Yes, Ive Had Gaps In My Employment History--What To Do About It?

Yes, I've Had Gaps In My Employment History--What Can I Do About It?

1. Honestly, there is not a single person who has not had SOME gaps in their work history. Anyone who says differently is someone who might not always tell the truth.

2. So, you, job seeker have had some employment gaps in your career/work life. What to do? What to do?

3. Sit down and write out what you did during your time of unemployment. Most people who are out of work do NOT spend all of their not working time in front of a TV! What you did is a measure of what your values and interests are. If you loafed, where did you do your loafing? Reading, baking, driving, hanging out? WHAT DID YOU DO AND WHY DID YOU DO IT?

4. Condense these periods of unemployment to look for a pattern. If you were "laid off" a few times, what jobs were you doing and why were you "laid off"? Look for skills that you used with employment gaps. There is always a pattern of some sort when Mr. or Ms Job Seeker is not looking.

5. By making sense of these gaps to and for potential new employers, you can capitalize

on them to present yourself in a new light. Example: If you started a home based business while you were unemployed, but it failed, you can still be known as someone willing to take risks; someone who can see failure as something to not be ashamed of. How many employers could sympathize with you? Many, I would guess. Failing and learning from it, is a SKILL.

6. Put those unemployment gaps together Mr. or Ms Job Seeker as if you had found gold on a scrap heap. The gaps still represent you, put them in your resume and use them in an interview.

7. You might want to do these differently on your next "not working gig". Put yourself to work on your self, the next time around!

Marilyn J. Tellez, M.A. Certified Job & Career Transition Coach Phone: (509) 469-3514 Email: doitnow@nwinfo.net Web: http://www.doitnowcareers.info

