You graduated from college, went to work, then stopped to travel and maybe volunteer for a while. Now, you want to go back to the workforce. You update your resume, send copies to companies and phone prospect employers. At an interview, they inquire about the period you seemed to have been unemployed. What do you tell them?
You took a gap year, of course. But, you can’t simply expect the interviewer to drop the subject and carry on with inquiries into your skills and work experience. Expect them to ask more questions about this gap period, especially on how you spent your time.
Justifying this gap in your employment history isn’t difficult if you prepare ahead. Here are some pointers to help you talk about your gap year during the interview:
1. Say It on Your Resume
When applying for a job, you highlight qualifications you possess based on the skills required for the job. You do this first in your resume. In this case, you need to qualify gap year activities as “working” experiences. How to do this?
List all activities you accomplished within your gap year and choose only those that are related to productivity, skills creation and education. Add brief descriptions for each.
For example, if you worked as a teacher, briefly discuss the topics you covered and the age group of your students. If you volunteered as a Peace Corps officer, mention the projects you had and the group of people you worked with. Let’s say you didn’t work or volunteer exactly, but you kept a blog and developed your photography and French language skills. You can present them in your resume as well.
Present them chronologically under “Work Experience” or by creating a “Skills” category that summarizes your experiences that didn’t come from working or volunteering.
Remember that if you say these in your resume, you help set the course of your interview.
2. Prepare Your Story
Anticipate interview questions and prepare answers in advance. Interviewers would rather hear a story than short, concise answers that don’t give insight into your work ethic, ability to communicate or people skills.
How do you know what answers you should prepare? Review your resume. Most questions will be based on the details included in it.
Activities relating to productivity:
Talking about volunteering and the jobs you had during your gap year is easier because they can still be part of your work experience. Since you’ve organized the information accordingly in your resume, all you need to do is think about the story behind them.
For example, let’s say you volunteered as an English language instructor for a couple of months when you were in South Africa. What’s the highlight of this experience that could help you get the job you’re applying for? Tell that story.
Travels and other activities:
Talking about your travels may be more difficult than talking about volunteering, so it helps to compose a brief story that answers the question, “Tell us about it.” Rehearse sentences that highlight details of interest (as discussed in resume preparation).
3. Ace Your Interview
There are different ways to ace your job interview. Since you need to account for your gap year, the most crucial thing to do is know your story by heart. Don’t memorize lines, because if you forget them, it can make you feel tense.
After preparing your story, read the requirements of the job again, specifically its responsibilities, qualifications and the work attitude that’s required. Use this information as a guide to supplement your answers. Your goal is not to mislead, but you need to show them you’re the right person for the job — just as you believe you are.
Also, do some research about the company. Know the culture, core values and the nature of its business. This will help you gain insight into how you can be part of it or what you can contribute. The information you gather will also help you form questions about the company and the position’s career growth potential.
4. Gather Your References
Having references works best for volunteer jobs and other projects that are “unofficial.” Ask key people you have worked with for contact details and permission to use them in case you need them as references. It’s better to do this before the project or tour is over than to contact these people after the interviewer asked for them. What if they can’t be reached at that moment?
You’re almost ready for your interview! Just follow these pointers and you’ll be able to justify your gap year and get the job that you want. Also, make sure you appear confident and smart. Dress up, maintain eye contact, answer questions professionally and don’t be late.
How will you use your gap year to help you land your next job? Share in the comments!
Image: Flickr
