make a person better, it just means you have a degree

Although I agree the term "bum jobs" isn't right, I think we all know what he means. For example, if he had a computer science degree and was working as a pizza delivery guy, he's doing a low skill job which doesn't match his qualifications. I'm not saying pizza delivery guys have zero skills (they need to be able to drive, count money, communicate) and I'm not saying their job has no value (it has value).

A degree means a lot more than only "you have a degree". A person with a degree has proven they can commit to things, they have proven a certain level of academic ability, and it is likely they have learnt better critical thinking skills. Also, education seems to affect people. I can't put my finger on it exactly but I've noticed education causes people to lose their rough edges and soften up a bit. There's also the knowledge aspect too.

Plasandrunt · 01-10-2020 7:29am

iirc the poster previously posted on another account, that he got fired because he was complaining because he was unable to lift pallets or something along those lines.

radiotrickster · 01-10-2020 7:43am

I know someone else asked this but I didn’t see an answer. Did you try cold calling or networking, OP? What’s your LinkedIn like? I know a couple of people who have been contacted by recruiters for interviews based on a great LinkedIn profile.

Follow people who are in the field on Twitter and LinkedIn and post content related to the field. You’ll show yourself as dedicated and prove you’re still in touch with the industry and up to date on what’s going on. Then when people are hiring, your name won’t be just another strange name in the bundle on a CV as they’ll already have an idea of who you are.

Gap in CV question during interview?

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