It isn’t unusual for gaps in a candidate’s employment history to raise red flags for a hiring manager. They can give the impression of job-hopping, which doesn’t help anyone’s prospects of being hired, or it could be assumed they were let go and found it difficult to find another job. No one wants to hire someone with commitment issues, and they aren’t excited about hiring anyone who has already been fired by another company.
If the employment gap is small, it probably won’t raise too many eyebrows. If it amounts to months or years, it will likely create some questions. Even if the gap is easily explainable—took time off to raise children or to care for an elderly relative, for instance—companies could assume the candidate lost their edge after such a lengthy layoff.
The employment gap might not even matter
Many people lost their jobs in the economic downturn that began around 2008 and lasted nearly five years. Those kind of employment gaps, some of which lasted as long as two years, were no fault of the candidates, and hiring managers need to consider that.
Likewise, gaps that were created by time off to earn a degree, serve in the military, gain new experiences or do volunteer work might have actually contributed to making the candidate a more valuable employee.
And, sometimes focusing on employment gaps can lead to an unintended prejudice against working parents, especially working mothers. Many mothers and fathers take time away from their careers to become full-time parents to a newborn baby or a recently adopted child. The time off does not diminish their skills, and the employment gap should have no bearing on the hiring process.
Skills are the most important consideration
Looking at a candidate’s employment history can provide an excellent professional summary of them. But what you care about is how much this person is going to help your company. And you probably won’t find that in the history.
Many hiring managers have begun asking behavioral questions in interviews, while other companies are using tests to assess their candidates’ skills. These skills assessment methods can help counteract the stigma of employment gaps.
Equally, or more important are a candidate’s soft skills. Depending on the role for which you are hiring, a charming and engaging candidate will bring more value to your organization than a rude one without employment gaps.
Think about it; it’s difficult to find talented people. Eliminating them because of employment gaps does not make good business sense. A candidate’s skills—both hard and soft—are what matter most.
Are you looking for qualified people to get your work done?
Contact Pro Talent Group, one of Indiana’s fastest-growing minority- and woman-owned businesses. We have provided opportunities for contingent employees through our offices in Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky. And we can make direct hire placements in engineering, manufacturing and administrative positions nationwide.