In The News:
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.kcbd.com/Global/story.asp%3FS%3D9139626%26nav%3D3w6ycid=1255311924ei=JUbsSIX0Fqjs6gPl5Lj7CAusg=AFQjCNHd729zDuoJFjuCd2jNje4aXK0FCgSouth Plains Job Fair Offers bEmployment/b Opportunities/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fKCBD-TV,nbsp;TXnbsp;-/font nobr10 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1The South Plains Job Fair offers workers who are unemployed or desire a bcareer/b change an opportunity to seek bemployment/b and network with over sixty-five b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://working.canada.com/resources/story.html%3Fid%3D43877c2e-22c2-42f4-a5ff-8d5edba01505cid=1255108546ei=JUbsSIX0Fqjs6gPl5Lj7CAusg=AFQjCNHW6862zwCVKVJRXdnFJXhBj2axNQimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=cu_I5bUwq0QJimgurl=a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465/1d/media.canada.com/ffeea43c-a722-4824-8508-b257af593065/graduatecaps.jpg%3Fsize%3Dl width=80 height=80 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Canada.com/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://working.canada.com/resources/story.html%3Fid%3D43877c2e-22c2-42f4-a5ff-8d5edba01505cid=1255108546ei=JUbsSIX0Fqjs6gPl5Lj7CAusg=AFQjCNHW6862zwCVKVJRXdnFJXhBj2axNQLife after school is leaving young job seekers depressed/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fCanada.com,nbsp;Canadanbsp;-/font nobr14 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1About a year ago, the bcareer/b coaches at Youth bEmployment/b Services Montreal began noticing an increase in the number of depressed and anxious job seekers b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/thecareerprojectorg-celebrates-one-year-helping/story.aspx%3Fguid%3D%257BA1565D07-5156-453A-A64D-DA76C322C915%257D%26dist%3Dhpprcid=1255108546ei=JUbsSIX0Fqjs6gPl5Lj7CAusg=AFQjCNHedE_OSAi7hkVzwXRX3n0a5xLc5gTheCareerProject.org Celebrates One Year of Helping Job Seekers b.../b/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrMarketWatch/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1255108546hl=ennobrall 8 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.zawya.com/story.cfm/sidZAWYA20081007071821/Securing%2520employment%2520in%2520an%2520insecure%2520marketcid=1254902299ei=JUbsSIX0Fqjs6gPl5Lj7CAusg=AFQjCNFkwU0uJwLCkPB2a-CpqECPtVPgQQimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=nU3AVhZW_tkJimgurl=www.zawya.com/pr/images/ArabImages_2008_10_07.jpg width=80 height=53 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Zawya (press release)/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.zawya.com/story.cfm/sidZAWYA20081007071821/Securing%2520employment%2520in%2520an%2520insecure%2520marketcid=1254902299ei=JUbsSIX0Fqjs6gPl5Lj7CAusg=AFQjCNFkwU0uJwLCkPB2a-CpqECPtVPgQQSecuring bemployment/b in an insecure market/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fZawya (press release),nbsp;United Arab Emiratesnbsp;-/font nobr22 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1b.../b potential to find fitting bemployment/b with benefits and job security. The jobs.abudhabi.ae bCareers/b Advice Lounge facilitates this for NAJAH visitors. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.marshallparthenon.com/home/news/2008/10/08/News/Job-Application.Help.Available-3475732.shtmlcid=0ei=JUbsSIX0Fqjs6gPl5Lj7CAusg=AFQjCNGn_G-oSXcLcv8CUd9nDwak2xAxfgJob application help available/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMU The Parthenon (subscription),nbsp;WVnbsp;-/font nobr1 minute ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1After going through the bemployment/b process, students will go through final interviews, and bCareer/b Services can help in that area as well. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.examiner.com/x-654-Baby-Boomer-Examiner~y2008m10d1-Byebye-to-career-employment-for-Baby-Boomer-mencid=0ei=JUbsSIX0Fqjs6gPl5Lj7CAusg=AFQjCNHkpkGPYkC3MsoWudGS0rpXpocUfQimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=Y0v3p9n65aUJimgurl=www.examiner.com/images/blog/author/img81paul_briand_photo.jpg width=80 height=67 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Examiner.com/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.examiner.com/x-654-Baby-Boomer-Examiner~y2008m10d1-Byebye-to-career-employment-for-Baby-Boomer-mencid=0ei=JUbsSIX0Fqjs6gPl5Lj7CAusg=AFQjCNHkpkGPYkC3MsoWudGS0rpXpocUfQBye-bye to bcareer employment/b for Baby Boomer men/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fExaminer.comnbsp;-/font nobrOct 1, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1quot;bCareer employment/b – meaning bemployment/b with a single employer from middle age to retirement – is no longer the norm. So if workers are to remain in the b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/secrets-finding-work-past-age/story.aspx%3Fguid%3D%257B0CAEC386-B323-46CA-9D60-FDE43BF20F34%257D%26dist%3Dhpprcid=1255117178ei=JUbsSIX0Fqjs6gPl5Lj7CAusg=AFQjCNGK75JPZ_7ap7V4dqSt2eBlYFSJJASecrets of Finding Work Past Age 50 Is the Topic of Next Experts b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMarketWatchnbsp;-/font nobr16 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1b.../b such as bcareer/b transition, changing bcareers/b and industries, choosing a bcareer/b direction, job search, as well as offering guidance for self-bemployment/b, b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.thesouthendnews.com/home/news/2008/10/08/News/Tips-For.Success-3474753.shtmlcid=0ei=JUbsSIX0Fqjs6gPl5Lj7CAusg=AFQjCNEiteCMoVK_v-3PAeiOBmjAXZVOLATips for success/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fThe South End,nbsp;MInbsp;-/font nobr4 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1b.../b of workshops were offered on topics including steps to self-bemployment/b, behavioral interviewing, investment strategies and preparing for a bcareer/b fair. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.caymannetnews.com/news-10551--1-1---.htmlcid=1255368846ei=JUbsSIX0Fqjs6gPl5Lj7CAusg=AFQjCNFo6wCQkPS0mKKcQGqMuGhD2pVIWQimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=JXWiNOZyN3QJimgurl=www.caymannetnews.com/news/_files/Image/1743/1743-Wed14.jpg width=73 height=80 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Cayman Net News/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.caymannetnews.com/news-10551--1-1---.htmlcid=1255368846ei=JUbsSIX0Fqjs6gPl5Lj7CAusg=AFQjCNFo6wCQkPS0mKKcQGqMuGhD2pVIWQFocus on bCareers/b in Finance/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fCayman Net News,nbsp;Cayman Islandsnbsp;-/font nobr1 hour ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1“The expo turnout is consistently good and it is always rewarding to participate as attendees demonstrate a keen interest in exploring bemployment/b options,” b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://weblog.infoworld.com/lewis/archives/2005/02/whether_to_purs.htmlcid=0ei=JUbsSIX0Fqjs6gPl5Lj7CAusg=AFQjCNG4cYMhoc7CykKpy_vzG1NOiqL5qgWhether to pursue a new opportunity/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fInfoWorld,nbsp;CAnbsp;-/font nobr1 hour ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1b.../b opportunities and bcareers/b you should seriously consider becoming an independent contractor instead of continuing to pursue gainful bemployment/b. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.usatoday.com/money/workplace/2008-10-07-challenger-q_N.htmcid=1255152826ei=JUbsSIX0Fqjs6gPl5Lj7CAusg=AFQjCNGBrwRUXetsYGyyVlW4A7j3tgzrvQ5 questions for jobs expert John Challenger/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fUSA Todaynbsp;-/font nobr9 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1I#39;m not a very strong advocate of changing bcareers/b in this type of situation. Sometimes people spend three to six months or longer exploring the idea of an b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
careers employment - Google News


