The more I don't get hired because of that gap, the more the gap grows. I can't get a job because I don't have experience because I can't get a job because I don't have experience because i can't get a job because I don't have experience...
this post was submitted on 25 Feb 2024
1 points (100.0% liked)
me_irl
4660 readers
540 users here now
All posts need to have the same title: me_irl it is allowed to use an emoji instead of the underscore _
founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
I have a 3.5 year gap on mine and used to dread this question. It came up during a second or third interview with a previous employer and the dread left as I answered honestly:
I was married to someone that was fortunate enough to have a lot of wealth and I didn't need to work. During this time we traveled a good bit and I went back to school for a stint to study music theory. I wouldn't trade those experiences for anything in the world but, alas, the marriage didn't work out and I had to go back to work. When reviewing my options I found a renewed sense of purpose in my career that transcends a simple means to pay my bills. I am very blessed to have had these opportunities and wish everyone was as fortunate.
I'm sorry, I signed a non-disclosure agreement.
"The resume is accurate"
I got asked this about the time period from 2020-mid2021. And for some reason they needed to hear whether or not I was seeking work while out of work due to a global pandemic.
Even Arizona wasn't requiring you to seek work to claim unemployment during that time... Yes, I milked the state for all I could, got to spend time with my kids, wouldn't change a thing.
We'll all fondly miss that time.
In only put years on my resume.
That way you can have an 11 month gap, while the dates still line up.
I was hiding from the police.
Felt like doing fuck all. Did fuck all. Need money again.
We are in a point where even a toxic gf or bf wont ask. The entitlement to interfere in workers life is amazing.
I literally just got asked this by a recruiter, not 5 minutes ago.
They want to know if you had a job you were fired from so you're not telling them about it.
So what? Not their business my personal life. Why is so important?
I was taking a breather, goddamn.
Just say you took a sabbatical
I prefer "no, I signed an NDA"
"You don't have the clearance for that"
Time dilatation.
Interviewer: Are you suggesting that you left your previous employer at a substantial percentage of the speed of light to only slow down and arrive here at this very moment?
Candidate: I remember it like it was yesterday.
Interviewer: ::hasty note-taking noises::
Interviewer: did not leave a two weeks notice
He’ll do it tomorrow.
Sandevistan goes brrr
Boy, that career pivot to an Arasaka lap-dog would be kind of rough though:
Employee Eval Form
- Does the employee achieve their tasks on time, and under budget?
[ ] Never [ ] Rarely [ ] Sometimes [ ] Often [x] Always
- Does the employee pay attention to details?
[x] Never [ ] Rarely [ ] Sometimes [ ] Often [ ] Always
...
- Does the employee exhibit signs of cyberpsychosis on the job?
[ ] Never [ ] Rarely [ ] Sometimes [x] Often [ ] Always
Got this question in an interview once. I just said I had taken time off for my health, and we moved on immediately.
Most people aren't dicks. They'll respect your privacy, because it's unprofessional to pry. Even as an employee if you have a health issue, they aren't obligated to know the specifics of it. You tell someone siloed off what the issue is, and they'll communicate to everyone else that you had a serious injury and that's it.
In fact, this might be a good tactic to weed out bad employers - assuming one has the luxury of multiple interviews, of course.
Agreed. Depends a lot where it comes from too. Is a future colleague asking you? Or is it HR? A department manager?
Either way, a good piece of information to judge the company.
it's unprofessional to ask in the first place, in my opinion. you can assume any gap is for a good reason and ask me about my experience instead.
Yeah. I imagine at some point in my career I'm going to be asked to interview candidates as a kind of "hey you've been an engineer here for a while, what do you think of their technical background", and I don't plan to ask about any gaps. That really doesn't factor into their abilities or prowess.
As usual with interviews, they don't really care much about the answer but how you respond to it.
When I used to help clients hire I didn't care much about your experience itself, other then to work it into talking points. I cared about if you were interested in the work and would fit in with the rest of the team, your ability to troubleshoot, and ability to ask others for help.
"Unfortunately I am still under the obligation of an NDA and cannot discuss it."
This is an actual strategy that people use (especially in tech, engineering, and trades), and yes it does work
view more: next ›