Wind Chimes and more...

Windchimes for great gifts!

Telephone Job Interview Preparation Tips

TELEPHONE INTERVIEW BACKGROUNDTelephone interviews are quite common in today's job... Read More

Job Interview Mistakes To Avoid

By avoiding these 8 simple mistakes, you can improve your... Read More

Preventing The Runaway Candidate

Municipal and law enforcement officials in Georgia are still calculating... Read More

The Top 10 Ways to Achieve Balance in Your Life

1. Define Success for YourselfClarify and write down what success... Read More

Jesse And Al Should Read This!

Instead of getting all bent out of shape over innocuous... Read More

Online Business: The Underground Railroad for Corporate Escapees

Millions of people everyday spend eight hours or more in... Read More

So You want to be a Bodyguard?

Then let me start by helping out. The politically correct... Read More

We Rejected Your Rsum Today

Hi, I am Mr. Employer.Even though you think I can... Read More

Benefits of Mystery Shopping For Secret Shoppers

Mystery shoppers are people who are hired to scrutinize employees,... Read More

Should You Make A Career Decision Based Upon A Career Quiz?

Q. I'm about to graduate High School and I don't... Read More

A Bit of Pollyanna

"Stop being such a Pollyanna," a trusted, more experienced colleague... Read More

Dissatisfied with Your Job? Take Your Power Back!

Apparently, there are all sorts of reasons to be dissatisfied... Read More

Looking for Work in All the Wrong Places

The Question: After identifying a potential employer, I get contact... Read More

In Control - Inside Tips on Interview Success

No, you can't control how the interview will be conducted,... Read More

Job Search Secret #1

The job search secret that is so powerful it will... Read More

Successful Job Seeking ? The Importance of Your Cover Letter

As an employer I receive many job applications each week.... Read More

Searching for Employment

Searching for a job can be a daunting and confusing... Read More

Free Resume Template: The ONLY One Youll Ever Need

WARNING: This article is likely to make you mad.In fact,... Read More

Master Responding to Selection Criteria and Win Your Next Job!

As a human resources specialist for many years, I've seen... Read More

Career Advice: Are Resumes Obsolete As A Primary Job Search Tool?

In a day of background checks, pre-employment drug screening and... Read More

Kick-In-The-Pants Job Search

Believe it: three obstacles will hold you back from your... Read More

How To Pick The Best Career For You, Part 1

In Part One we'll look at how Positioning or "Coming... Read More

6 Vital Tips For Creating A Superior Resume

1: Keep It ShortConsidering that initially HR personnel only spend... Read More

Don?t Be Too Passionate About Your Work

Of course, she then offered me a six-month process, costing... Read More

Does Your Career Change Itch or Burn?

Two weeks ago, I received a newsy email from a... Read More